Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-16 development team produced a five star performance as they got their SuperCupNI campaign off to a winning start.
Competition
SuperCupNI Girls’ Premier (U16) Section – Group B
Scoreline
Northern Ireland WU16s 5 Northeast Rush 0
Scorers
Northern Ireland: Abbie Smyth [2], Maja Stachura [2], Mirjana Karrabecaj
Venue
Dixon Park, Ballyclare
Date
28 July 2024
Team News
A Northern Ireland Under-16 girls' development side has performed well in the SuperCupNI girls’ Premier Section over the last two years, winning the competition in 2023 and losing out in the decider last year.
Coached once again by Danielle McDowell Tuffey, she will be hoping her 18-strong class of 2025 can match those successes.
Drawn in Group B, the U16s other opponents alongside American visitors Northeast Rush include holders Manchester United and Dubliners Shamrock Rovers. Group A comprises of Surf Select, Brighton & Hove Albion, Finn Harps and Aston Villa.
Northern Ireland’s placing in the group will determine if they take part in the final of the Girls’ U16 (Premier) Cup, Globe or Vase later in the week.
How it happened
Northern Ireland had an early chance when Charlotte Havern played a brilliant through ball for Maja Stachura who was unlucky not to convert.
Northeast Rush fired an effort just wide soon after before, on six minutes, Abbie Smyth picked the ball up on the edge of the area before unleashing a fierce strike into the roof of the net.
Heidi Curran and Havern had further opportunities for Northern Ireland before Holly Hilton forced the keeper into a save with Stachura following up to convert the rebound.
Stachura then doubled her tally with just over a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock with a cool finish after Mirjana Karrabecaj had combined brilliantly with Hilton in the build up.
Half-time: Northern Ireland WU16s 3 Northeast Rush 0
Shortly after the restart Daisy Moore broke down the right to find Stachura who crossed for Havern but her finish fell just wide of the target.
But Northern Ireland did bag number four soon after when Chloe Beckinsale executed a precise pass from deep for Smyth to volley home.
Then, on the hour, it was 5-0 after Lily-Brooke Wallace played a fantastic diagonal ball to Ava Hurl who set up Karrabecaj to drive the ball home at the near post.
Karrabecaj and Annarose Robinson had further chances before Northeast Rush had an effort from a free kick which Northern Ireland keeper Sophie Glover saved well.
The U16 girls continue their campaign on Tuesday (29th) against Shamrock Rovers in Monkstown (4pm) before their third and final group game against Manchester United, again at Dixon Park, on Wednesday 30th (kick-off 7.30pm).
For further information on the tournament go to www.supercupni.com.
Full-time: Northern Ireland WU16s 5 Northeast Rush 0
Northern Ireland U16s: Sophie Glover, Holly Hilton, Lily-Brooke Wallace, Chloe Beckinsale (captain), Heidi Curran, Mirjana Karrabecaj, Charlotte Havern, Maja Stachura, Ava Hurl, Daisy Moore, Abbie Smyth
Substitutes: Sasha Cowan, Annarose Robinson, Madison Bell (GK), Ruby Adair, Grace Guest, Sally Lynch, Emilee Leacock
