Hume’s squad is aiming to show its class
SCHOOLS FOOTBALL
CARDINAL Hume Catholic School’s year 11 squad hopes for top marks on Monday when it contests a prestigious cup final.
The Gateshead team has reached the decider of the Under-16 ESFA Cup tournament.
Cardinal Hume will face Windsor Boys’School at the City of Manchester Academy (next to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium) on Monday (noon).
Teacher Paul Kiernan said: “It is a magnificent achievement by the lads as there were more than 600 schools entered.
“The furthest our school has ever gone in this competition before was the last 64 two years ago.
“The team has had to win through nine rounds to get to the final and has played schools from Tyneside, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Humberside, Liverpool and Greater Manchester to reach the final.
“The lads involved, their parents and family as well as the whole school are all very proud of their achievement and we look forward to them representing Gateshead and the region in what will be our first national football final.”
Watch out for a report on the match in Grassroots Sport.
THE first of the Northumberland County Cup Finals take place next week.
There are three finals on Thursday at Newcastle’s Cochrane Park.
At 5.00 the under-15s features Heaton Manor against Ponteland or Royal Grammar or Whitley Bay.
Heaton Manor go into the Blake Cup final in great spirits after having just won the City Cup deciderl against Royal Grammar.
At 5.30 Ponteland take on Cramlington LV in the Under-16 Diball Cup showdown.
In the semis Ponteland turned Excelsior over while Cramlington accounted for Walker.
The Under-19 Subsidiary Cup final between Astley and Bedlingtonshire is at 6.00.
DURHAM Schools FA also have three County Cup finals next week.
The Graham Sports Centre at Maiden Castle hosts the first two showdowns - the Under-15 County Cup on Wednesday (4.45) between St Wilfrid’s RC College and Hurworth and the Under-14 CIC Cup on Thursday (4.30) involving St Joseph’s Catholic Academy and Monkwearmouth Academy.
BOTH the Hudl Under-18 Girls Colleges Trophy and the Hudl Under-18 Girls Schools Trophy finals were held at Meadow Lane football ground in Nottingham - the the home of Notts County.
In the Colleges Trophy Gateshead defeated South Gloucestershire and Stroud 2-1 to claim the trophy for the third time. One of Gateshead’s goalscorers was former Durham county player Louise Griffiths.
Durham Sixth Form Centre failed in their attempt to beat Barking Abbey School in the Schools’ Trophy, losing 4-0.
THE Girls’ Committee of Durham CSFA is organising its annual interdistrict festivals for under-13s and under-15s.
Both events will take place at Biddick Academy in Washington - the under-13s on Thursday (4.30-6.30) and the under-15s on Wednesday, May 3 (4.30-6.30).
NEWCASTLE Under-13 and Under-15 Girls are in action on Wednesday.
They have County League matches against East Northumberland A at Red House (5.00).