U18 Northern Ireland Plate winners 

Our U18 Northern Ireland Plate winners were given a guard of honour today to recognise their achievement.

Girls victory Soccer parade

 

/i/2024-25/Girls_soccer_final/Girls_Soccer_final__3_.mp4

 

In an incredible final, the girls went ahead four times, only to be pegged back each time by a strong, resilient Parkhall side who had their own chances too.

/i/2024-25/Girls_soccer_final/Girls_Soccer_final__2_.mp4

 

The final minutes of extra time were straight out of a movie. We all thought Aoife Gargan had grabbed the winner in the dying embers of extra-time with her second goal of the game—only for Parkhall to level again at 4-4 and send it to what looked like certain penalties.

Not so.

One last, brilliant move from Aquinas found the calmest head on the pitch—Katie McKavanagh—in the box, and she slotted home the fifth and final goal to seal a 5-4 win.

The scenes when this hit the net, and then again on the final whistle moments later, will live long in the memory.

Our other goals were two absolute gems from Sophie Kelly-Bradley and Rosa Ferguson. Every single girl played her part on a sweltering day. To beat a team as good as Parkhall, they all had to be at their best—and they were.

Holly Lavery was superb in goal, the defence was solid, and despite missing Anna McArdle and Alannah, who were pivotal in our journey to the final, Katie, Louisa, Emma, and Annie stepped up brilliantly.

Bridie, Tara Kerr, Sophie, and Sharani had a tough task in midfield but marshalled the match with aplomb. The wing-back role was shared throughout the game at different times by Anna Downey, Anna Malone, and Evie Doherty, who all pushed up and down that wing in blistering heat.

/i/2024-25/Girls_soccer_final/Girls_Soccer_final__1_.mp4

 

Girls soccer end of match

 

Today, the girls presented the signed match ball to Anna Downey, who has been instrumental in building girls’ soccer at the school. She leaves us at the end of the year, but her legacy lives on in the teams that follow.

A final thank you to NISFA, a volunteer-led organisation, for hosting the final and arranging the venue. Special mention to Mark Watson from Laurelhill—and to his school for releasing him to officiate on behalf of NISFA—and to Edwin Ferris, without whom no final would run.

Many congratulations to our brilliant U18 girls’ team 👏👏

On to next year…