A Northern Ireland Women’s Under-15 development squad have spent the past week in Albania competing in a UEFA development tournament.
Their opponents in the four-team tournament, staged at Albania’s National Training Centre in Tirana, were Romania, Latvia and Albania.
Head coach Stephen Graham, who led the WU15 squad assisted by Heather Mearns and Jack Little, said the tournament had been a memorable experience for the players.
In game one they faced Romania and they took the lead after just eight minutes. Imogen Jones played a great through ball and Maisie Hobson tucked it home from close range.
A Sophia McNicholl strike from outside the area was tipped over the bar by Romanian keeper Ingrid Staicu, while Northern Ireland keeper Orla McLaughlin made a couple of good saves before Romania equalised just after the half-hour mark with a strike from the edge of the area.
At the start of the second half Sienna Evans and Daisy Coalter combined well to set up Hobson who was unlucky not to convert.
McLaughlin pushed an effort over the bar before Romania took the lead with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area.
Northern Ireland piled forward after that but could not find an equaliser. Hobson had a header saved by the Romanian keeper, while a Coalter shot was pushed around the post. And late on McNicholl found Sarah Smyth inside the area, however Staicu saved at her feet.
Their second game was against Latvia. It ended in a 1-1 draw, although Northern Ireland won a penalty shootout to earn an extra point.
Northern Ireland exerted pressure early on and there were chances for Sarah Smyth and Daisy Coalter before the Latvian keeper pushed out a Sophia McNicholl strike and Smyth put a header inches wide.
Keeper Amelia Fleming produced a great stop in a 1 v 1 with a Latvian attacker, however the rebound was tucked away to make it 1-0 to Latvia.
Zara Brennan fired a shot over the bar and Lily Donaldson also had an opportunity as Northern Ireland pressed. Kelly Robinson delivered a free-kick which was met by Megan McCabe and her header was saved.
Northern Ireland equalised just before half-time when Coalter supplied the cross and Donaldson applied the finish.
Emma Rankin struck the bar and Orla Curneen and Maisie Hobson had decent efforts as Graham’s team continued to push forward. McNicholl dribbled past three defenders before shooting over the bar, while Rankin was unlucky not to convert a Maeve McMenamin free-kick as full-time approached.
The penalty shootout went to sudden death after both sides scored five penalties. And it was left to Curneen to net the winning spot kick (6-5).
Their final game was against Albania earlier today and they strolled to victory.
There was good early pressure from Lily Donaldson and Maisie Hobson before Northern Ireland keeper Orla McLaughlin made a good stop down the other end. Then Megan McCabe and Sophia McNicholl both had attempts on goal.
Hobson opened the scoring midway through the half when she pounced on a loose ball and stroked the ball home.
The floodgates opened after the break. Hobson grabbed a second goal from close range. Imogen Jones and Hobson then combined to tee up Emma Rankin and she finished well from close range.
A Kelly Robinson corner found McCabe and she applied the finish, and shortly after another Robinson corner was met by McCabe who headed home to make it 5-0.
Three more goals followed. Rankin scored with a fantastic strike from distance, Daisy Coalter’s shot from the edge of the area hit the back of the net and Coalter crossed for Sarah Smyth to slot the ball home from close range to make it 8-0.
The Northern Ireland Women’s Under-15 development squad featured:
Goalkeepers - Orla McLaughlin (Cliftonville Ladies), Amelia Fleming (Linfield Women).
Defenders - Maci Davidson (Linfield Women), Mya Auld (Linfield Women), Megan McCabe (Linfield Women), Aoife McCarthy (Cliftonville Ladies), Sophia Currie (Glentoran Women), Aleah Neill (Glentoran Women).
Midfielders - Sophia McNicholl (Cliftonville Ladies), Emma Rankin (Linfield Women), Zara Brennan (Linfield Women), Imogen Jones (Linfield Women), Maeve McMenamin (Cliftonville Ladies), Sienna Evans (Manchester United Women).
Forwards - Orla Curneen (Crusaders Strikers), Kelly Robinson (Crusaders Strikers), Lily Donaldson (Linfield Women), Daisy Coalter (Linfield Women), Maisie Hobson (Linfield Women), Sarah Smyth (Crusaders Strikers).
