The June Smith All Ireland Junior Hockey Championship
The inaugural year of this competition was contested by the following teams:
South East: Loreto Kilkenny and Kilkenny College
Connacht: Salerno
Leinster: Loreto Foxrock
Munster: Mount Mercy Cork
Ulster: Rainey Endowed
Ulster’s Rainey Endowed Juniors as last year’s Junior Cup winners qualified for this All Ireland Tournament. The tournament hosted by Kilkenny College, took place on Friday 26th October 2018.
Rainey won their first group match after coming from being 1-0 down against Connacht champions Salerno to win 3-2 on the full-time whistle. Gabi Scott scoring two and Ulster U16 forward Ellie Stewart the other.
The girls then played Kilkenny College in another close game before again winning 3-2 with goals from Aimee McClure, Grace Fullerton and Ellie Stewart.
As the group winners the girls then faced Loreto Kilkenny in the final. Rainey started very well and an Aimee McClure pass saw Ellie Stewart roof the first goal high into the net leaving the Kilkenny keeper no chance. The second goal was then secured by Aimee McClure herself after some great team play. But Kilkenny came back strongly and scored just on the whistle of half time. The second half saw a very close game played out by both teams but with no more goals Rainey were the winners.
The Junior girls have made school history taking this first All Ireland Champions title after the Senior girls achieved bronze in the Kate Russell this year for the first time.
Huge congratulations to all the Rainey girls on this fantastic achievement and Judith Quigley the coach, the support coaching staff, parents and many generous sponsors from the local community.
