Dual Star Lorna Ryan
Well done to Ursuline Fifth Year student and dual player Lorna Ryan on her recent selection to the County Minor Camogie and Football panels. Lorna plays Camogie with Clonoulty and Football with Boherlahan Dualla and has been a stalwart of both School GAA teams since First Year, as well as competing in Schools Athletics at county, regional and national level. She is joined by fellow Ursuline Kate Carr, TY, who will also tog out for the Tipp Minor Ladies Footballers this season. On the Camogie Minor panel Lorna will be the company of Ursuline TYs Danielle Ryan, Kate Ferncombe, Aoife Bourke and Alisha Kearney who were picked to train with Tipperary in the season ahead. Congratulations to all the students who will play their chosen sports at the highest level this year.
Sophia Whelan to represent Ursuline in All Ireland Public Speaking
Congratulations to Sophia Whelan, Fifth Year, who is through to the All-Ireland Final of the Soroptimist Public Speaking Competition. Sophia won the Regional Final with her speech on the empowerment of women and is no stranger to Public Speaking having been a national finalist in Articulation last year. Everyone in the Ursuline wishes her the very best as she goes forward in Soroptimist 2022.
UCC Quercus Scholarships & Irish Tax Institute Scholarship
Congratulations to Eimear Healy and Aisling Booth of the class of 2021 on receiving Quercus Scholarships from UCC.
Well done also Michaela Grace Ginty who also was awarded a scholarship from the Irish Tax Institute.
Junior Footballers secure Munster Final place
The Ursuline Junior Footballers are through to the Munster Final after a great win against Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, Cahir last week. The game finished 6-17 to 5-4 with a great team performance from everyone. Sarah Quinlan ended up with a personal tally of 1-6 and was superb on free kick duties. Hazel Ryan was excellent in goal while the Holycross trio of Grace Fitzpatrick Ryan, Sarah Bell and Kate Carr were influential in leading their team in every attack. Other scorers on the day were Sarah Corcoran (1-2), Alice O Donoghue (1-2), Caoimhe Stakelum (1-2), Kate Carr (0-2), Evie Smyth (0-2), Anna O Donoghue (1-1). Congratulations to the entire team and coaches Mr McLoughlin and Mr Rabbitte.
Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition
Following on the success in recent years enjoyed by the Ursuline in the Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition there is plenty of continued interest in the contest from this year’s TYs. Last week two groups who reached the Regional Final in Limerick were interviewed about their ideas for the promoting and marketing Irish Angus Beef. They represented themselves and the School with great distinction. They were praised for their articulate presentation and the manner in which they answered questions fluently and knowledgeably. Well done to the team of Rebekah Smith, Evie Smyth, Gráinne Callinan and Kaithlyn Ryan and to the other team of Rachel Phelan, Danielle Ryan, Anna Wynne and Grace Fitzpatrick Ryan.
Last year’s national finalists Karen Campion, Louise Hickey, Gráinne O’Donnell and Louise Creagh continue to keep everyone updated on the progress of their prize winning calves which they collected at the National Ploughing Championships in September. Recently the girls had a zoom call with Dr Simona Grasso, a lecturer and assistant professor in the UCD School of Agricultural and Food Science. They also spoke with Mary McEvoy, Technical Development Manager in Germinal Seed, about the importance of grass in the animal’s diet. They were delighted to be able to chat to two experts in their field as they continue to rear their calves with the best advice they can get and to care for them to the highest standard.
Hockey
The Senior As travelled to Bandon on Wednesday to compete in the Senior A Cup Quarter Final and were delighted to come home with a 5-2 win. It was a very competitive game played with great spirit throughout. They did well to stay focussed and fight back when a Bandon goal after six minutes saw them on the back foot early on in the game. Lucy Kavanagh was on hand for the equaliser from a well-worked short corner and Miah Bourke made sure the Ursuline got in front shortly afterwards to see Thurles 2-1 at the end of the first quarter. Miah, a member of the Munster U16 squad, picked up a rebound at the edge of the circle to place it in the far corner off the post. Her Munster teammate, Aoife Kavanagh, pushed the Ursuline further ahead with a counter attack up the middle to make it 3-1. Bandon pushed back with a goal from a very fast break up the centre and a cool finish to the bottom corner to add their second tally of the day. However, the Ursuline had come to win and two minutes after the second Bandon goal Munster U18 Kate Ryan showed her commanding presence with a score from a cracking strike from the right edge of the circle. She followed this with a second goal a few minutes later showing her great skill, cutting in field and unleashing a rocket of a reverse strike to make it Ursuline 5 Bandon 2 at full time. A great team effort by everyone with plenty of heart, determination and strength on display.
The Minor B team travelled to Bandon on Wednesday, 19 January in the company of the Senior As and they too were delighted to beat their West Cork opponents. The final score in this game was Ursuline 2 Bandon 1 with goals courtesy of Alana Spillane and Sophie Quirke.
The Junior As were in action last week and secured their place in the Cup Semi-Final with an excellent win away to Laurel Hill Secondary School. Aoife Kavanagh continued to blaze a trail with four goals in total added to Rosie O’Grady’s two and one a piece for Abigail Hourigan Powell and Isobel Larkin meant a decisive victory for this team that continue to go from strength to strength.
The Junior Bs had a great league win against Laurel Hill Secondary School. They worked hard all over the pitch with Izzy Carr and Margaret McGrath taking control of mid-field. The forwards were ruthless in attack with Sarah Quinlan scoring a hat-trick and Grace Brophy, Anna O’Donoghue and Kate Fahey getting their names on the score sheet too.
Finally the Minor As continued the Ursuline run of good fortune in Limerick when they beat Laurel Hill 7-0. Their Munster League game started well with goals coming thick and fast from the opening five minutes on. Well done to scorers Lilly Kavanagh (2), Chloe Hourigan (2), Grace Ford (1), Kate Walsh (2) and to the whole team on a very polished performance.
Amber Flag
The Amber Flag Committee have organised a series of daily challenges for First Year for the month of January to banish any new year blues. They include being a bit silly and telling a joke, giving a compliment, writing down three things they are grateful for and do some skipping at lunchtime like they use to enjoy in Primary School. The challenges are for twenty-five days and are easy to do and lots of fun. The Amber Flag Committee are hoping the First Years will find new hobbies, get a little healthier and make a few new friends by the end of the month. Well done to everyone who is organising this event and to those who are taking part.