Underage Rugby
Youth Rugby (Boys & Girls)
Important note re: Safeguarding & Vetting
The club's first youth teams appeared in 2005-06. In 2010-11 Mick O'Flaherty and Mikey Coyle relaunched the section with a single team, and since then it has grown every season into one of the club's great success stories: about 200 boys and girls from U13 to U18.5, including the Mary's Stars inclusive team.
The first youth trophy came in 2012. In November 2025 the U18.5s won the Leinster Youth Cup. Girls' youth rugby has grown alongside the boys', often in partnership with neighbouring clubs, and the section is the link between the minis and the club's U20, junior and senior teams.
Youth titles and finals recorded in club publications and on the club website. The membership books stopped listing youth results after 2014, so some seasons are missing.
| Season | Team | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | U13 | Pat Lawlor Memorial Blitz Plate (Limerick) | Winners |
| 2011-12 | U17 | Metro Plate — final v Suttonians at Templeville Road (the club's first youth trophy) | Winners |
| 2011-12 | U13 | End-of-season blitz (at Terenure) | Runners-up |
| 2012-13 | U19 | U19 Schools/Youths Cup — v Malahide | Winners |
| 2012-13 | U19 | U19 Metro Cup (beat Wanderers) | Winners |
| 2012-13 | U13 | Metro Section D | Runners-up (to Westmanstown) |
| 2013-14 | U19 | U19 Metro Cup ("for the second year in a row") | Winners |
| 2021-22 | U14 | League section winners; play-off final lost 12-14 to Clondalkin | Runners-up |
| 2021-22 | U18.5 | Premier League final | Runners-up |
| 2022-23 | U13A | Leinster Section A League — final 25-10 v Old Belvedere | Winners |
| 2022-23 | U13A | Leinster Cup — final v Seapoint | Winners |
| 2022-23 | U13B | Leinster Tier 4 League final v Westmanstown | Runners-up |
| 2022-23 | Girls U14 | Leinster Division 4 — final 15-14 v Rathdrum | Winners |
| 2023-24 | Girls U14 | Leinster Division 4 final (semi-final 54-20 v Navan, at Navan) | Finalists |
| 2025-26 | U18.5 | Leinster Youth Cup — final 13-7 v DLSP | Winners |
| 2025-26 | U16 | Metro Cup — final v Seapoint | Winners |
| 2025-26 | U16 | Leinster Youth Cup and Premier League finals | Runners-up |
| 2025-26 | Girls U16 | Leinster League final v Ravens | Winners |
| 2025-26 | Girls U18 | League final v Enniscorthy (level on points, lost on first try scored) | Runners-up |
| 2025-26 | U13A | Division 1 League final v Malahide | Runners-up |
| 2025-26 | U15 | Division 1 League Cup final v BL Rugby | Runners-up |
Click for the story, and the team where we have it.
2012 U17 Metro Plate Final v Suttonians Won
After a narrow Metro Cup semi-final defeat to Blackrock, the U17s beat Suttonians in the Plate final at Templeville Road. It was "the first ever Youth Trophy for the club", only two seasons after the youth section restarted with a single team.
Source: 2012-13 membership book and yearbook.
2014 Leinster U17 & U19 Premier League Finals at Templeville Road
On Sunday 9 March 2014 the Leinster Youths Committee brought both of its Premier League finals to St. Mary's, praising Templeville Road for hosting youth representative matches in recent years.
Leinster Rugby preview →2023 U13A Leinster Section A League Final v Old Belvedere Won
Sunday 2 April 2023 · Lansdowne RFC (moved from DLSP after a waterlogged pitch)
The U13As won all five grading games, finished joint top of the league and reached the final, where they met the only side to have beaten them all season. Old Belvedere scored first, but Luke Gavin's try sparked the comeback and St. Mary's won 25-10. Captain Finn McEntee; coach Pete Smyth. The U13Bs also reached their final, the Tier 4 decider against Westmanstown, completing a remarkable season of 22 wins from 24 competitive games across the two teams.
Read the match report →2023 U13A Leinster Cup Final v Seapoint Won
Photo: Dan Sheridan, James Maguire Archive
Having beaten Lansdowne in the semi-final at Lakelands, the U13As completed the league and cup double against Seapoint on 30 April 2023.
Photo gallery →2023 Girls U14 Leinster Division 4 Final v Rathdrum Won
A 15-14 win in April 2023, with tries by Ava Kirwan, Lucy Kelly and Ella Rose McElligott, gave the girls' U14s the club's first girls' youth title.
Source: 2023-24 yearbook.
2025 U18 Youth Cup Semi-Final v Newbridge Won
Ten points down early and 18-8 behind late on, St. Mary's scored twice in the final minutes. Josh Carroll went over in the corner, then second row James Wallace crashed over and Jack O'Donohoe converted for a 20-18 win, the team's first ever competitive win over Newbridge.
Read the match report →2025 Leinster Youth Cup Final v DLSP (U18.5) Won
Sunday 2 November 2025
Photo: club website
"After years of heartbreak and near misses", and after four finals, the U18.5s became Leinster Youth Cup champions. Jack O'Donohoe kicked two penalties and converted captain Donnacha Alexander's try for a 13-0 half-time lead. Then the team held out through a long second half, despite two yellow cards, to win 13-7.
Replacements: Alex Cummins, Tuguldur Batchuluun, Victor Sancraian, Euan Douglas, Cillian Stuart, Jack Clarke, Qi Maher, Conor Keown
Scorers: Try: Donnacha Alexander; Jack O'Donohoe conversion and 2 penalties
Coach: Alan McPhillips
Read the match report →2026 Noeleen Spain (U18½) Cup: Navan 12-42 De La Mary's
Saturday 28 February 2026 · Navan RFC
De La Mary's, the girls' amalgamation of De La Salle Palmerston and St. Mary's, won convincingly on a bright, sunny day at Navan in the first round of Leinster's girls' U18½ cup. Maya Neely scored 22 points.
De La Mary's: Zara Deacon; Navya Nayak, Hannah Orr, Esme Fowler, Leah Murdock; Emma Murphy, Zoe Sargent; Grace James, Lola Kavanagh, Cassie Gallagher, Matilda Shine, Jane McDermott, Farrah Sloper, Ruby Small, Maya Neely.
Leinster Rugby report →2026 U16 Metro Cup Final v Seapoint Won
The U16s reached three finals in 2025-26 — the Leinster Youth Cup, the Premier League and the Metro Cup — and won the Metro Cup against Seapoint. Coaches: Alan Duggan and Paul Kelly.
2026 Girls U16 Leinster League Final v Ravens Won
The U16 girls won their Leinster League final against Ravens. The U18 girls also reached their final, finishing level on points with Enniscorthy but losing out on the first-try-scorer rule.
Many of the girls started in the girls' minis, and the pathway continues to the senior women's team. See the Women's Rugby hub for the women's history since 2002.
The Mary's Stars, the club's inclusive rugby team, held their first training session on Sunday 8 October 2023. Robbie O'Neill and his son Charlie got the initiative off the ground. "Up here in St. Mary's College RFC there's a place for everyone."
| Seasons | Director |
|---|---|
| 2005-06 to 2008-09 | Louise Crotty (Under-Age co-ordinator) |
| 2009-10 to 2010-11 | Peter Mac Giolla Riogh (Under-Age); Michael O'Flaherty and Michael Coyle (youth teams) |
| 2011-12 to 2014-15 | Michael O'Flaherty, with Michael Coyle (assistant) |
| 2015-16 to 2018-19 | Aidan Manahan (assistant: Susan Creed from 2017-18) |
| 2019-20 | Aaron Gernon and Robbie O'Neill |
| 2020-21 to date | Robbie O'Neill |
Youth players selected for province and country, as listed in the club's player honours.
| Ireland U19 | Daniel Leane (2021-22) |
| Ireland U18 Clubs | Senan Phelan (2021-22) |
| Ireland U20 (came through the youth section) | David Aspil (2016-17) |
| Ulster & Ireland (came through the youth section) | Eric O'Sullivan — Leinster U18 Clubs, then Leinster Schools U18/U19 (2012-14) |
| Leinster U18 Clubs / Youths | David Aspil (2013-15); Senan Phelan (2020-21) |
| Leinster U18 Girls | Laoise Devlin (2020-22); Anna Brennock (2021-22); Aimée Breen (2021-22 interpro squad) |
| Metro U16 / U17 | Adam Kelly and William Hook (U16), Gordon Tracey (U17) — 2021-22 |
| Shane Horgan Cup (Metro) | Ben Connell, Darragh McPhillips, Donncha Alexander, Jack O'Donohoe (2022-23) |
| Leinster Youths (captain) | Johnny Moloney, v Cardiff (1968-69) |
Presented by club President Stephen Shirley at the Youth Awards in May 2026. Perpetual trophies: the Michael Farrelly Trophy (U13 Teammate of the Year) went to Louie Neary, and the Philip Preston Trophy to Emilia Byrne. John Walsh was honoured for 21 years as a mini and youth coach and manager. Full report →
| Team | Player of the Season | Players' Player | Spirit of Rugby |
|---|---|---|---|
| U13A | Leo Shirley | Cormac Jackson | Jonas Sage |
| U13B | Eoin Brady | Robbie Smyth | Kalan Gilligan |
| U14 Girls | Heidi Henderson | Ella O'Brien | Zoe Dalton |
| U16 Girls | Ava Kirwan | Sasha Williams | Saoirse Ni Mhaoiderig |
| U18 Girls | Hanna Orr | Emma Murphy | Cassidy Gallagher |
| U14 (SMTC) | Junior Ncube | Ben Durkin | Edward Motica |
| U15 | James Mulrooney | Harry Brogan | Liam Bass |
| U16 | Lorcan Daly | Conor Kelly | Ruairi Jackman |
| U18.5 | Sam Gardner | Enda Waldron | Qi Maher |
Award winners printed in club publications. Click a season to open it.
2015 Youth Rugby Awards, 23 May 2015
Presented by club Vice President Declan Fanning, with Michael O'Flaherty as MC.
| Team | Awards |
|---|---|
| U13 | Players' Player: Eamon O'Deagha · Most Improved Forward: Jack McKenna · Most Improved Back: Oisin Mullen |
| U14 | Players' Player: Fiachra Madden · Most Improved Forward: Evan Collins · Most Improved Back: Matthew Touhy |
| U15 | Players' Player: Mark Dignam · Most Improved Forward: Dylan Egan · Most Improved Back: Mathew Kennedy |
| U17 | Players' Player: Kevin Lawlor · Most Improved Forward: Ciaran Gibson · Most Improved Back: Keith Fitzsimons |
| U19 | Player of the Year: Conor Kavanagh · Most Improved Forward: Adam Kavanagh · Most Improved Back: Liam Kearns |
| U15 Girls | Player of the Year: Beth Harford |
| U18 Girls | Player of the Year: Vicki Browne |
| Club awards | Club Person of the Year: Mikey Coyle · Special award: Mick O'Flaherty |
2022 Youth Awards Night, Friday 20 May 2022
Three awards per team: Player of the Year, Players' Player and Spirit of Rugby. The yearbook lists the winners without saying who won which award.
| Team | Winners |
|---|---|
| U13 | Enda Waldon, Daniel Harewood, Sean Kennedy |
| U14 | Qi Maher, Joe Dunne, Sam Gardner, Nathan Ruane |
| U15 | Mathew O'Grady, Patrick Walsh, Chris Kenny |
| U17 | Gordon Tracey, William Hook, Cian Nolan |
| U18.5 | Leon Potts, Lucas Webber, Eoghan Pender |
2023 Youth Awards 2022-23
| Team | Player of the Year | Players' Player | Spirit of Rugby |
|---|---|---|---|
| U13A | Adam Smyth | Josh Dwyer | Daniel Bishop |
| U13B | Michael Lennon | Luke Henson | Patrick Charleton |
| U14 | Cormac Farrelly | Enda Waldron | Byron O'Hara |
| U15 | Donnacha Alexander | Darragh McPhillips | Jack Clark |
| U16 | Darragh Saunders | James Wallace | Bradley Ryan |
| U18 | Darragh O'Donohoe | ||
| U18.5 | William Hook | Richard Vasiliak | |
| Girls U14 | Zara Deacon | Ava Kirwan | Robyn Potts |
| Girls U16 | Marlayna Potts | Caolinn O'Gorman | Sophie |
Michael Farrelly Trophy — U13 Teammate of the Year
Started by the coaches of the 2009 age group.
| 2021-22 | Seán Kennedy |
| 2022-23 | Joshua Gordon |
| 2025-26 | Louie Neary |
Youth teams, March 2014 — James Maguire Archive
Have results, team photos or programmes from youth rugby, especially from 2005 to 2012 or 2014 to 2021? Please email archives@smcrfc.com.
Youth Rugby — More Photo Galleries
More galleries from the James Maguire photo archive.
Photo galleries
Have a newspaper cutting, programme or photo we are missing? Please email archives@smcrfc.com.