Derry schools shine at Ulster sevens this week

This week saw the FMC Appliances Ulster schools’ sevens competitions take place in Portglenone with 16 teams entered at Junior level. There were four Derry schools involved and all did well during the competitions without coming out on top.

Gaelcholáiste Dhoire were probably the unluckiest of the teams in that they met eventual winners St Dominic's Belfast in the group stages where they played out a 3-4 each draw, St Dominic's grabbing an equalising point in the last seconds.

Both teams won their remaining groups stages and that meant they faced into a play-off for a spot in the semi-finals.

St Dominic's got the early breaks and led by 1-3 before Ríonach Ní Chearnaigh bagged a goal just before the break to take the Dungiven Castle girls back into contention.

During the second half, Gaelcholáiste closed the gap to a point, but Aoife Fitzsimons got through for a goal and the game ended in a 2-5 to 2-2 win for St Dominic's.

Meanwhile Loreto Coleraine were also in contention for a semi-final spot when they faced Aquinas Grammar from Belfast in their final group game, each team having accrued two straight victories.

As with the Gaelcholáiste game, Loreto conceded an early goal and were chasing the game from that point.

They went down by a single point despite the efforts from the four Glenullin girls, two from Kilrea and one each from Dungiven, Eoghan Rua, Limavady and Ballerin.

Loreto College Coleraine

St Dominic's followed through with a narrow 1-2 to 1-1 semi-final victory over Aquinas Grammar, the decisive goal coming from Aoife Fitzsimons in the first minute and defeated 2022 champions St Mark’s Warrenpoint in the final by 2-3 to 0-3.

St Dominic’s will now make their first ever trip to the All-Ireland Sevens on October 16th.

The other two Derry schools were taking part in the Development Shield, each school beginning their camogie journey.

Sperrin Integrated gave a good account of themselves in all their three games and there is certainly potential for development here. Emma Rose Diamond, Ciara McGuigan and Creggan pair Mary Kate O'Boyle and Bethany Totten used their camogie experience well to encourage the new converts to greater effort through the day.

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It was also a case of first steps for Dominican Portstewart, despite the Convent at one time being Ulster senior champions.

Dominican College Portstewart

That was more than half a century ago and it's great to see them back in the game.

They found themselves in the same group as Gaelcholáiste Dhoire, St Dominic's and Coláiste Feirste, the latter going on to collect the Development Shield with victories over Dominican Fortwilliam and St Columba's Portaferry.