Sacred Heart Tullamore Win Inaugural GX7s Title
On a day that saw all four seasons in one the girls from Sacred Heart in Tullamore made history by winning the first ever All-Ireland GX7s tournament in Aviva Stadium.
16 schools representing all four provinces made the trip to Aviva Stadium yesterday for the All-Ireland GX7s finals.
Under the watchful eye of several Ireland internationals including captains Lucy Mulhall and Niamh Briggs, Player Of The Year Sophie Spence and 7s stars Louise Galvin and Audrey O’Flynn – the action was fast and furious throughout the day despite the weather.
Congrats to all who participated in the @IrishRugby girls 7s tournament in the @AVIVAStadium #playinginallseasons pic.twitter.com/iqJXR36cQ1
— Louise Galvin (@lougalvin4) April 27, 2016
Ireland host the Global Sevens qualifier in June with the winner going to the Olympics so it was great to see IRFU Director of Sevens & Women’s Rugby Anthony Eddy at yesterday’s event. Who knows he may even have spotted some future Ireland stars?
Sacred Heart Tullamore scored first in ‘Golden Try’ extra time to defeat Enniskillen in the Cup final while in the Plate Final Monaghan Collegiate and Rockwell finished all square at full time and after extra time so Monaghan were declared winners having scored first.
What a day. @IrishRugby #Gx7s Girls Secondary School All Ireland Finals. Sacred Heart Tullamore win in extra time! pic.twitter.com/7evqAgnavl
— Nora Stapleton (@NoraStapleton) April 27, 2016
Speaking about the day the IRFU Women’s and Girl’s Development Manager Nora Stapleton said: ‘Today was the culmination of a lot of hard work by the schools, their teachers and coaches and the development officers in all four provinces.
It was just incredible to see so many girls take to the pitch in Aviva Stadium. I was lucky enough to play there for Ireland and now these girls can say they did the same.
GX7s has brought rugby to schools that only a few years ago would never have thought about the game so we are building for the future and bringing more girls to the game than ever before’.
Check out our facebook gallery from the day:
GX7s National FInals Day, Aviva Stadium
Ulster
Enniskillen Collegiate
Monaghan Collegiate
Magh Ene College, Bundoran
Kilkeel High School, Co.Down
Connacht
Ard Scoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe
Sacred Heart, Westport
Mercy Tuam
Convent, Ballina
Munster
Colaiste Na Toirbhirte, Bandon
Colaiste Ide & Josef, Abbeyfeale
Rockwell College, Cashel
Ardscoil Mhuire, Limerick
Leinster
Sacred Heart, Tullamore
Tullamore College
The Kings Hospital, Dublin
Scoil Mhuire, Clane