Ardee Community School wins Sonia Hoey Cup for the second year in DkIT
The Sonia Hoey Tournament, hosted by the Health and Physical Activity team at DkIT in partnership with Louth LGFA, returned this year with remarkable momentum, building on the success of last year’s debut event.
Expanding on the one-day event held in 2025, this years’ competition included teams from eight secondary schools across the county. Group stage fixtures were played off during the months of March and April with six teams then progressing to the Cup Semi-finals and Shield final which were all held in DkIT on May 21st as part of the Sonia Hoey Festival of Football.
The Shield Final was contested by Ballymakenny College in Drogheda and St. Louis Secondary School, Dundalk. This was St. Louis first time participating in the event and they certainly did past-pupil Sonia Hoey very proud as they battled hard against a strong Ballymakenny side. Ballymakenny ran out eventual winners in this exciting game with some excellent football on display from both teams.
The Cup semi-finals saw Ardee Community School, the existing Cup holders, take on St. Vincents, while Our Ladys College, Greenhills from Drogheda played last years Shield winners, the Marist. The competition was fierce and the talent on display impressive as Ardee CS and the Marist progressed through to the Sonia Hoey Cup final. Ultimately, Ardee CS proved too strong for the contenders in the final and retained their title for another year.
The family of the late Sonia Hoey, former Louth LGFA star and beloved colleague at DkIT, were on hand to present the silverware, a fitting tribute to Sonia's legacy and her profound impact on the sporting community in County Louth. Louth Senior Ladies captain Áine Breen was also in attendance to watch some of the talent on display and present the award to the Player of the Tournament, Lucy Rogers from the Marist.
