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U16 National School Finals 2020

​The Cadets are back! January 22nd @ NUIG Kingfisher Galway. We go again for national glory and bragging rights for 2020. Here is a little update on how this year’s finals are looking.

U16 Girl A Final =  Holy Family SS, Newbridge VS St Mary’s College, Naas
 
There are very few derbies in Irish Volleyball like Holy Family SS VS St Mary’s College, Naas. These two Kildare teams have been at the top level competing against each for trophy after trophy, year after year and they renew that rivalry again as our first match of the finals. Holy Family A girls continue their fantastic journey with yet another final. The team is still unbeaten in school’s competition but will not be taking anything lightly in NUIG. It will be up to St Mary’s to put a stop to their winning streak and with the experience of so many finals behind the school it will be a tough call come Wednesday on the victors.
 
U16 B Girl Final = Holy Family SS, Newbridge VS Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown
 
The B final will be contested by Scoil Mhuire of Strokestown and a second Holy Family SS team This is Scoil Mhuire’s third final in just two years. Thus demonstrating the growth and development of volleyball within the school. Unfortunately for them they have lost in the last two finals, so they will be hoping for a case of third time lucky for Scoil Mhuire. The Strokestown U16 team have made an incredible leap from last year’s C final to this year’s B final showing the amount of work put in by coach and students. They will have to overcome Holy Family second team in this B final. Make no mistake though they may be slightly younger than the A girls but again no stranger to national titles as they took home the junior Cup last year in UL. The Holy Family girls are closely linked to the ever-growing Newbridge volleyball club and under the fine guidance of the coaches there and in school they will be a well drilled team and aiming for gold.  
 
 
U16 C Girl Final – Ardscoil Mhuire, Ballinalsoe VS Grange Community College, Dublin
 
Grange CC find themselves in their first ever national girl final. The team have been showing good form throughout the tournament and with just one game left for the championship they will be hoping all players are firing the Dublin school to glory on the 22nd. ASM Ballinasloe have had their fair share of wins in junior competitions and we only have to go back to 16/17 to see their last outing at a cadet final. However, that didn’t end so well for the girls just losing out 25-21, 25-23. Could this be the year for the East Galway School!
 
U16 Boys A =  Elphin Community College, Roscommon VS Drumshanbo VC or Sutton Park School

Elphin CC have made their way into an U16 Boys A final after an incredible 15 years absence. They turned it on in the semi-finals to come back from a set down and overcome St Brigid’s College to book their place. That last final back in 04/05 that Elphin competed in, they won against Brigid’s. Could this be an omen for the Rossies? They will have to get past either Sutton Park School or Drumshanbo VC. (game delayed due to Storm Brendan) Drumshanbo, a school very much at home in national finals and a serious volleyball tradition will be looking to restore pride after losing this U16 final last year but also a Senior final just at the end of 2019. As for Sutton Park if they can win out the semi, they will also be one of the schools that find themselves in new and exciting position of a Boys A final for the first time.
 
U16 Boys B-=St Brigid’s College, Loughrea VS Patrician Presentation, Fethard.
 
St Brigid’s College will be represented in the U16 Boys B for a remarkable 9 of the last 10 years. Although they have won 8 of those it was only last year that they lost their first final of that decade. The school will be looking to take back what they feel is rightfully theirs come finals day. They will face off against Patrician Presentation. The Tipperary school will be buzzing after they sealed a Girls B championship in UCD back in December. They would love to add the boys cup to that cabinet. These schools are both regulars at semi-final and final stages. In this particular competition we only have to go back two years ago when both competed against each other at the final stage. That time the Galway school won but it’s a new year and that game won’t mean much come next week.
 

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