The big day has arrived for the Senior Girls basketball team in Heywood CS as they are set for the National Stadium for an All-Ireland final.
After winning the ‘C’ title last year, the girls have stepped up a level this year and now find themselves in the ‘B’ final.
The step up in grade has proved not too tough for this incredibly talented bunch of girls.
From the side that won the All-Ireland last year, just Ava Tynan and Aoibhin Brophy are no longer in the school.
So the vast majority of the team are now in Sixth Year and the experience they gained from last season is standing to them.
They began the year in the Midlands section of the competition and defeated fellow Laois school Clonaslee College in the final.
In the All-Ireland Qualifiers, Heywood defeated Martist College Dundalk by 75-43.
That sent them through to the All-Ireland quarter final which took place on last month in the National Stadium.
Presentation Tralee were their opponents and this was a tense affair with Heywood winning by four in the end – 47-43.
he semi final took place later that day and pitted Heywood against St Louis of Monaghan where once again they prevailed – 60 to 51.
It will be a 3.45pm tip off in Tallaght as Heywood are set to face Mercy Mounthawk of Tralee.
And captain Faye McEvoy is eagerly anticipating what promises to be a special occasion.
She said: “Everyone is very excited and we knew at the start of the season that we would have a lot of the same panel available from last year.
“So while we did realise it was a massive challenge to step up a grade, we knew that we had a chance.
“Everyone has put in the work in training and fingers crossed we can get the result.”
All of the players on the Heywood team also play for Ballyroan Blue Stars Basketball club and there is huge collaboration between the club and the school.
The Blue Stars formed in 2015 and have gone from strength to strength over the last nine years.
People like Rody McEvoy (Faye’s dad), Cathy Scully, Jean McEvoy, Aisling Phelan, Michelle Costigan, Cora Cahill and Lorraine Gee were all instrumental in setting the club up.
Lorraine is part of the coaching team for Heywood too and Faye praised everyone involved.
She said: “Most of us were on the Ballyroan team that won the Top Four for the first time and were part of the first team that the club ever had.
“We have stuck together all the way up and are well used to playing with each other which really stands to us for the school team.
“The coaching overlaps so we are very familiar with the drills and plays that we like.”
Heywood are competing alongside the great schools in the world of basketball and Faye is delighted with the importance the school gives to all sports.
She said: “I think Mercy Mounthawk are in the U-19 Boys and Girls ‘A’ finals today too so that shows the size of the schools we are taking on.
“For a smaller school to push up the levels is great and we have brilliant facilities here for all sports which really helps as we have seen with the results we have got across hurling and camogie this year already.
“Everyone is encouraged to get out and play and it is a great environment to be part of.”
Principal Eamon Jackman wished the girls well and spoke about the magnitude of their achievement to date.
He said: “We are all very excited about the upcoming final and the trip to the National Basketball Arena support the senior girls team.
“This is a massive achievement for the group and management. To win a grade and 12 months later be in the final of the grade above it is almost unheard of in any team sport.
“This really is a testament to the players and the considerable application they have put in over the past 5/6 years here in the school.
“We are very lucky to have two teachers in, Ms Vivienne Holmes and Ms Breda McCarthy, who have put in lots of hours with this group and the Cadet team this year which has paid off in getting the team to this location.
“I must also mention the coaching that my predecessor, Phil Bowe, has given the team in his time here and I have no doubt he will be in Tallaght next week.
“The connection the school currently has with Ballyroan Blue Stars Basketball Club is mutually beneficial and we are delighted to be the host grounds for their games and training plus the quality of their coaching is very clear to see with almost all our school players being Ballyroan Club Players.
“From seeing first hand their sessions with young players it is clear why Heywood are competing at a high level in both boys and girls competitions. Like all our teams in all sports, we are only as competitive as our feeder clubs allow us to be.
“The school has been incredibly busy outside the classroom in the past few weeks with our Junior Camogie team winning the Leinster C final, our Senior Hurling team losing agonisingly after extra time, our senior soccer team qualifying for the Laois area final and our inaugural rugby teams qualifying for divisional finals in both boys and girls age grades.
“We are hoping that the girls can produce their best performance today and finish our sporting year on a huge high.
“Fingers crossed it is enough to bringing some silverware back down to Heywood.”
HEYWOOD CS: Caoimhe Brophy, Ella Kelly, Siofra Fitzpatrick, Carragh Concannon, Louise Doyle, Mary Lanigan, Faye McEvoy, Kaylee O’Keeffe, Charlotte Barry, Hazel Palin, Clodagh Gee, Katie Ryan, Sasha O’Keeffe, Leah Bergin, Emma Carney, Rebecca Whelan
COACHES: Vivienne Holmes, Breda McCarthy and Lorraine Gee
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