
Our U13 Football team have been training each Monday since our return to school this year. On the back of the school’s first ever County Final win last year, there was a new confidence about the team as they prepared for the new season.
The Cumann na mBunscol blitz for U13s took place in Drombane where the girls would play four games against St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s, both from Tipperary Town, Scoil Angela Thurles and Upperchurch NS.
Sporting the school’s new wine jerseys, the girl’s first game against St. Michael’s Tipperary Town started at a frantic pace. An early goal from Ava Fitzgibbon settled any residual nerves as the sun shone on a beautiful autumnal day. Points followed from the busy Emma Egan and Lily O’Dowd and a goal right on the stroke of half time from Milly Carroll put Presentation Primary in a commanding lead.

Team Coaches Karen Bohan, Donal O’Gorman and Kieran Healy made a full team change for the second half as seven substitutes took the field for the throw in. Mollie Carroll and Ava Byrne at the back tackled and cleared ball after ball. Ruby Gahan, Hanna Witkowska and Nancy Shanahan linked well up front and worked the ball to the net for the final score of the game.
Next up was the Thurles derby game between Scoil Angela and Presentation. Wine versus blue, Nano Nagle or St. Angela, neighbour against neighbour! Two early goal chances were superbly saved by the Ursuline goalie but she could do nothing to stop a wonderful strike from Ava Fitzgibbon who opened the scoring with well worked team goal.
A free from Lily O’Dowd and another goal from Milly Carroll helped the Pres along. A wonderful team goal, worked from a quick free, brought Scoil Angela screaming back into the game and as half time approached, 4 points separated the teams.
Aoife Foden, Sarah Minogue and Katie Connors entered the fray at half time and made an immediate impact as Katie smashed in one of the best goals of the day! Scoil Angela mounted a comeback but Eva Mulhaire read the game like a nursery rhyme and swept up every ball that landed in the Pres half. Kate Lydon was solid in goal, keeping a clean sheet for the second half and finding a team mate with every kick out. As the final whistle sounded, bragging rights remained with the girls in wine.

The third game against St. Joseph’s Tipperary was a one sided affair as the Presentation made it three wins from three. Player of the Match, Ailish Ryan was on fire. She dominated midfield, won turnovers and caught every ball that came her way. A fine goal by Aoife Foden, her first in competitive football, was a highlight also.
The final game of the day saw Presentation Primary face hosts Upperchurch. Both teams were high in confidence having won all their games. With the winners heading for a county semi final, this in essence became a county quarter final!
In a tight game scores were scarce. Eva Mulhaire and Emma Egan worked the ball well to fire over a point, only to be hit on the break by Upperchurch who smashed home an important goal. Now with the momentum, Upperchurch tapped over a point and seemed to be seizing control. However a decisive goal just before half time from the poacher Ava Fitgibbon left the sides level at half time and everything to play for.
With the wind at their back Upperchurch scored the opening point of the second half but due to the immense work of Ava Byrne, Kate Lydon and Eva Mulhaire at the back, this would be Upperchurch’s final score.
Points from Emma Egan and Lily O’Dowd secured a famous win for Presentation Primary on a scoreline of 1.3 to 1.2. A first County semi final for our U13 footballers and who knows after that!!