IRELAND’S U16 hockey girls, including 10 Ulster players and coached by Shirley McCay, ran England close in three development games at Lilleshall, going down 4-2, 4-3 and 3-2 in what Mick McKinnon, Pathway Manager for Hockey Ireland, called a ‘learning expereience’.
Day One: England U16 Girls 4 Ireland U16 Girls 2
An Irish team with no fewer than 16 debutants grew into the game against a strong opponent. England took the lead on the stroke of half time, converting after a period of concerted pressure. Ireland thought they had equalised when Evie Girvan bundled home, only to be halted by the umpire who had already awarded a stroke. Hollai Quinn, however, stayed calm and equalised. Further English pressure saw them race into a 3-1 lead, before Quinn struck again, this time from a corner strike to bring Ireland back within a goal of their opponents. A fourth England goal killed the game off, but Ireland showed improvement in each quarter which they took into the next two games.
Day Two: England U16 Girls 4 Ireland U16 Girls 3
Goals from Hollai Quinn and Evie Girvin saw Ireland race into a two goal lead. England pulled one back then dominated the third quarter to lead 4-2. Caitlin Gribbin pulled one back but the girls couldn’t find an equaliser and the game finished 4-3 to the hosts.
Day Three: England U16 Girls 3 Ireland U16 Girls 2
There was last second heartbreak for the Irish U16 girls as England struck to seal their win. Holly Farrell had given Ireland the lead before two third quarter goals had the hosts 2-1 ahead. Hollai Quinn equalised with seven minutes to go, only for England to score just before the whistle. The girls improved with every game and will hopefully take a number of lessons home with them.
Other results Day One: England U16 Boys 2 Ireland U16 Boys 2; England U18 Boys 3 Ireland U18 Boys 2; Day Two: England U16 Boys 1 Ireland U16 Boys 2; England U18 Boys 4 Ireland U18 Boys 4; Day Three: England U16 Boys 7 Ireland U16 Boys 1; England U18 Boys 0 Ireland U18 Boys 1.
Mick McKinnon, Pathway Manager for Hockey Ireland, reflected on the mini tournaments when the three teams returned home and said: “I don’t really care about the results. It was the performances and the learnings that we had in these games that mattered. As a tick box yes, I am pleased with the results achieved with this particular group of players. Results, while good, are immaterial to what we are trying to achieve.
“The U16 Girls had some close games and the lessons they learned towards the end of those games will stand to them in the future. Our underage international squads are largely self-funded programmes that depend on the goodwill of the hockey community. If anyone reading this is interested in sponsoring these teams or helping out with raising funds for these teams contact the Hockey Ireland office and they can be put in contact with the Pathway Collective.”
Head coach Shirley McCay
U16 Girls
Player Name Province School Club
| Aisling Meehan | Leinster | Holy Child Killiney | Monkstown HC |
| Anna Butler | Leinster | St Andrew’s College | Monkstown HC |
| Caitlín Gribbin | Ulster | Rainey Endowed School | Rainey RFHC |
| Daisy Costello | Leinster | Muckross Park College | Muckross Hockey Club |
| Emma McEntee | Ulster | Friends School Lisburn | Lurgan Ladies HC |
| Evie Girvan | Ulster | Royal School Dungannon | Portadown Ladies HC |
| Evie Thompson | Ulster | Portadown College | Portadown Ladies HC |
| Hollaí Quinn | Leinster | The High School | Corinthians HC |
| Holly Farrell | Leinster | Mount anville Secondary school | Pembroke Wanderers HC |
| Kate Collins | Munster | Bandon Grammar School | Bandon HC |
| Kyah kelly | Munster | Newtown school, Waterford | Waterford HC |
| Laoise Nelson | Overseas Player | Kent College Pembury | Sevenoaks HC |
| Lara Wilson | Ulster | Wallace High School | Lisnagarvey HC |
| Leah Galbraith | Ulster | Portadown College | Portadown Ladies HC |
| Lily May Kelleher | Munster | Scoil Mhuire, Cork | Cork Harlequins |
| Lucy Fox | Leinster | Wesley College | YMCA |
| Lucy McCaffrey | Ulster | Wallace High School | South Antrim |
| Nieve Caldwell | Ulster | Coleraine Grammar School | Ulster Elks |
| Ruby Johnston | Ulster | Banbridge Academy | Dromore Ladies HC |
| Sophie Tate | Ulster | Banbridge Academy | Portadown Ladies HC |
| Team Manager | Anita Patterson |
| Head Coach | Shirley McCay |
| Assistant Coach | Ross Hetem |
