Congratulations to the students from Dunamase Collage and Glenstal Abbey School who competed in the National Junior Interschool Championship!
There is a saying that all the good stuff happens when you are out of your comfort zone! Watching the 1st years fencing competitively for the first time I was so impressed by their commitment and intensity. Fencing is an individual sport but the Irish Interschool Fencing Programme uses a team based format for competing and this brings added pressure to not let down your team mates. Well done everyone!
Glenstal First years narrowly missed out on a trophy coming second 33-45 to a resurgent Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) who won both first year and second year categories.
Glenstal Second Years came third, improving on their result last year by beating Clongowes B team but losing to Clogowes A team 40-45. Their desire to win was complemented by an esprit de corps and sporting conduct which earned them the
Maitre Patrick Duffy Memorial Trophy.
The Dunamase College first year team headed by Captain Jacob Cullen won their first round match against the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) B team. The team led from the very first match and put in a dominant performance to finish 45-19.
In round two they were up against the Glenstal Abbey A team. After 7 matches their opponents led 14-35. Last ditch efforts by Bobby who landed 11 hits and Jacob who landed 9 hits could not turn the tide and the team lost by a respectable 34-45.
The second year team was led by Captain Alexandra Wawrzonek. In round one they were unfortunate to draw last years winners Clongows A team. They fought hard for every hit but were defeated 30-45. In round 2 they took an early lead against Clongowes C leading 15-7 after 3 matches. The fifth match lasted the full 3 minutes as the Clongowes captain took the lead back for his team but Dunamase responded in the next 3 bouts to lead 40-29 going into the final match. Unfortunately for Dunamase the Clongowes captain struck again to land 16 hits and lead his team to a 42-45 win.
The first years finished 4th of 8 and the second years improved on their scores from last year as well so the event was a great success.