Captain Cassie Henderson and her Armagh U16 team celebrate after beating Galway in the All Ireland B final (Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile)
BY RICHARD BULLICK
PRODIGIOUS sporting prospect Cassie Henderson flew to the United States on Sunday as captain of the Ireland Under 17 boxing team on the back of leading her Armagh Under 16 gaelic footballers to victory in their All Ireland B final just 10 days earlier.
Having recently claimed the Irish Senior Cadet title in the 70kg weight category, powerful light middleweight Henderson is the only fighter from Northern Ireland among the 12 girls in the Irish team for the World of Havoc international tournament in Florida.
Orlando is the next stop for the incredibly dedicated Cassie, whose busy schedule has involved training with the Irish squad every weekend since early June alongside her gaelic commitments and finishing her GCSE exams.
The young Orchard captain produced a typically imperious performance, including contributing 2-3 from play, as Armagh retained their crown by crushing Galway 7-18 to 1-12 with a scintillating display at Pearse Park in Longford.
This was a third All Ireland U16 B title in gaelic football for Lurgan girl Henderson, who had raised a green flag for Armagh in the corresponding game 12 months ago and scored the conclusive goal for her school, St Ronan’s College, in their decider earlier last year.
She has had an outstanding age group county career to date, having won an Ulster A title with Armagh Under 14s, captained them to the provincial final the following year and now picked up two All Ireland U16 B medals, the second of those as skipper.
Although aged just 15 at the time, Henderson shone as Clann Eireann retained the Ulster Senior Club Championship crown last autumn, to add to her set of age group county titles won with the Lurgan outfit.
Armagh-Banbridge-Craigavon Junior Sportswoman award winner two years running, the multi-talented Henderson is also an accomplished basketballer and previously played soccer to a high level, including lining out for Linfield at the prestigious SuperCup NI.
However, it is in the ring that Henderson has really excelled at national level, collecting multiple Irish titles as well as being crowned European Schools champion for her age group and winning a European Junior Championships bronze medal.
Although a huge honour, Henderson being asked to captain this Ireland team alongside male counterpart Jason Donoghue from Mullingar came as little surprise given that she’s exceptionally impressive personally as well as being such a high-achiever.
A credit to her family and everyone she represents, including the proud Pheonix Amateur Boxing Club, Henderson carries herself superbly and is a natural leader who is invariably looked up to by those around her but doesn’t get carried away with her superstar status.
Female captain Cassie Henderson (front, third left) and the Ireland U17 boxing team before leaving for Florida
Listening back to the interview she did with me after that victory for Armagh Under 16s, it really struck this writer how Henderson deflected credit and just uplifted others constantly throughout rather than talking about her own excellent contribution.
She spoke in glowing terms of the Armagh management, fellow leading lights in the Orchard side like Player of the Match Lily McBennett and the rest of her team-mates, along with warm words for the vanquished Galway girls, who she had lingered to chat to afterwards.
There’s an adage about people remembering how you made them feel for far longer than what you said, and classy Cassie generates a positive vibe, be that using her social media to give affirmation to even younger girls or showing impressive maturity in dealing with adults.
With her compelling mix of fantastic achievements, natural talent, impressive physique, striking good looks and well-developed personality, the charismatic Henderson has the world at her feet and an understandable aura about her, reflecting justified self-belief.
But those young feet remain firmly on the ground, and Cassie – whose dad Ryan Henderson played football for Linfield as well as gaelic for Armagh – knows the importance of humility, hard work and valuing those around her, including coaches, colleagues and fans.
Henderson had a great game against Galway in that final in Pearse Park, garnishing a majestic contribution with fantastic scores, before delivering a considered captain’s speech including thanking the parents for providing a much-needed taxi service all season.
Cassie takes her leadership duties seriously but it was a pleasure speaking to this well-developed, likeable kid in the carpark after she’d helped ensure all the footballs were accounted for and taken time to engage with opposition players in a spirit of friendship.
“It’s fantastic, I’m just so happy for the girls and the management. It was a hard year, with ups and downs, and that’s football, but coming to the end everything worked out and this is the dream ending,” reflected Cassie when asked how she felt after Armagh’s emphatic win.
“Everyone was outstanding tonight. It was a really strong team performance, you couldn’t even pick out an individual. I’m just so proud of the girls, this was a first All Ireland final for some players but every single girl stepped up and did what they were supposed to do.”
Armagh captain Cassie Henderson receives the All Ireland Under 16 B trophy from LGFA President Trina Murray
Henderson’s side delivered in style on the big occasion against a county traditionally strong in ladies football as Cassie well knows from facing Kilkerrin-Clonberne with Clann Eireann in last December’s All Ireland Senior Club semi, something she referenced in the interview.
“Galway have outstanding pedigree in ladies football, they’ve got Kilkerrin-Clonberne the All Ireland club champions as I’ve seen first-hand, they’ve a good underage record and their seniors are really good footballers who got to last year’s All Ireland final.
“They’re such nice girls there tonight too, coming at the end to shake hands and that. Hats off to Galway, it’s never easy playing in a game like that, being on the receiving end, but credit to them – they stood their ground and never made anything easy for us.
“We had a clear lead, but for a while in the second half we did start to get a wee bit worried because they were hitting over lovely scores from outside our arc, showing what they’re capable of, and they kept coming at us so no doubting their ability or character.
“Whatever the scoreboard said, the game didn’t seem over. I never had that feeling that ‘this is won’, and we had to keep working. Management told us at half-time to treat it like nil-nil again, just work hard and deliver another performance for the next 30 minutes.”
With the threatened rain holding off for the duration, Armagh – with Henderson herself to the fore – were able to showcase the fabulous football they are capable of, in perfect conditions contrasting starkly to their hard-fought semi-final victory on a very wet evening.
“The conditions in the semi made that game messy. It suits us when the conditions are good obviously but I’m proud of how we adjusted against Waterford – you couldn’t even bounce the ball that night! – and got over the line in a very tight game.”
When the precocious Orchard captain was invited to reflect on whether she got more satisfaction from delivering killer kick-passes, the impressive physical strength which helps her to hold off challenges or her clinical score-taking, she didn’t take the bait.
“I just love when great team-work pays off, when some move involving multiple players results in a score. That’s very rewarding for us, the management too. Some of our scores tonight came from good defending initially and turning those turnovers into attack.”
Class act Cassie scored two great goals, both confident finishes off either foot, but as someone who has already been around plenty of big sporting occasions at an early age, the calmness and self-belief she brings to teams at this level is very valuable.
“Some of our girls haven’t been around big games like this before, but they all handled it as well as they could – you couldn’t ask any more of that bunch of girls. Obviously I do have experience of these situations, but some of them dealt with it better than I did!” she insisted.
That wasn’t strictly true but the skipper’s warm words reflected an admirable generosity of spirit and she was more comfortable moving on to sing the praises of a few fellow stars like Player of the Match Lily McBennett, who hit 2-7, than talking about herself.
“Lily is an unbelievable player and one of my best friends. I’ve been with Lily the past three years with Armagh underage teams and she’s outstanding as she showed here,” enthused Cassie, also heaping praise on vice-captain Aoife Hagan and full back Blaithin Carragher.
“Aoife would put her head where most people wouldn’t put their feet. She’s an outstanding football player who will go right to the top. I get to play with her for the county, but also know what she’s capable of from facing her at club level – you want to see her!
“There’s Blaithin, the blocker – she’d save the Titanic that one! Any ball that needs dealt with, she’s going to block it,” reflected Cassie, who had to run the gauntlet of good-natured ribbing by team-mates squealing with delight as they passed on their way to the bus.
Henderson also won those All Ireland Under 16 B titles last year both with St Ronan’s and Armagh but most of that victorious Orchard county team were ineligible this time round so this second success was with a much-changed team.
“Yeah, there was a lot of cut-off there, we only had I think about five starters from last year’s panel back. At the start of this season, I didn’t know some of these girls but I certainly know them now, and I think everyone else knows them now too!”
An ecstatic Cassie Henderson has her arm raised by the referee after winning the Irish Senior Cadets 70kg final (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)
Given Henderson’s hugely impressive prowess in boxing with a formidable record of achievement at national and European level, surely those experiences help her prepare properly, including getting the mental approach right and being able to cope with pressure?
“As they say, pressure is a privilege. The big occasions are what you train for, and if you know you’ve put in the hard yards and done the preparation, there’s reassurance in that when the actual contests come around.
“Declan kept instilling resilience in us. He gave us these bracelets saying ‘Refuse to Lose’. ‘Tenacity’ was our main word this year – no matter how hard things get or how much we might fall behind, to have the work-rate to keep going, and ‘never give up’ was our motto.”
Subsequently named captain of the Ireland Under 17 team for this week’s World of Havoc tournament in Florida, Henderson has had a busy schedule combining her Armagh gaelic commitments with boxing training in Dublin each Saturday since the start of June.
“Being down there every week, it’s hard enough to manage alongside the football but I love what I do. It’s great to be part of the Irish set-up and doing that training, and then have the different environment with the gaelic too. I’m fortunate to be able to combine both.
“We’re heading to Orlando, Florida next weekend for this tournament. Normally it’s Europeans at this time of year, but the IABA has switched affiliation to World Boxing so those are in December instead now and we’re off to this competition in the US first.
“It’s exciting to look forward to, off the back of this success with Armagh, and there’s plenty more to look forward to afterwards with my club Clann Eireann as well, for Championship is just around the corner,” enthused Cassie.
Captain Cassie Henderson led from the front, scoring 2-3 for Armagh in All Ireland Under 16 B final
Henderson fights at 70kg, the light middleweight division where Ireland are represented at adult level by another multi-talented all-rounder, Lisa O’Rourke, who has doubled up over the years as a county footballer for Roscommon.
“I don’t want her now, give me a few years, like!” declared Henderson at the mention of O’Rourke’s name, adding: “She’s an outstanding athlete, not just the boxing but winning a Hyrox world title with her sister there and being a Roscommon gaelic player.
“That’s somebody I’d definitely aspire to be, and I’ve nothing but honour and admiration for her,” said Henderson, a teenager who has the hunger and talent to keep pushing on herself and always wants to develop and learn in every environment.
“I’ve learned something off every single girl in this Armagh team and each of the coaches. Stephen (Havern), Teenie (Christina Crilly), Declan (McBennett) and Barry (McGurgan), have just been outstanding,” she enthuses.
“Even when we maybe didn’t believe in ourselves, they believed in us. I’ve never had a management like them, we genuinely wouldn’t be here without them today. Us girls are very grateful for everything they’ve done and now we can all share in this success.”
Talking of managers, boxing champion Henderson was recently hosted in the Athletic Grounds by All Ireland-winning Armagh gaffer Kieran McGeeney, two great competitors cut from the same cloth.
“I thought I was intimidating until I met him!” joked the self-deprecating Cassie, “but seriously though, he welcomed me with open arms and seemed genuinely interested in my career and what I was doing.
“It was a nice gesture and I really appreciate him taking the time to meet me. He has achieved the ultimate with Armagh, as a captain and a manager, so is really looked up to in sporting circles within our county and beyond.”
Armagh ladies have yet to achieve the holy grail like their male counterparts but hot prospect Cassie Henderson, whose dad Ryan netted four times in a National League game the year she was born, can help bolster the Orchard challenge in the seasons ahead.
In the coming years she should be a useful addition to the forward division, hopefully playing alongside the likes of 2024 All Star Aoife McCoy, who was there watching in Pearse Park as Henderson lifted that All Ireland Under 16 B trophy this month.
McCoy’s young Dromintee clubmate Lily McBennett, whose father Declan McBennett – best known as RTE’s Head of Sport – was the victorious Armagh manager, is another exciting talent who can help keep the Orchard blossoming long into the future.
Cassie Henderson with her coaches after being crowned European schoolgirls champion in Slovenia
Receiving the Ulster Under 16 B trophy from Ulster LGFA’s Gerry Doherty
Cassie Henderson shakes hands with her Cavan counterpart before her first match as Armagh Under 16 captain
Armagh Under 14 Player of the Year Cassie Henderson (left) with senior Orchard county captain Kelly Mallon
Clann Eireann ace Cassie Henderson with the Player of the Match award after last season Armagh Minor final
Clann Eireann aunt and niece Niamh and Cassie Henderson after victory in last autumn’s Armagh county final
Cassie Henderson, pictured with aunt Niamh and dad Ryan, scored three points in the Ulster Senior Club final
Lurgan starlet Cassie Henderson pictured after winning her first ABC council Junior Sportswoman award
Sporting all-rounder Cassie Henderson played for Linfield at the SuperCup NI
Cassie Henderson is off to Florida to box for Ireland after leading her county to a trophy triumph
Star player Cassie Henderson captained Armagh Under 14s to the Ulster A final two years ago
Cassie Henderson and her aunt, club captain Niamh, at this year’s Clann Eireann dinner dance
Cassie Henderson scored the clinching goal for St Ronan’s College in last year’s All Ireland U16 B final
Cassie Henderson, along with her coach Martine Tate, with Kieran McGeeney at the Athletic Grounds
