Page 20 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No18 2021-22

Northern Ireland squads prepare for Euros
Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-19 and Women’s Under-17 sides will gear up for Qualifying
Round 2 in their respective UEFA Women's European Championship competitions by playing
friendlies and taking part in training camps.
The WU19s are set to begin their preparations for Euro qualifiers in April with friendlies
against Shelbourne Ladies on 29 January and 5 February – and they will also be taking part in a
training camp in England from 14 to 22 February.
The WU17s, who are due to compete in Euro qualifiers in March, are continuing to play
regular games against boys’ clubs – and they will also be taking part in a training camp in England
from 7 to 12 February.
As part of a new Nations League-style qualifying format, the WU19s and WU17s find
themselves in League B of their respective competitions where they will be aiming to gain
promotion to League A in Qualifying Round 1 of the 2022-23 editions.
In Qualifying Round 2 of the 2021-22 competition Alfie Wylie’s WU19s have been drawn
against Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands and Malta in Group 1, with the games set to be played from 4-12
April in Northern Ireland (venues TBC).
Before that Wylie’s WU17s will be taking on Luxembourg, Faroe Islands and hosts Israel in
March. The three League B Group 1 matches are scheduled for 8-17 March (venues TBC).
Other forthcoming fixtures for players involved in the regional excellence/youth
international programme include games for WU14 and WU13 development squads against FAI
National Academy teams in Dublin on 30 January and a WU15 game against Scotland at Inver
Park in Larne on 12 February.
In addition, on 26 February, the WU15s will be taking on FAI Schools in Dublin, while in
April a WU16 development squad are due to compete in a development tournament in Israel.
Meanwhile, trials are currently taking place for players born in 2010 to join the regional
excellence set up. More than 100 girls attended trials for Co Antrim and Down/Armagh, while
trials for Fermanagh/Tyrone and Co Londonderry will be staged later this month.
Futsal Champions set to be crowned

This season’s Northern Ireland women’s futsal champions will be crowned in Belfast tomorrow
night (Friday 21 January).
Four teams are mathematically still in contention to win the Women’s Premiership and
Championship Futsal League, the main competition in women’s futsal here. The league is
sponsored by Belfast-based Cathedral Eye Clinic, the official eye health and laser surgery partner
of the Irish Football Association and its official futsal partner.
At Shankill Leisure Centre tomorrow night the top flight champions will be crowned
following the final round of matches in this season’s competition.
Cliftonville Ladies will be aiming to retain the title they won in 2020-21, but standing in
their way are Linfield Ladies, who currently top the standings in the league involving teams from
the NIFL Women’s Premiership and the NIWFA Championship.
However, also still in the mix for title glory are another Belfast team, St James’ Swifts, and
Lisburn Ladies. Both have 12 points to date, the same number as Linfield, however the Blues have
the healthiest goal difference.
The first match of the night (7.30 start) will see St James’ Swifts take on Ballymena United
Ladies in the hope of gaining three points, scoring lots of goals and putting pressure on the other
teams in the title race.
Game two (8.20) is likely to be the title decider though. Thanks to their superior goal
difference Linfield are arguably in pole position, but their opponents Cliftonville still have a
possibility, albeit an extremely slim one, of taking the title depending on other results. The Reds
have amassed nine points to date.
In the final fixture of the night (9.10) Lisburn will be taking on Comber Rec Ladies and
hoping that the other games will have gone their way and looking to increase their goal difference.
(irishfa.com)
Issue no. 18 - 20 January 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk