Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-15s will be competing for the Bob Docherty trophy later this month.
The annual Bob Docherty Tournament, run by the Schools’ Association Football International Board (SAFIB), is for U15 schoolgirls’ teams, although competing squads usually feature several players involved in national development set-ups.
Unfortunately this year’s tournament has been reduced to a double header featuring Northern Ireland and current holders Republic of Ireland (FAI Schools) following the withdrawal of English Schools and Scottish Schools plus the Football Association of Wales from the competition.
The first game of the double header is due to be staged at the Newforge Sports Complex in Belfast on Sunday 22 March (1pm kick-off).
The second match is pencilled in for Sunday 29 March, with Home Farm FC in Dublin the venue (2pm start).
Northern Ireland WU15s head coach Stephen Graham, who will be assisted by Heather Mearns and Jack Little, has picked two different squads for the matches.
Graham has chosen an 18-strong panel for the first game and 17 players for matchday two. There is lots of crossover between the two squads.
The Northern Ireland Women’s U15 squad for matchday one in south Belfast on 22 March is:
Goalkeepers – Ifeoma Agoha (Larne Women), Grace Greenhill (Linfield Women).
Defenders – Saoirse Devine, Darcy Grayson and Sophia Gill (all Larne Women), Molly Gray (Derry City Women), Gracey Livingston (Linfield Women), Sara Devany (Glentoran Boys).
Midfielders – Connie Harper (Glentoran Women), Leah Hepburn (Loughgall), Zion Donnan (Crusaders), Cara McVeigh (Mid Ulster Ladies), Lauren Kirkpatrick (Linfield Women).
Forwards – Aoife Conlon and Sophie Nelson (both Larne Women), Kelly Robinson (Limavady Youth), Lydia Devlin (Hanover), Maeve McMenamin (Cliftonville Boys).
And the squad for matchday two in Dublin on 29 March is:
Goalkeepers – Ifeoma Agoha (Larne Women), Grace Greenhill (Linfield Women).
Defenders – Saoirse Devine, Darcy Grayson and Sophia Gill (all Larne Women), Molly Gray (Derry City Women), Gracey Livingston (Linfield Women), Eva Dunlop (Ballyclare Comrades).
Midfielders – Connie Harper (Glentoran Women), Cara McVeigh (Mid Ulster Ladies), Lauren Kirkpatrick (Linfield Women), Lara Longridge (Larne Women).
Forwards – Aoife Conlon and Sophie Nelson (both Larne Women), Kelly Robinson (Limavady Youth), Lydia Devlin (Hanover), Maeve McMenamin (Cliftonville Boys).
