Page 19 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.21 2022-23

The Isle of Man won the tournament, beating Ynys Mon 2-1 in the Final. Earlier in the
rounds, they had seen off Jersey and Gibraltar, beating beating Hitra 5-1 in the semi finals.
This year’s games will be played between Sunday 9 and Tuesday 11 July, with the
play-offs taking place on Thursday 13 July and Friday 14 July.
The draw:
Group One: Jersey, Bermuda, Hitra, Aland
Group Two: Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Menorca
Group Three: Guernsey, Ynys Mon, Western Isles

The three Electric Ireland-backed competitions for girls’ teams within Northern Ireland’s
post primary schools are producing some excellent matches.
The cups supported by the energy company attracted a record number of entries for this
school year, with 44 teams signing up for the Junior Cup (U14), 23 for the Senior Cup (U18)
and 40 for a new nine-a-side cup aimed at Year 8 pupils.
Jessica Foy, who last year coached north Belfast school Dominican College to Junior
Cup success in their first year involved in the EI competitions, said the cup for first year
pupils was “a fantastic addition” to the cups line-up.
“By introducing girls in Year 8 to competition we are straight away seeing an increase in
numbers at training, and it will be exciting to watch them progress into the Junior Cup and
Senior Cup squads as they move through school,” she pointed out.
The new Year 8 nine-a-side competition has already produced some fine encounters,
although Dominican made an early exit.
Other north Belfast schools came through strongly in the initial rounds of the
competition with Mercy College, Blessed Trinity College and Belfast Girls’ Model
overcoming Forthill College (Lisburn), Bangor Academy and Our Lady’s Grammar Newry in
three very tight affairs. Assumption Grammar (Ballynahinch) defeated Dominican College
on penalties.
Other notable performances in the initial rounds saw Derry-Londonderry schools St
Mary’s and St Cecilia’s and east Belfast school Our Lady and St Patrick’s Knock, three
schools with a great tradition of involvement in girls’ competitions, come through with big
performances.
The second round of the Junior Cup had some notable ties with the fixture of the round
being between Clounagh Junior High (Portadown) and St Paul’s Bessbrook. An end-to-end
affair saw St Paul’s progress following a 4-3 win.
Another school that will be feeling confident as they move into the third round are St
Patrick’s Dungiven. They have already defeated Lisneal (Derry) and Cambridge House
(Ballymena). Tie of the round, however, is an all-Belfast clash between defending champions
Dominican and St Louise’s.
While the Year 8 and Junior Cup competitions are at the third round stage, those
remaining in the Senior Cup may already have one eye on the final having reached the
quarter finals.
One school arriving in the last eight with confidence will be Parkhall Integrated College
(Antrim). In the last round they overcame last year’s runners-up Mercy College in an epic
clash, winning 10-7.
Cup holders Holy Cross College Strabane overcame Cambridge House in the previous
round and the Tyrone school will be hoping to progress to the semi-finals when they come
up against Fermanagh’s Devenish College.
Parkhall will be up against Dominican in the last eight, while the other ties will see Our
Lady’s and St Patrick’s take on St Cecilia’s and Kilkeel High School battling it out with St
Louise’s.
(irishfa.com)
news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk