ENNISKILLEN Collegiate under 13 girls became the Carnegie Schools’ Cup Champions on Tuesday at the Billy Neill Soccer Centre of Excellence, Dundonald.
A wonderful strike by Alice Hurst proved to be the decisive goal in a fiercely contested final against last year’s champions St Cecilia’s College.
Both St Cecilia’s and Enniskillen powered their way through the group stages of the competition, securing a semi-final showdown with Ballee Community High and HolyCrossCollege, respectively.
Enniskillen proved too strong for Ballee Community High with goals from Kathryn Dane (two) and Alice Hurst securing their first ever final appearance. In the other semi-final St Cecilia’s College were pushed all the way by a talented Holy Cross team.
An early goal by Tammy Lee Biver for Holy Cross was soon cancelled out by a Laura Connolly goal for St Cecelia’s. Demi Leigh Fitzpatrick got the decisive match winning goal to set up a thrilling final match with Enniskillen Collegiate.
Little separated the two finalists, with both sides producing exciting attacking football. Ten minutes into the game Alice Hurst broke down the left hand side and following a fine piece of individual skill blasted the ball into the back of the net. St Cecilia’s frantically went in search of the equaliser but struggled to put the ball past the excellent Enniskillen Collegiate goalkeeper. Despite both sides having several chances in the second half the score remained at one nil, with scenes of jubilation among the travelling Enniskillen supporters at the sound of the final whistle.
Speaking after the celebrations PE teacher Karen Strong said: “Our girls were fantastic throughout the day and we are delighted to be crowned as national champions of the Carnegie Schools’ Cup for the first time in our school's history. Eighty teams played in the qualifying stages of this tournament and to know we are the best is simply brilliant.”
Organiser of the event IFA Women’s Football Assistant Jackie Blyth added: “This victory is made all the more special considering the small number of schools that participate in girls football in the CountyFermanagh area and is testimony to the amount of hard work PE teacher Karen Strong puts into girls football at Enniskillen Collegiate.”
The Carnegie Schools’ National Finals are the pinnacle of the schools football programme and comprise of seven qualifying regional heats at under 13 and under 15 levels. In the under 13 section eight teams competed in Tuesday’s National Finals: Ballee Community High, St Mary’s High (Lurgan), Nendrum College, St Brigid’s College (L’Derry), Glengormley High, Holy Cross College (Strabane), Enniskillen Collegiate and last year’s champions St Cecilia’s College (Derry).
