PICTURES BY BOB HALL (Portadown in blue)
PORTADOWN COLLEGE 2 PARKHALL INTEGRATED COLLEGE 0
BY LEE MAGINNIS
WINDSOR Park was bathed in sunshine for the U16 Schools Cup final on Wednesday morning.
Portadown College, the holders, were up against Parkhall Integrated College. The lively contest was full of action in the first half and very even, but it was Portadown College who had four chances on goal in the first 25 minutes and would have been ahead had it not been for superb saves by the Parkhall keeper.
Heidi Baird, sister of Glenavon star Isaac, had been a real handful for the Parkhall defence and with less than a minute remaining in the first half (30 minutes each way), she latched onto a long ball and broke clear before deftly finishing, sparking deafening cheers from the Portadown College supporters packed into the South stand.
The second half started brightly with Parkhall seeing an early effort flash just wide of the net, then at the other end Baird saw a long range shot saved before having two more efforts on goal. Parkhall responded, forcing the Portadown keeper into a great save when it looked like they had found an equaliser. It was end to end now as the game opened up.
Portadown College then hit the post and immediately followed up the attack with Sasha Thompson driving her shot home. 2-0 to Portadown.
The Parkhall goalie, having a brilliant game, twice then denied Portadown College from adding to their tally.
It was double celebrations for Portadown College who earlier in the week had won the Mid-Ulster Cup final.
For players such as Lucy Megaw and Grace Adamson, there will be no time to rest on their laurels as they left immediately for Dublin to take part in the Kate Russell hockey tournament.
