'It was a special and an emotional day, Bríd would've been proud' - Paddy Carr

Scoil Mhuire Buncrana manager Paddy Carr paid tribute to his late sister Bríd Carr following his side's 2-0 U-20 Ulster girls cup final win against Loreto Secondary School on Wednesday afternoon. 

The U-20 competition was named in honour of Bríd Carr, who was a former teacher and football coach at the Loreto school before she passed away in August 2021. 

It was a fitting tribute that in the inaugural year the competition was named in honour Carr, that her brother Paddy would be the winning manager against his sister’s former school. 

“It was a very special day. Quite emotional to be honest. For it to be our school (Scoil Mhuire) against Loreto Letterkenny, where Bríd was a teacher for so many years, was great,” said Carr. 

“Bríd would’ve been proud of how Loretto played, they fought very well, all the way to the end. It was a good game. Right, maybe there were very few chances created, but overall, it was a great day for all involved and a very special day for me and my family. 

“I think looking at the game, our defence was able to handle themselves. It’s probably fair to say we were the better team on the day, but you always have to be on guard because if you switch off for a second, you can be punished. Loreto had very good technical players and were very well set up.  

“They had a number of solid attacks, but our goalkeeper wasn’t really tested to be fair, but Loreto was a very difficult team to play against and a really hard side to break down.” 

Loreto’s manager Lynette Rodgers also paid tribute to her former teacher and coach Carr, stating it was an emotional day but one she and her side were happy to be a part of. 

“It was great to be a part of this final considering it’s the first year that the cup has been named after Bríd Carr,” said Rodgers.

“It was emotional considering we knew Bríd well, she was a maths teacher and the football coach in the Loreto school for years. It was very special that her old school was up against Scoil Mhuire who her brother Paddy is the manager of. 

“Bríd would’ve been so proud of the girl’s performance. She was my coach whenever I was in the school, and I was honoured to coach the team with her before she passed away in 2021. She was a great coach and a great colleague.”