What a day we had at Páirc an Locha for the Sandra Kelly Memorial Tournament - a brilliant celebration of girls’ football with a host of fantastic teams, incredible games, and a great buzz from start to finish!
Competing Schools: St Teresa’s, Loughmacrory St Colmcille’s, Carrickmore St Dympna’s, Dromore Our Lady of Lourdes, Greencastle St Patrick’s, Gortin All Saints, Tattysallagh St Mary’s, Pomeroy St Joseph’s, Galbally
The group stages were packed with drama - every single match was tight, competitive, and full of brilliant moments. There was barely a kick between the teams at times. The standard of play, the commitment shown, and the spirit in which every game was played made for a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable day.
Cup Competition: • St Dympna’s, Dromore reached the final after edging out a determined St Patrick’s, Gortin in the semi-final. • St Mary’s, Pomeroy made it through after a hard-fought win over St Colmcille’s, Carrickmore. • In a brilliant final, Dromore lifted the Cup after a cracking contest with Pomeroy.
Shield Competition: • St Teresa’s, Loughmacrory progressed to the final after a tense encounter with Our Lady of Lourdes, Greencastle. • St Joseph’s, Galbally earned their place after a closely fought battle with All Saints, Tattysallagh. • The final was a thrilling encounter, with Loughmacrory making history as the first ever winners of the Sandra Kelly Shield.
The atmosphere that was created in the stand for this final was surely the highlight of the day and it was a memorable experience for all lucky enough to be involved! Special thanks to Mrs Donnelly and Neamh McGarrity, who have been working tirelessly with the Loughmacrory girls all year - a brilliant reward for all the effort. Thanks also to Cora McElduff and Miss Daly for their valued help on the day. Grateful thanks to Mrs McElholm and Damian Mullan, whose support made the tournament possible - from organisation to trophies, medals, and logistics behind the scenes. A huge shoutout to our excellent referees - Dermot Moxon, Etaoine O’Kane, Mr McCullagh, and Ryan Keenan - outstanding officiating from start to finish. Thanks also to Declan McAleer for providing the sound system and for Mr Gallagher who was ensuring everything was running smoothly throughout the day! To the Kelly family, thank you for your continued support of this event - it means so much to everyone involved. And to Cathal and Paudi Kelly and Ciara Fox, thank you for your superb hospitality and all the incredible work you do for the club. And finally - a word for the girls themselves. Every single one of them was a credit to their schools and their clubs, not just for their skill and competitiveness, but for the way they carried themselves throughout the day. Respectful, determined, and full of talent - there are definitely future stars among them that we’ll be hearing more about in years to come. A truly memorable day for girls’ football in our community - thank you all for making it so special!
