In attendance at Croke Park ahead of the Lidl All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Junior 'A' final are Moate CS manager Fidelma Quinn (left) and coach Rachel Maguire (right), LGFA President Trina Murray and Moate CS players Lucy Martin, Anna Ryan and Ríona Foley. Photo:Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Moate CS girls bid to retain All-Ireland crown

Kieran Galvin

Published: Thu 19 Mar 2026, 10:47 AM

Moate Community School will be striving to retain their crown when they face Sacred Heart School, Westport in the All-Ireland Junior ‘A’ final today (Thursday). The eagerly awaited decider will be played at Orchard Park, Elphin (throw-in 1pm).

And in addition to seeking more silverware, it could be said that Moate CS are on a mission of atonement as well, with many members of the team hoping to banish the heartbreak from their defeat to Joseph’s SS, Spanish Point in last Thursday’s All-Ireland Senior ‘A’ semi-final.

Moate suffered the agony of conceding a last-gasp goal which gave the Clare outfit a 5-8 to 3-13 victory, AET (see report and photos in this week's print edition).

Ironically, it was the Moate CS juniors who were on the right side of a similarly late goal in their All-Ireland semi-final victory over St Mary’s SS, Macroom. On that occasion team captain Anna Ryan struck in the dying moments to clinch a 1-6 to 0-7 victory in Fethard.

The Moate CS junior team is coached by Fidelma Quinn (who has been involved with football teams from the schools for several years) alongside Caulry’s Rachel Maguire.

The Moate CS girls defeated Eureka SS, Kells in the Leinster final by 6-6 to 3-5 towards the end of last year. Ally Duffy (Cill Óige) scored three goals in that Leinster decider with Moate’s other green flags raised by Lucy Martin (two) and Anna Ryan from Doon.

MCS are the reigning All-Ireland champions at the junior (U16) grade, the Westmeath side having memorably defeated Ursuline SS, Thurles in last year’s final. And if they can secure victory in Elphin, a second All-Ireland title would be a remarkable achievement for all involved.

Sacred Heart School, Westport defeated Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry in the other All-Ireland junior semi-final by 3-11 to 3-9.

Moate Community School junior panel: Lilly Daly (Cill Óige), Grace David (Caulry), Ríona Foley (St Manchan’s), Libby McHugh (Garrycastle), Hannah Pratlett (Cill Óige), Daisy Bucys McLaughlin (Caulry), Mella Casey (St Manchan’s), Chloe Malone (Moate Ladies), Aoibheann Kelly (St Joseph’s), Anna Ryan (joint captain, Naomh Ciaran), Heidi Murray (St Manchan’s), Kelly Lynam (Caulry), Ally Duffy (Cill Óige), Wiktoria Wziatek(Garrycastle), Heather Touhey (St Manchan’s), Lucy Martin (joint captain, St Joseph’s), Grace Dolan (Moate), Mila Fralkova (St Manchan’s), Ellen Madden (Moate), Lucy Keane (Moate), Gemma Turley (Cill Óige), Kate Larkin (Cill Óige), Katie Meares (St Joseph’s), Katie Doyle (Cill Óige), Kate Mallon (St Joseph’s), Laura Fox (Moate), Diana Heavin (St Manchan’s), Kate Corcoran (Caulry).