Pictured: St Michael’s Community College Kilmihil, first year girls soccer team.
A GROUP of first year students from West Clare are about to make history on the soccer pitch.
For the first time in the history of St. Michaels Community College Kilmihil, the school will take part in a sporting All Ireland Final.
The final involves the school’s first year girls’ soccer team, who travel to Athlone AFC on Tuesday the 19th of May at 12:30pm where they will battle for the title of FAI School’s First Year “B” Girls National Cup Final against the previous year’s winners, Glenamaddy Community School.
This is the first time St Michaels Community College have had a first-year girls soccer team. The dawn of this team has proven to be a huge success for the girls and the school, from winning a Munster Final and now progressing to the All-Ireland Final where the girls hope to do it all again and take the cup home to St Michaels.
Speaking with team’s captain, Lily O’Leary, the first-year student tells the Clare Echo how proud she is to captain her team all the way to an All-Ireland Final.
“We’re very proud to get to the final because we’re such a small school. We’re very proud and we hope we can bring the cup home.”
Lily is described by her manager Ruth Morrissey as “trojan” worker on the pitch.
“She’s a great little worker and she helps her teammates out, and that’s why she’s the captain. She’s got a good attitude. She won’t give up, she’ll work hard. She’s here, there, she’s everywhere. I know that I can depend on her. She’s a very dependable girl in the field.”
The team fought their way through tough conditions to reach this final. Ms Morrissey affirms how none of this could have been done without the support of the school community and the Kilmihill community.
“Our principal and vice principal are so supportive in establishing the team in the first place. I think for the girls to go and to represent not only their county, but their province on Tuesday is a super honour and we were very lucky. We got a lot of advice from a lot of people along the way, which has been very fruitful and we’re very grateful for that. A lot of people that have, even offered to come out and help and talk to the girls.”
“A lot of people have offered to sponsor the girls, you know, for gear and to get things from leading up to the match and everything. They’ve been very generous. A lot of the community as well have reached out and said that they would like to contribute something towards the girls and to congratulate them on their success. We’re very grateful for all that”
The girls aim to “compete right up to the final whistle” and to leave the pitch with no regrets on Tuesday.
