Brave Ursuline effort comes a cropper at the hands of Loreto Kilkenny in All Ireland final

All-Ireland Senior A Post Primary Schools Final

Loreto Kilkenny 2-14

Ursuline Thurles 2-6

There was no joy for Ursuline Thurles on Saturday as they lost out to an exceptional Loreto Kilkenny side in the All-Ireland Senior A Post Primary Schools final. 

Playing with the aid of a strong breeze Loretto set out their stall early with a Sarah Kehoe point from play and a Rachel Dowling free putting them into a lead that they held till the final whistle. 

The Kilkenny school who captured their ninth title in Rathdowney dominated the opening quarter to race into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead with star forward Rachel Dowling scoring five of the game’s opening seven scores. Tara McGrath then netted the opening goal of the game and Ursuline looked to be in serious trouble. 

The Thurles side began to settle more into the game with Boherlahan Dualla’s Paula Quirke switched to mark Dowling and Caoimhe Stakelum deployed further out from her full-forward berth. On the 20th minute, Caoimhe got one of the scores of the game as she sidestepped her marker before striking a lovely point straight off the hurley. 

At half time Ursuline trailed Loreto 1-8 to 0-4. Loreto could have been further ahead only for Orla Ryan the Thurles keeper to pull off an array of top-class saves including a one-on-one effort from Caoimhe Kerr-Murtagh while Rachel Dowling also saw her penalty strike go wide three minutes later.

A huge second-half performance was needed by the Munster champions and by the 40th minute they had reduced the deficit to a single point thanks in main to a superb 2-1 from Borris-ileigh’s Ava Bevans. 

Bevans was on hand to flick the ball over the goal line after Maria Ralph’s initial strike was saved while her second goal moments later was brilliantly finished after a long ball in by the always industrious Kate Ferncombe. Thurles however failed to kick on from here and instead, it was Loreto who responded like true champions to the setback. 

Rachel Dowling with three in a row from placed balls before Ciara Dunne ensured victory with a 56th-minute goal. As the clock ticked down Ursuline never ceased working and looking for a goal with Danielle Ryan, Sarah Corcoran, Aoife Bourke, and Lucy Purcell all putting in a great shift. 

The Loreto defence stood firm though for the final 20 minutes with Anna Doheny putting in a player of the match performance at centre back and it was the Leinster champions who were celebrating at the final whistle

Ursuline Thurles: Orla Ryan; Rachel Phelan, Alison Fitzgerald,  Caoimhe Fitzgibbon; Aoife Bourke, Aoife Kavanagh, Paula Quirke; Kate Ferncombe, Sarah Corcoran; Danielle Ryan, Robbyn Fitzgerald (0-1), Lucy Purcell (0-1); Caoimhe Stakelum (0-3, 0-2f), Maria Ralph, Ava Bevans (2-1).

Subs used: Isabelle Carr for Robbyn Fitzgerald; Clodagh Ryan for Maria Ralph.

Loreto Kilkenny:  Ali Kennedy; Marie O’Keefe, Angela Carroll, Orlaith Kirwan; Emma Corr, Anna Doheny, Emily Smith; Ambar Laherty, Sarah Kehoe (0-1); Rachel Dowling (0-8, 0-3f), Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh (0-3), Aisling Browne (0-1); Aoife Shealy, Ciara Dunne (1-0), Tara McGrath (1-1).

Subs used: Julie Lennon for Aoife Shealy; Louisa Gilmore for Ambar Laherty.