SENIOR GIRLS: MOUNT TEMPLE VS SKERRIES COMMUNITY COLLEGE (WED 20.5)

The CL Schools Senior Girls Final is the pinnacle event for Girls cricket at Secondary Schools level. 

This competition dates back 44 years when the trophy was first won by The King's Hospital who defeated Alexandra College in the Final by 31 runs. Grainne Clancy (who was subsequently capped for Ireland Women in the 1980s) was the star performer in the inaugural competition taking 19 wickets at just 1.4 per wicket. In recent times, the dominant school has been St Andrew's College who have been Champions on 6 occasions in the last decade.

This year's finalists are Mount Temple and Skerries Community College. Mount Temple won their first Senior Girls title in 2024 when they defeated Wesley College in the Final having lost out to Wesley in the 2023 Final.

The Mount Temple team which won the Senior Girls Cup in 2024

The Mount Temple team is composed of some very impressive cricketers who will be very familiar names within the club cricket community with Clontarf CC most strongly represented. The team is captained by Haley Moore of Malahide CC with Lily Poynter (daughter of former Ireland International Andrew Poynter) keeping wicket for Mount Temple.

On the way to the Final, Mount Temple’s batting was dominated by Gemma Sargent in the early games and then Julie McNally (43*) in the semi-final against King’s Hospital.

Their bowling has been impressive throughout the earlier rounds with strong starts by Haley Moore in each game backed up by Gemma Sargent, Katie O'Toole, Sophie O'Toole (1st year, one to watch), Rose Stang and Ellie Bohanna.

Skerries travel across to Park Avenue seeking their first Senior Girls trophy since coming under the management of the County Dublin VEC in September 1999. That said, in its previous existence as Holy Faith Skerries, the school won the Senior Girls Cup in 1994 and 1996.

This year’s squad from Skerries is very much underpinned by players who also represent The Hills CC at The Vineyard and so it will be a proud day for everyone involved in club cricket around Skerries to see the girls reach the showpiece Final.

In their semi-final, Skerries overcame a strong Sandford Park side despite a well-made 56 by Suzie Whaley for Sandford before she was run out by a combination of Zoe Goss and Aimee Scollard for Skerries. It was a strong all-round performance by the Fingal school with wickets for Emily Ericsson, Vanessa Scollard, Tara O’Brien and Clodagh O’Connor. The main run-scorers for Skerries were captain Aimee Scollard (58*) supported by Clodagh O’Connor (23*).

Many of the core squad have previously represented their school with distinction having taken home the CL Schools Junior Cup in 2024 when they overcame St Andrew’s by 22 runs in a low-scoring contest. On that day, it was fitting that Jim Bennett of The Hills had the honour of presenting the Cup to Skerries as CL President that year.

Jim Bennett presented the CL Junior Cup to Aimee Scollard (Skerries Community College)

The two squads who will compete in the Final are as follows:

CL Senior Girls Secondary Schools Final: Wednesday 20th May, 1.30pm, Park Avenue)

MOUNT TEMPLE SQUAD

Haley Moore (Captain), Gemma Sargent (Vice-Captain), Lily Poynter (Wkt), Chloe Bray, Anna Hagan Morgan, Julie McNally, Dylan Rodriguez, Katie O’Toole, Sophie O’Toole, Kiara Fitzpatrick, Rose Stang, Ellie Bohanna

Coach/Manager: Robert Forrest

SKERRIES COMMUNITY COLLEGE SQUAD

Aimee Scollard (Captain), Vanessa Scollard, Tara O’Brien, Clodagh O’Connor, Zoe Goss, Emily Ericcson, Maggie Connolly, Caoimhe Emmett, Chloe Walls, Ceola Brophy, Caoimhe Scollard, Caoimhe Healy, Kate Jackson.

Manager: Catherine Archer

Coaches: Sean McNicholl, Eve Meachen

Our thanks to all participating schools, to Railway Union as the host club for the Final and to Caoilfhionn Rowan who has done a brilliant job in co-ordinating the CL Secondary Schools Girls Programme for 2026. 

The Skerries team will be hoping to bring the Senior Trophy back home for the first time since 1996