This coming Saturday, 30th August, our very own Riona McTavish and the Dublin Under 16 Footballers will compete against Cork in the All Ireland Ladies Under 16 Football Final. Throw in is 1pm and the venue is JK Brackens GAA Club, Templemore, Co Tipperary. To take to the field for an All Ireland Final is a fantastic achievement and all at Round Tower GAA Club wish Riona and the Dublin team the very best and hope to see them claim national glory.
Match preview from Dublin Ladies GAA is now provided. Hope to see good Towers representation to cheer on Riona and the Dubs.
The Dublin U16 team to face Cork in this year’s 2014 All Ireland final will be announced on Thursday evening following the panel’s final training session ahead of Saturdays show down with the Rebels in Templemore.
Dublin began their championship campaign back on the 1st of March last and on route to the decider have accounted for Kildare, Wicklow, Laois, Meath, Westmeath and Galway.
The Dublin U16 panel consists of representatives from 18 clubs across Dublin with Foxrock Cabinteely and Kilmacud Crokes leading the way with five players apiece.
Cuala, Lucan Sarsfields, O’Dwyers and O’Tooles are next up with two representatives each while Ballinteer St Johns, Ballyboden St Endas, Naomh Barrog, Naomh Mearnog, Naomh Olaf, Parnells, Round Towers Clondalkin, Round Towers Lusk, St Brigids, St Maurs and Thomas Davis each have a representative on the Dublin panel.
At the start of the season the Dublin management team selected a group of players who possess a blend of experience mixed with enthusiasm and skill. Twelve of the panel made their debut for the County in 2014 while seventeen of the group had all played previously for the sky blues at U14 level back in 2012 under former Dublin manager, Terry Jennings.
Notably four players- Ellen Curran, Hannah O’Neill, Mia Jennings and Erica Byrne also featured on Pat Kane’s Dublin U16 team who captured the Leinster title in 2013 only to lose out to a strong Cork outfit in the All- Ireland decider. Clara O’Sullivan (Naomh Olaf) the equalising heroine from the semi-final versus Galway is the sole representative from last year’s U14 panel.
It has been four years since Dublin were last crowned under 16 All-Ireland champions having suffered defeats in 2011 and 2013 at the hands of Kerry and Cork.
Everyone involved in Dublin LGFA will be hoping that 2014 will be the breakthrough year for the U16’s with success finally returning to the Capital following the heart break of the last couple of seasons.
Dublin Path to the All- Ireland Final:
17th August Dublin 6-12 Galway 4-13 Semi Final (AET)
11th May Dublin 2-15 Meath 3-04 Leinster Final
19th April Dublin 4-09 Westmeath 0-10 Round Robin
6th April Dublin 1-13 Meath 0-08 Round Robin
29th March Dublin 4-18 Laois 0-06 Round Robin
15th March Dublin 3-10 Wicklow 0-06 Round Robin
1st March Dublin 8-19 Kildare 1-06 Round Robin
Dublin Under 16 Panel
Ballinteer St Johns Eleanor Ahern
Ballyboden Emily Flanagan
Cuala Billy Kate Huggard
Cuala Hannah O’Dea
Foxrock Cabinteely Ellen Curran
Foxrock Cabinteely Hannah Foster Ryan
Foxrock Cabinteely Hannah O’Neill
Foxrock Cabinteely Tarah O’Sullivan
Foxrock Cabinteely Megan Duffy
Kilmacud Crokes Katie Ronan
Kilmacud Crokes Mia Jennings
Kilmacud Crokes Muireann O’Gorman
Kilmacud Crokes Rachel Fleming
Kilmacud Crokes Robyn Kos
Lucan Sarsfields Danielle Murray
Lucan Sarsfields Sabrina Moloney
Naomh Barrog Laura Mc Ginley
Naomh Mearnog Sarah Kearns
Naomh Olaf Clara O’Sullivan
O’Dwyers Clare Mc Grath
O’Dwyers Erica Byrne
O’Tooles Rachel Douglas
O’Tooles Tara Fitzgibbon
Parnells Leona Corr
Round Towers (C) Riona Mc Tavish
Round Towers (L) Chloe Lawless
St Brigids Amy Fitzpatrick
St Margarets Martha Dwyer
St Maurs Niamh Carty
Thomas Davis Jade Sweeney Knot
Dublin Management Team:
Ken Nyhan (St Brigids) – Manager
Paul O’Hara (Round Towers, Lusk) – Selector
Lisa Heavey (Castleknock) – Coach
Lisa Byrne (O’Dwyers) – FLO
