Volleyball Association of Ireland

Cadette Finals 2006/07

The girls of St. Brigid's Secondary School, Callan have added to their Senior A title won in December by retaining their Cadette A title by overcoming stiff opposition from neighbouring Presentation Secondary School, Loughboy. The atmosphere was electric with the game going all the way to the wire. Both teams set the scene for a classic battle with great attacking and defending. The two dominant attacking players in the game were middle hitters Denise Gaule of Callan and Rebecca Cleere of Loughboy. They fought a ding-dong battle in the middle and an excellent hit down the line from Rebecca Cleere took the first set for Presentation 27-25.

Both teams played hard in the second set but Callan had the edge and the set went to St. Brigid’s 25-19. The third set lived up to it's expectations with great defense by the Loughboy girls keeping the game very competitive. In the end excellent setting by Kate McDonald for Callan - finding Denise Gaule in the middle was the telling factor in the St. Brigid’s girls running out winners 25-20.

The Cadette Girls' C final took place afterwards, when Manor House School, Raheny eeked out an unbelievable win in front of a packed hall. Their opposition from St. Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea took the first set with a runaway score of 25 -12 with solid serving by Brenda Cahalan. Manor House responded however early in the 2nd set, storming ahead into a 14-7 lead, but an excellent substitution by Coach Mary Barrett bringing on Rebecca Howley to serve brought the Loughrea girls to within 4 points. However, the Raheny girls closed out the set at 25 -20.

The third set was a thrilling affair with the Loughrea girls racing into a 9-1 lead. Manor House had their eye on the result and forced their way back into the game with some excellent defense by Jacqueline Elebert, while solid serving from Emma Hanafin helped draw the game level at 20-20. Both team fought an intense hard battle from there to the finish and the strong performance of MVP Jacqueline Elebert sent the Raheny girls on to win the set and pick up the trophy with a 25-22 finish.

In contrast to the previous game, the following Cadette Girls' B final proved to be a very one-sided affair. Another team representing St Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea took on the girls from St. Mary's Secondary School, Naas. It was the Galway girls however that streaked ahead into a 15-3 lead with consistant setting from Regina Halpin and strong serving from Aisling Hobbins, striving them to the 1st set 25-9. Loughrea continued on their rampage and ran into a convincing 10-3 lead. Excellent control by Regina Halpin kept her team calm, helping them to 21-6 lead. Soon afterwards, St. Brigids closed out the game for a very convincing 2-0 win, 25-9, 25-7.

Next up was the Boys' A final where Drumshanbo Vocational School took on St. Louis' Community School, Kiltimagh. Both teams competed point for point from the start, with the scoring mainly coming from Kiltimagh’s Vincent McKeon and Drumshanbo’s Wayne Gunning. Michael Murphy blocked, while Darragh Coleman served strongly to get his team the crucial set point, helping them to the set 25-22.

In the 2nd set, Kiltimagh ran into an 8-3 lead before the fine hitting of Michael Murphy brought the score back to 7-9. Both teams competed score for score, however it was Drumshanbo’s Wayne Gunning's 2 great blocks and a 2nd ball tip from setter Alan Benson that gave them a 23-18 lead, pushing them on to win the set 2 points later.

In the tie-break, Drumshanbo defended well at the start of the set, particularly Seamie McMorrow and Michael Murphy, however excellent hitting from Vincent McKeon began to find the gaps, bringing the game back to 9-9. Both teams competed strongly, and despite some crucial serving errors from Kiltimagh putting them on the back foot, great attacking and defense by Vincent McKeon gave the Mayo boys a 22-20 lead. Excellent serving and defense by Michael Murphy brought the teams level again at 25-25. Yet it was an excellent 2nd ball from Michael Schlingermann that gave a 2nd match point to Kiltimagh and for Darragh Coleman to put the ball away for the title.

The closing game of the long day in Tipperary was the Boys' B Final between Mercy College Woodford and St. Clares' Comprehensive, Manorhamilton. This was a very hard fought game, with both teams competing point for point. Strong defense by both teams kept the teams level right up to 21-21, however Oliver Powell served strongly to lift the Woodford men to set point, followed by captain Eoin Tuohy’s serving which carried the team through to win the set.

In the 2nd set, Woodford took a strong 10-3 lead, before a spirited Manorhamilton revival aided by Dermot Harkin and captain John O’Brien brought them to within 3-points. Both teams fought vigorously, but it was captain Eoin Tuohy’s 4-point serving streak that gave his Woodford team a 21-14 lead and went on to finish the set 25-19 and the match.