THE Northern Ireland Women’s Under-15 development team have travelled south to Athlone to compete in the annual Bob Docherty Cup tournament, starting Monday.
Head coach Stephen Graham, who will be assisted by Heather Mearns, has chosen an 18-strong panel for the tournament.
Four of the schoolgirls who will be heading to the Republic of Ireland played for the Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16 team against Spain, Belgium and Iceland in a UEFA development tournament staged in Belfast last week. They are defender Chloe Beckinsale, midfielder Charlotte Havern and strikers Maja Stachura and Ava Hurl.
In Athlone, Northern Ireland will be facing the Republic, England and Scotland. The games are all being staged at the Athlone Town Stadium.
First up on Monday (March 25) is an encounter with England Schools (noon start).
The following day they will take on Scotland Schools at 3.00pm, while their final game is on Thursday against Republic of Ireland Schools (noon).
The international competition for U15 girls’ development teams is run annually by the Schools’ Association Football International Board (SAFIB).
Northern Ireland WU15 squad:
Goalkeepers: Madison Bell (Nendrum College, Comber), Zara McAvoy (Belfast High School, Newtownabbey).
Defenders: Chloe Beckinsale (Belfast High School), Lily Brooke Wallace (Ballymena Academy), Grace Campbell (Laurelhill Community College, Lisburn), Daisy Moore (Glenlola Collegiate, Bangor), Holly Hilton (St Dominic’s Grammar School, Belfast).
Midfielders: Heidi Curran (Clounagh Junior High, Portadown), Jemima Hernen (Sale Grammar School, Cheshire), Charlotte Havern (St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook), Emilee Leacock (Slemish College, Ballymena), Abbie Smyth (All Saints College, Belfast), Mirijana Karrabecaj (St Joseph’s College, Belfast).
Forwards: Grace McAllister (St Killian’s College, Carnlough), Ruby Adair (Newbridge Integrated College, Loughbrickland), Maja Stachura (Edmund Rice College, Glengormley), Ava Hurl (St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt), Sophie Graham (Brownlow Integrated College, Craigavon).
