Ulster teams among schools from 10 different counties bidding for All-Ireland glory

SCHOOLS from Armagh, Cavan Donegal and Monaghan were among those gathered at Croke Park on Wednesday ahead of six eagerly-anticipated 2024 Lidl All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Finals.

The Junior A, B and C Finals are scheduled for the coming weekend, with the Senior Finals taking place next week.

The LGFA and competition sponsors, Lidl Ireland, are also delighted to confirm that the three Senior Finals will be live-streamed, with full viewing details to follow.

In the Senior A Final, Sacred Heart, Westport, will aim to atone for last year’s Final heartbreak against Loreto St Michael’s, Navan (Meath) and become the first Mayo winners of this competition since Ballinrobe Community School were successful back in 1995.

Sacred Heart’s opponents this time are Our Lady’s, Castleblayney, representing Monaghan.

Our Lady’s are the first Monaghan school to contest a Senior A Final since St Louis in 2008, when they lost out to Cork opponents St Mary’s, Mallow.

But St Louis did win this title on four occasions, including three-in-a-row successes from 2004-2006.

The Senior B Final will pit St Attracta’s from Tubbercurry in Sligo against Tipperary opponents Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles.

A win for St Attracta’s would keep the Senior B tile in Connacht following the 2023 victory achieved by Convent of Mercy, Roscommon.

This is the first time that a Sligo team will contest a Senior B Final, while Presentation Thurles (2018), Loreto, Clonmel (2017) and Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, Cahir (2009) are previous finalists from Tipperary.

A win for either side here would represent a first for their county in the Senior B grade.

In the Senior C decider, Dunmore Community School will aim to become the first Galway winners of this competition since Coláiste Bhaile Chláir in 2018.

Their opponents are St Columba’s from Glenties in Donegal, who are looking to become Ulster’s first Senior C winners since St Catherine’s, Armagh, back in 2007.

The Junior Finals will take centre stage over the coming weekend, with FCJ Secondary School, Bunclody (Wexford) taking on Loreto College (Cavan) in the A Final on Saturday.

Loreto have been superb in this competition in recent times and are aiming for a third successive title, while FCJ Secondary School are aiming to emulate the feats of Bridgetown in 1999, who were the last Wexford school to achieve competition success.

In the B Final, to be played on Saturday, Presentation College, Headford will aim to become the first Connacht winners of the title since fellow Galway school Coláiste Bhaile Chláir in 2018.

Their opponents are St Ronan’s College, Lurgan (Armagh), last year’s runners-up who are looking to bring the title back to Ulster for the second time in three seasons, following victory for Loreto, Omagh (Tyrone) in 2022.

And in the Junior C Final, to be played on Friday, Mayo’s Ballinrobe Community School will be looking to go one better than Galway’s Dunmore Community School last year and bring the title to Connacht for the first time since St Clare’s Comprehensive, Manorhamilton (Leitrim) were winners in 2018.

But Ballinrobe will face a stern test of their credentials in the Final against opponents St Marys Macroom, who are aiming to become the first Junior C winners from Cork since Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig, were victorious in 2010.

2024 Lidl All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Finals – all games will have results deciced on the day

Friday, March 15

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Junior ‘C’ Championship Final
St Marys Macroom (Cork) v Ballinrobe Community School (Mayo); University of Limerick North Campus, 2pm

Saturday, March 16

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Junior ‘A’ Championship Final
FCJ Secondary School, Bunclody (Wexford) v Loreto College (Cavan); Castledaly GAA, Co. Westmeath, 2pm

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Junior ‘B’ Championship Final
Presentation College, Headford (Galway) v St Ronan’s College, Lurgan (Armagh); Mullahoran, Co. Cavan, 2pm

Monday, March 18

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Senior ‘B’ Championship Final
St Attracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry (Sligo) v Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles (Tipperary); St Aidan’s GAA, Ballyforan, Co.Roscommon, 2pm

Wednesday, March 20

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Senior ‘A’ Championship Final
Sacred Heart School, Westport (Mayo) v Our Lady’s Castleblayney (Monaghan); Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park, Birr, Co. Offaly, 1pm

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Senior ‘C’ Championship Final
St Columba’s, Glenties (Donegal) v Dunmore Community School (Galway); Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo, 2pm