TWO goals from Katie Herron and another from captain and Player of the Match Rebekah Lennon secured the U18 Interprovincial title for Ulster in a 3-0 win over Leinster at Monkstown in Dublin.
Afterwards captain Rebekah revealed how the team had prepared meticulously, given a 4-0 defeat by Leinster in the group stages, by watching videos of their opponents and working on tactical moves but her goal was unrehearsed!
Portadown player Rebekah said: “That’s true. We looked at lots of videos and perfected a lot of moves in training but we hadn’t practiced my goal at all!
“We didn’t expect to beat Leinster by three goals. We planned for a tighter game after losing 4-0 inb the group stages but we bounced back to win our other games and carried the momentum into the final.
“It’s a special win as a lot of girls are leaving the age group and I would also like to pay tribute to our coaches who are amazing.”
It took just five minutes for Herron to open the scoring as Emma McEntee picked out Erin Pim with a brilliant ball into the circle.
At a tight angle, Pim was unable to get a shot off but instead picked out her strike partner at the back post who was left to tap-in from three yards out.
The goal prompted a good response from Leinster who were twice denied by Ulster goalkeeper Anna Wilson to keep our slender advantage.
With 24 minutes on the clock the Leinster pressure continued with back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which was brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Ruby Johnston.
Just moments later Ulster were awarded a penalty corner as Katie Herron found a foot in the circle.
Injected to Joni Cunningham at the top of the circle, she picked out Herron at the back post and deflected past the the Leinster goalkeeper to get her second of the game and double the advantage.
It was 3-0 before the half-time break as Rebekah Lennon added a third just two minutes before the break.
Again from a penalty corner, the ball was slipped left to Lennon who fired into the bottom left corner from the top of the circle.
A quiet third quarter saw very few chances for either side with a Scarlett Taylor penalty corner the most noteworthy chance but she sent it just wide of the far post with 47 minutes played.
In the final quarter Leinster subbed off their goalkeeper in a last-ditch attempt to get back into the tie, but it wasn’t enough as the strong Ulster side held out for an impressive 3-0 win to be crowned champions.
In the day’s other game, the U16s were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Leinster in their final.
Having fallen behind early, Lucy Megaw equalised for Ulster after just eight minutes of play.
However, another Leinster strike proved to be the winning goal as they ran out winners of the U16 section, with the Ulster girls finishing runners-up.
Rebekah Lennon lifts the trophy
Portadown provided eight of the winning team
Pegasus trio (from left) Erin Pim, Joni Cunningham and Caitlin Gribbin
Portadown contingent on the U16 squad
