SG Senior Cup Semi-Final Preview
January 20, 2026
The SG Senior Cup semi-finals take place on Thursday, January 22nd, at Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club, promising an exciting day of school hockey. The day features a double-header:
- 11:00am: Rathdown School vs Mount Anville
- 1:00pm: Kilkenny College vs Wesley College
With a place in the SG Senior Cup Final on Monday, February 2nd up for grabs, all four teams will be eager to deliver their best. Here’s a look at the journey each side has taken to reach the semi-finals.
Rathdown School vs Mount Anville (11:00am)
Rathdown School
Rathdown have enjoyed a dramatic cup run on their way to the semi-finals. They opened with a convincing 3–0 win over Temple Carrig before being drawn away to reigning champions Loreto Beaufort, where a 1–1 draw was followed by a dramatic 1v1 victory. Goalkeeper Phoebe Forde played a key role, while Jodie Benwell scored a superb solo goal in normal time.
The quarter-final saw Rathdown face Muckross Park, last season’s league winners. Once again, the match finished 1–1, with Sienna Boucher scoring, before Rathdown showed great composure in the 1v1 shuttles to advance. This marks Rathdown’s first Senior Cup semi-final appearance in seven years.
Head Coach Sarah Scott:
“We are really looking forward to this game. It is a fantastic occasion for the school and I am so thrilled these girls get the opportunity to play in a match of this importance.”
Captain Ruth-Leon Ryan:
“The team has worked hard to get to the semi-final and we are fully focused on the challenge ahead.”
Mount Anville
Mount Anville’s route to the semi-finals has been built on resilience and strong defensive performances. They overcame St. Gerard’s in a fast-paced encounter, with the sides level on two occasions before a decisive penalty stroke secured the win.
Their quarter-final against Alexandra College was another tightly contested affair. Mount Anville broke the deadlock in the second quarter with a clinical lifted finish and held firm defensively, even as Alexandra applied late pressure by withdrawing their goalkeeper. A composed performance saw Mount Anville book their place in the semi-finals.
Kilkenny College vs Wesley College (1:00pm)
Kilkenny College
Kilkenny College return to the Leinster Senior Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive year under the guidance of Ross Harding. Last season, they reached the Leinster Final before going on to claim the All-Ireland Daphne Hall Tournament title, finishing the competition unbeaten.
This season, Kilkenny have continued their strong form in both league and cup competitions. Captain Emma Poole has led from the front, while the squad has adapted impressively despite losing nine senior players from last year’s panel.
Captain Emma Poole:
“We have had an amazing unbeaten run in the Leinster League so far this season. This group hopes to bring teamwork and discipline to the semi-finals and, most importantly, enjoy the game.”
Coach Ross Harding:
“We’re really looking forward to another tough battle against Wesley. The girls have gelled quickly and shown great character throughout the campaign.”
Wesley College
Wesley began their cup journey with an impressive 6–2 away win over Loreto Dalkey, before edging out Holy Child Killiney 3–2 in a closely fought quarter-final to secure their place in the last four.
The squad has shown strong attacking intent throughout the competition and will be eager to rise to the challenge of facing Kilkenny. Playing in front of a large crowd on semi-final day adds to the excitement for a confident Wesley side.
Captain Lucy Fox:
“The squad is really happy with our performances so far. The girls are excited about playing in front of a big crowd — it should be a great atmosphere.”
Coach Colm Blennerhassett:
“It should be a great game and a brilliant showcase of the young talent in Leinster schools hockey.”
We wish all four teams the very best of luck on Thursday and look forward to a fantastic day of hockey at Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club. Be sure to come along and support what promises to be an exciting showcase of school hockey
