Schools

Apr 29 2025

Clare, Roscommon, Monaghan and Carlow schools take Minor All-Ireland League titles

St. Leo's Carlow, Abbey Community College, St. Patrician High School and St. Flannan's left the National Basketball Arena with silverware today, following the conclusion of the Minor 'B' and Minor 'C' All-Ireland Schools League Finals.

First up for decision was the Minor 'B' Girls All-Ireland Schools League Final as St. Leo's, Carlow and Dominican Griffith Avenue met in front of 200 supporters. In a game that could have gone either way for long stretches, it was St. Leo's Carlow who eventually came out on top in a scoreline of 43-33.

Naas CBS and Patrician Carrickmacross took to the court next in the Minor 'B' Boys All-Ireland Schools League Final and much like the game before it, supporters were treating to an up and down game of basketball. Trailiing 11-2 early and by as much as seven points late into the third quarter, Patrician Carrickmacross completed an unlikely turnaround to take the game 37-31 when the final buzzer sounded.

St. Columba's, Glenties and Abbey Community College fought out the Minor 'C' Boys All-Ireland Schools League Final in the third contest of the day. It was Abbey Community College who raced into the lead at half-time, taking a 25-12 advantage back to the locker rooms. To their credit, St. Columba's played excellent defensively in the second half and reduced the game to 27-20 at the midway point in the fourth quarter, but unlike the earlier game, the Donegal school were unable to complete the comeback - as Abbey Community College ran out 29-20 victors.

The final game of Tuesday saw a Clare derby on the court, with Ennistymon Community School and St. Flannan's meeting in the Minor 'C' Girls All-Ireland Schools Final and it was yet another comeback taking shape in the second half. Leading 23-8 at the break, it looked like St. Flannan's name was on the trophy, only for their neighbours to give them quite the scare down the stretch. The game was down to 10 points, 28-18 at the start of the fourth quarter and just six with under three minutes to go. The Ennis school were not going to relinquish their grip on proceedings though and saw out the game, 33-26 the final score.