Drumshanbo cadettes open with many cliffhangers!

Covid has changed the scene in schools volleyball and Drumshanbo Vocational had to reinvent themselves again. But although big victories are rare, close matches are coming a plenty.

Cadette C girls round 0: Unlike the senior girls, there was huge interest in volleyball among the cadette girls and two full panels, called X and Y turned up to play Strokestown and each other.

Drumshanbo burst to life with a feast of games

The Drumshanbo VS senior C Volleyball girls team. (Back, from left) Gemma Rodiguez, Marie Blumentritt, Alicia Barrioneuvo Aguilar, Aoife Nolan, Ellen Kenny, Lisa McGovern. (Front) Aimee Flynn, Alannah O’Dowd, Caoimhe Schusterovi Alvarez, Hannah McLoughlin, Camilla Torrenti Marotti

Scores: Scoil Muire Strokestown vs Vocational Drumshanbo X 25-22 25-22; Strokestown vs Drumshanbo Y 25-23 25-4 25-24 24-25 Drumshanbo X vs Y 13-14 11-25 25-19

Drumshanbo panels (serves in brackets)

X: Aimee Flynn (14), Aoibheann McGovern (9), Ellen Casey (8), Andrea Gilmartin (10), Ruth McKiarnan (8), Molly Mulvey (13), Mollie Smith (7), Lauren Gallagher (4), Rose Keaney ( 3), Grace Quinn (4), Nadia O’Brien (4), Ava O’Connor (7)

Y: Ruth McLoughlin (18),Sophie Early (20), Abi McGovern (4), Millie McGourty (6), Katie Gilroy (8), Sophie Daly (6), Ailise Dowler (12), Abi Mcgourty (4), Hannah Mulvey (7), Emma Keavney (13), Ella English (5), Ella McKeon (11)

Cadette A Boys rounds 1-3

What a difference a few seasons make. From champions in 2020, Drumshanbo A, for the first time since 1997/98, had a team of zero match experience. Even then, Michael McNama, who led that team, had senior experience from that year. None of these have! Facing them, straight away were last year's champions with still half their panel. Overall the boys acquitted themselves well. 

Patrician Carrickmacross (holders) beat Drumshanbo 25-16 24-11

For an inexperienced team, Drumshanbo started very well and 4 great serves from Gonzalez Marenco de Castro, who missed no serve all day, brought them level from 3-7 to 7-7. Drumshanbo also rallied from 7-13 to 12-14 but Carrick’s power allowed them to open a gap. In last year’s final, Carrick raced 10-0 ahead against unbeaten Portlaoise in set 2. Here they led 15-2, but at least, down 5-20 Drumshanbo outscored them to the end!

The Drumshanbo VS cadette B volleyball panel: (Back, from left) Joshua Lynch, Daniel Regan, Leo Dunne, Kevin Faughnan, Adam Gaffney, Patryk Orawiec, Seán Nolan, Isaac Gilhooly libero. (Front) Tomás Gilboy, Dorian Wosniak, Conor McKeon, Edward Clancy, Brendan Rynn

Sutton Park Dublin bt Drumshanbo 23-25 25-18 15-13

Two thrillers of sets started and finished this match. The first set was level 17 times. Never more than two points between them Drumshanbo led 9-7 (as Éanna McNamara tipped down his first winner) and Sutton 14-12 before Eoghain Rynn went on a purple patch of 4 serves, winning spikes and top defence.

A Fionn Gilrane ace helped Drumshanbo to a 4-1 lead in set 2. Sutton levelled by 8 but 4 Nicolas Marquez serves put Drumshanbo 10-7 ahead again. Sutton got stronger and only for an ace plus emergency saves from McNamara kept them in it to 17-17. Then Sutton drifted ahead.

The deciding set started great for Drumshanbo with 4 more de Castro serves putting Drumshanbo 5-2 ahead and a Marquez ace even had them leading 12-10 but it was not to be.

Kiltubrid's goal bonanza as they storm into Connacht Final

ORANMORE MAREE 1-11 KILTUBRID 6-8

Drumshanbo beat Elphin CC 27-25 25-17

The first set was yet another thriller. Elphin opened very well and led all the way to 21-16. Marco Fallon-Alonso led a min revival with good sets and aces to bring it close at 12-13. Trailing 22-24 Drumshanbo saved it thanks to tremendous defence from Przemystaw Zaremba, who had been doing the same throughout the matches. Oran Foley finished the ultra tight set with a winning spike.

As Elphin raced 4-0 ahead in the second set Valdez’s four serves levelled it 4-4. Elphin led again at 9-6 and the match was still level at 15-15. 4 serves from Gilrane, as he enjoyed setting up Valdez for powerful spikes, opened up a 19-15 gap. Rynn began to dominate the net and Cian Leith Gorani hit a brilliant spike at 21-16. Suddenly it was match point and Cathal Kenny finished the day with an ace.

Panel: (serves in brackets) Gonzalez Marenco de Castro (16), Éanna McNamara (12), Eoghain Rynn (16), Fionn Gilrane (15), Nicolas Marquez (21), Marco Fallon-Alonso (7), Przemystaw Zaremba (7), Cian Leith Gorani ( 3), Cathal Kenny (6), Oran Foley (7), Callum O’Rourke (inj.), Sebastian Szajna

The Drumshanbo VS cadette A volleyball panel: (Back, from left) Cian Leith Gorani, Oran Foley, Éanna McNamara, Callum O’Rourke, Nicolas Marquez, Gonzalez Marenco de Castro, Fionn Gilrane. Front from left: Cathal Kenny, Eoghain Rynn, Przemystaw Zaremba, Marco Fallon-Alonso

Cadette B Boys

This was the biggest invasion of schools including the first ever appearance of the Gaelscoil Colaiste an Eachréidh from Athenry, Galway, in Drumshanbo for a while and it was played in a very sporting manner. Again Drumshanbo had all first timers but all schools used all their panel to yield some very close sets.

Scores: St Brigid's Loughrea (holders) v Drumshanbo VS 25-15 25-17; Drumshanbo V An Eachréidh 16-25 25-11; Drumshanbo vs Elphin 18-25 27-25

Panel: (serves in brackets) Edward Clancy (2), Kevin Faughnan (13), Adam Gaffney (9), Tomás Gilboy (2), Joshua Lynch (6), Conor McKeon (4), Patryk Orawiec (13), Daniel Regan ( 22), Brendan Rynn (4), Dorian Wosniak (10), Seán Nolan (7), Isaac Gilhooly libero, Leo Dunne (4)