Belfast school Dominican College lifted the U16 Girls Schools’ Cup for the first time today after holding their nerve to win the final on penalties.
Their opponents, Portadown College, were seeking to lift the Northern Ireland Schools' Football Association trophy for the third year in a row.
However, Dominican dug deep in regulation time and extra time to take the final to a shootout where they prevailed by five penalties to four.
Portadown dominated the first half, but their north Belfast opponents stood firm and then restricted them to a few opportunities in the second half and in extra time.
Heidi Baird, who scored in last year’s final for the Co Armagh school, was a threat in the opening 20 minutes with her penetrating runs down the right flank.
But it was Portadown’s winger on the other flank, Isla Crooks, who carved out the first clearcut opportunity.
Captain Heidi Curran played a lovely pass to Crooks and she in turn fired a dangerous cross into the area where centre forward Abbie McCleery just failed to connect with the ball.
On 24 minutes Curran whipped a cross into the area which went inches past the post.
Then Dominican’s Ella McAlea cleverly jinked her way towards goal but could only shoot straight at Portadown keeper Beth Evans.
And just before half-time another decent cross from Crooks was well collected by Dominican keeper Evie McGuinness.
The game was scrappy at the start of the second half as Dominican closed down the opposition. The first chance of the second period fell to Curran, who shot wide.
Thirteen minutes into the half Dominican took the lead. Striker Katie Craig latched on to a through ball and, from 19 yards out, fired the ball into the bottom corner via the inside of a post. It was a great finish.
Portadown bounced back quickly, however, with a fine goal of their own. Baird slipped the ball to Curran and she strode forward before coolly slotting it past McGuinness.
The cup holders had a couple of chances late on in regulation time but could not convert them.
And in extra time Portadown centre back Lucy Megaw headed just wide after getting on the end of a corner kick.
In the penalty shootout Dominican missed their first spot kick but then scored the next five, while Portadown missed twice. Dominican keeper McGuinness produced a good stop to keep out one of them, while the other was off target.
Portadown College: Beth Evans, Evie Proctor, Katie Clarke, Heidi Curran (captain), Lucy Megaw, Grace Adamson, Heidi Baird, Jessica McBroom, Abbie McCleery, Annabelle Boyce, Isla Crooks.
Substitutes: Sarah Hobson, Grace Lappin, Maisie Creaney, Emily Robinson, Miley Love.
Dominican College: Evie McGuinness, Rose Byrne, Niamh Flanagan, Caoimhe O’Lynn, Eva Scallan, Emily Crown, Orlaith Pimley (captain), Ella McAlea, Katie Craig, Cara Loughens, Cora Brown.
Substitutes: Darcie Delaney, Elizabeth McAllister, Orlaith Lynch.
