Future looks bright for girls’ soccer
THE future for Sligo/ Leitrim Girls soccer looks bright.
Sligo Leitrim U- 14 and U- 16 Emerging Talent Girls made the long trip to the Inishowen Tournament on Friday 21st of April.
The U- 14 Girls were in Buncrana to play four games with the opposition being Inishowen League, Mayo League, Mid West League and Donegal League .
The U- 16 Girls based in Burnfoot just down the road from them taking on the same opposition in their age Group.
In what was a very tough schedule for both sets of players, the Girls started out at both venues with Inishowen providing the opposition for both.
The U- 14 Girls were a match for their hosts in all areas, playing some of their familiar brand of stylish passing football which has become the normal pattern in which these girls perform. The game ended in a draw in what was a very entertaining clash, producing some lovely passing football which kept the supporters well entertained . The Girls could indeed consider themselves unlucky not to come away from their opening game with a win. Next up was Mid West and again the football from our Girls was of a very high standard, helping them to a very comfortable win and confirm the high quality of football these girls are capable of producing. There was some very fine individual performances in this game but indeed it is as a team that you have to admire the way these girls apply themselves to the game and this is what brings them such results.
With the games coming quick in succession and just a ten minute break between each forty minute game you would expect limbs to be tiring but that was not the case. The standard of football was still as good and the girls moved on take on near neighbours Mayo. This was to be a tighter affair but in the end the Sligo Girls produced it when required and again ran out winners in this contest.
The final game of the 2017 Inishowen Tournament was Sligo Leitrim taking on Donegal and at this stage you would expect the standard to drop. But that was not the case with these talented Girls as they kept the best performance of the day until last, playing some of their best football of the day and again running out comfortable winners. That brought to an end the 2017 U- 14 Inishowen Tournament with the Sligo Leitrim Girls recording a very successful overall win with three wins and a draw from four outings and some super football played along the way.
The U16s also put in a tremendous campaing, winning two, drawing one match and losing one.
U- 14 Team: Farrah McDonagh, Nadine Hargadon, Sarah Kiernan, Erin Taheny, Maeve Casserley, Meadhbh Mooney, Kate Nugent, Leah Duffy, Laura Oates, Helen Monaghan, Cathy Harrison, Keela Scanlon, Muireann Devaney( C), Eimear McIntyre, Ciara Henry. Management Team Alan Henry and Catherine Hyndman.