Wexford’s rising stars smash their way to Leinster finals

More than 80 students representing primary schools across Co. Wexford gathered on Monday for the inaugural county qualifier for primary schools badminton, held at St Joseph’s Community Centre, Wexford….

The event, organised to decide which two schools will represent Wexford in the provincial finals of the Badminton Ireland (Leinster), brought an intense display of skill, rivalry and excitement.

Each invited school entered a boys’ team and a girls’ team, competing respectively in the male and female sections. Matches featured tight tie-breaks, countbacks and score differentials, underscoring the competitive depth of the field.

Standout performances came from St Joseph’s Gorey, who claimed both the boys’ and girls’ titles. Having previously been runners-up in last year’s Leinster final, they demonstrated experience and composure to secure top spot in dramatic fashion.

With first-place secured, the fight for second place heated up. Schools such as Scoil Mhuire Coolcotts, Gorey Central School, St Iberius School and St Senan’s School entered the final rounds in contention. In a dramatic climax, it came down to the very last match of the day in both boys’ and girls’ sections – and Scoil Mhuire Coolcotts rose to the challenge with strong performances to clinch second place and qualify for the Leinster finals.

Speaking to Wexford Weekly, Development Officer Garry Kehoe, who organised the day, praised the schools and the standard of play:

“It is absolutely fantastic to see so many kids here playing badminton for our first County Qualifier Event in Wexford and the level of skill and ability on show is phenomenal. This is only the start though, we hope it’s ignited a desire for these schools to come back next year, we hope to get more schools involved next year too and really build this into a mammoth event within the Wexford Primary School Calendar. Wexford is such a strong badminton county and the potential is limitless,” he told Wexford Weekly.

Looking ahead, St Joseph’s Gorey and Scoil Mhuire Coolcotts will travel to Dublin on 29th January 2026 to represent Wexford at the Leinster finals, with high hopes of advancing to the All-Ireland stage.

The event which is set to return in November 2026 is open to all Primary Schools in Wexford and any school looking for more information can contact Badminton Ireland directly.