Hockey

Girls Hockey Report 2022 - 2023

Team

Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

Goals for

Goals Against

1stXI

18

10

6

2

28

18

2ndXI

16

12

3

1

43

7

1st Xl

The 1st XI, captained by Sophie Kidd had to rebuild having lost some key representative players last season. Aoife Jack came into the team after being a key player for the u14s and 2nd XI players made the jump up to 1st XI hockey. The super league starts early in September and Friends despite a lot of close games against Ballyclare, BRA, Strathearn and Limavady did not qualify from their group.

The Belfast Telegraph Senior Schools was drawn and Friends commenced in October with a bye and then second round draw home to Dalriada

The squad had played competitive fixtures against Ballymena, Down High and Wallace prior to the cup match and the team had been gelling and their performances had been improving. Brooke Logan and Elsa McGall grew in confidence and were dominant in defence along with the year 14 stalwarts Natasha Whiteside, Charlotte Kennedy and Aoife Fisher to create a strong defence who dealt with some heavy pressure at times. The midfield included a trio of ulster u18 players Sophie Kidd, Emma Fraser, Ella Latuske with Nina MacDonald and Aoife Jack also pivotal in the midfield

In a tight end to end cup match against Dalriada the score was 2-2, the forward line of Chrissy Hopkins, Charlotte Snape, Isabella Connor and Charlotte Johnston all went close to finding the winner but unfortunately couldn’t get the lucky touch and the game went to dreaded run ins. Goalkeeper Susanna Kyle was the hero of the hour when it came to penalty run ins as she saved numerous times to ensure Friends progressed.

The third round was away to Rainey. Everyone dreads the trip to Rainey as the pitch at Meadowbank is an outdoor pitch which resembles a carpet but is indoors in ‘the shed’.

The game against Rainey was a nerve wracking affair with neither team able to break the deadlock and both teams defending magnificently, the score remained 0-0 and again we were off to run ins.

Thankfully after last rounds success the girls were confident and despite facing the Ulster u18 goalkeeper, Emma Fraser, Ella Latuske, Chrissy Hopkins and Elsa McGall slotted home our attempts and Susanna remained like a wall and saved three Rainey attempts.

This meant Friends progressed to the quarter finals after the Christmas break against Banbridge.

In the Quarter final of the shield Friends were away to Banbridge Academy and despite a great performance they narrowly lost 2-1. The girls were very disappointed to lose out on getting to the semi final and showed how much they had improved and how well they were playing when they drew 0-0 with Royal School Armagh who won the schools cup this year.

The squad finished the season on a high with victories against Methody and Victoria. The hockey they played at the end of the season was a joy to watch and the team were a joy to coach all year. They will sorely miss captain and sharp shooter Sophie Kidd who was top goal scorer this season with 13 goals. The other year 14 pupils Natasha Whiteside, Charlotte Kennedy, Aoife Fisher and Charlotte Johnston will also be greatly missed at FSL and we wish them all the best for their future hockey careers.

Emma Fraser, Ella Latuske, Sophie Kidd were runners up in the Ulster u18s, Interprovincial series and as a result of their performances Sophie and Emma have deservedly been selected for the Irish u18 squad.

Chrissy Hopkins and Emma McEntee enjoyed success with the Ulster U16 team who won the u16 Interpros. Well done to Chrissy on her selection for the Irish u16s .

2nd Xl

With a new season starting and the level of competition high to secure a place on the 2nds, players were excited for the season ahead and would focus their energy on the McDowell Cup.

Katie Annett stepped up as Captain this year with Lucy Stewart as Vice. Both players acted as great role models to their team, showing good composure and excellent work ethic on the pitch at all times, setting the standard high for the rest of the team to follow.

The season started off with a mixed set of results. The team won 3-0 against Banbridge and 4-0 against Lurgan, however lost 1-0 to Rainey and 3-2 to BRA. During these matches the team were still finding their feet and getting comfortable with new players around them. In October the team started to gel and some very impressive hockey was witnessed. Lucy Stewart, Anna Sullivan, Jenny Waring, Daisy Donnelly and Aoife Fisher created a strong defensive back line that other teams really struggled to get past. This resulted in the team not only conceding 1 goal between October and the Christmas break. 

During the run up to Christmas the team also played the first round of the Cup away to Foyle College. Even after a long bus journey the team were motivated and ready to put on a performance. Our midfield players; Isabella Monaghan, Emma Smyth, Kate Callaghan and Becky Elliot worked incredibly hard to keep possession of the ball for the majority of the game. With this, Friends’ had many circle entries throughout the game with some fabulous goals scored and a final result of 2-0 was achieved. A convincing win and a great team effort. 

The next round of the Cup was played in January against Royal School Dungannon. The forwards consisting of Derbhla O’ Donaghue, Ashleigh Patterson, Charlotte Johnston and Katie Annett were determined to keep the opposition's defence under pressure during this match. With an excellent work rate from each player and assistance from the midfield line, the team managed to score another 6 goals and only concede 1 which would send the team into the quarter finals of the Cup. With this great result, the team were determined to train hard and continue to work together as a team as they could now see how close they were to the possibility of a final.

The Quarter final round took the team to Coleraine Grammar. The players were motivated and ready to put in a solid performance against a team they knew would be strong. Friends’ had a slow start but got into the game and showed some great defensive and attacking play. Moving into the last quarter there was still no score but Friends were now dominating the game. In the last two minutes, the team took their chance. A quick ball into the circle and an excellent deflection secured the goal the team needed to get them to the semi final. 

Semi Final day arrived quickly and the team would play Rainey Endowed. We welcomed back Amy Stewart after injury who would work alongside our strong midfield players. This was an incredibly tight match with both teams having chances throughout the game. The game went from end to end but after the full-time whistle, there was still no score. The winning team had to be decided by run ins. Brooke Cunningham was superb in goals but Rainey unfortunately came out on top, winning 2-1. The team were disappointed by the result but should be proud of their excellent performance. 

With the season coming to an end, the team led by Katie and Lucy were still determined to finish the season on a high. The last three friendly matches showed great strength and talent from the team. They beat Ballymena Academy 4-0, Larne 5-0 and finished off the last match of the season with a comfortable 1-0 win against Methody. The competition for top goal scorer had been close all season. Well done to Ashleigh Patterson who only just beat Kate Callaghan to it in the last few games. 

It’s fair to say the team have shown great improvement this season with lots of players developing skills and pushing their own and others performances to the next level. We also said goodbye to our Year 14 leavers; Katie Annett, Lucy Stewart, Aoife Fisher, Becky Elliot and Charlotte Johnston. We wish them all the best for the future and hope to see them progress in their careers both on and off the pitch.

U14 Girls hockey report 2022/2023

The season started off in September with approximately 35 enthusiastic year 10 girls attending games and after school practice.

U14 B/C SQUAD

The U14 B/C team, captained by Ella Sloan, started the season with a very tough match against Rainey Endowed school. Both teams showed good skill and determination, however Rainey increased the pressure in the second half and took their chances to win the match 2-0.

The season progressed with some excellent results against tough opposition and the squad continued to work hard in practice improving their skill level. The results included a 6-1 win against Strathearn with goals from Jamie (2), Lily-Jane, Erin Mallon, Bethany and Anna and 4-0 win against Wallace, goal scorers Jamie (3) and Erin Fitzpatrick.

The squad only conceded 6 goals this season which is a result of great defending and in particular excellent goal keeping from Molly, who consistently performed well through the season and thoroughly deserves player of the year.

U14B         W 5     D 4     L3            GOALS F   18     GOALS A     6

TOP GOAL SCORER -   JAMIE DELPORT

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – ANNA BENNETT

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - MOLLY IRWIN

Special thanks to Grace Cotton for coaching the U14B/C squad during games and after school on Thursday afternoons. The squad’s improvement and enjoyment of the game is a reflection of all your hard work this year.

U13 Girls hockey report 2022/2023

It was evident from the outset that this year group were destined to be highly successful on the hockey field. Some 30 girls remained committed throughout the season buoyed by a set of fantastic results. The girls trained twice a week with a refreshing willingness to learn and improve. Alex Doyle, assisted with the two squads and quickly built up an excellent rapport with the girls.

Friends’ girls’ hockey has a challenging fixture list so to witness the high scoring games of both A & B teams against schools such as Killicomaine JHS, Ballyclare HS, Sullivan, Methody and Ballymena Academy demonstrated the depth of talent of these young players. They were led by two great captains in Anna Monaghan and Livi Morrow who were dedicated and hardworking.

During the first term the A team scorelines such as 3-0, 5-0, 7-0 were a regular occurrence. The goals both individual and team were of the highest quality. The 6-0 win against Methody will go down in the memory as the girls completely controlled the match and scored a slick passing team goal of which any 1stXI would have been proud. Needless to say the 2nd encounter will Methody was tougher but still the girls pulled off another 3-1 win. Most of the matches were away from home which makes their achievement even more impressive. Ella McKeever in goals was rarely busy but in the latter stages of the season opposing teams such as VCB presented a greater challenge, and she stood up well to this. In front of her the defence stood solid and played with a calmness well above their age.

The midfield trio of Rebecca Lowe, Niamh Latuske and Anna Monaghan were in command of every game building a very attacking platform for ‘mini Haarland’ Erin McCourt who amassed 26 goals in 16 matches. As vice captains Sarah Reynolds was a most willing helper and had a ‘never give up’ attitude on the pitch and Niamh, the dynamo. Rebecca Lowe played with calm authority in every match, and captain Anna Monaghan was a supreme organiser. Three of the girls Rebecca Lowe, Niamh Latuske and Erin McCourt played a significant part in the Shield winning U14 squad and are involved in Ulster Hockey Talent Development squads. Next year this squad can look forward to a new early season challenge when the plan is to run a Junior Super league competition alongside the 1stXI.

The B squad led by Livi Morrow, although not having as many Saturday matches due to unavailability of pitches or in some cases opposition, were equally impressive in front of goal with 6-0, 5-0, 3-0 and 4-0 wins over Hunterhouse A team, Strathearn, Methody and Wallace to name a few. Nara Beggs-McCormick having started outfield evolved as a very good GK and with Ella participated in extra GK coaching sessions to improve her skills. Amber Holborn and Willow Dickson were solid in defence with Amber also loving to drive forward. Kate Henderson and Freya held the midfield and up front the many goals were shared between a host of hungry forwards such as Livi, Katie Mulholland, Penelope Gillespie and others. The squad enjoyed working with Alex and the full commitment of the squad to stay to 5pm most Thursdays was admirable.

We can look forward to an exciting season next year as U14 players.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with yet another talented group of girls. Thank you to all the support from parents, Alex and Mrs Arnold. The future continues to look bright for Friends’ girls’ hockey.

The set of results show what an exceptional season this was for Year 9 girls.

Team

Played

Won

Lost

Drew

Goals F

Goals A

A

13

11

0

2

47

3

B

13

12

0

1

43

2

3rd XI

The 3rd XI coached by Angie Dickson and captained by the experienced Eve McGurnaghan and vice captain Abby Aiken had a strong team with a mix of experience and youth.

The defence were strong with Katie Reid, Katie Haire, Lucy Glover, Freya Ulmann stalwarts at the back who proved very difficult to get back. Emma Siciliano is a very talented goalkeeper and was always there to cover if any mistakes were made.

Angie kept the team on their toes and had players playing in a range of positions; Anna Mathers and Eve McGurnaghan played a mixture of midfield and defence. Rebecca May Rowan, Chloe Heanen and sofia Hortiguela Conn could be in midfield or the forward line.

In the forward line Lilia Neill, Lucy Latuske and Anna Tully were regular names on the score sheet with impressive victories over Rainey, Methody and Ballymena.

The squad had confidence going in to the Gibson Cup even though they had a tough draw. The first round of the cup they got a bye before being faced with Banbridge Academy in a game which was frozen off and rearranged numerous times. The match was played on open morning and the girls put on a spectacle winning comfortably with the midfield dominating. In the Quarter Final Friends got drawn against Regent House at home, this time the forwards were on fire scoring 5goals between them. In the semi final the draw was against Strathearn which was played at a neutral venue of the house of sport pitches. The game was a typical nervy affair but was a game of two halves. The match started with Friends’ dominating and Abby Aiken running the show in midfield but Friends’ could not score past a strong Strathearn defence. In the dying minutes of the half Friends’ pressure was rewarded and got the goal they deserved. The second half the tide turned and Friends’ were backs against the wall with Emma making numerous saves from close range from penalty corners. The team defended resolutely to prevent Strathearn equalising.

This game gave the girls great confidence and meant the girls progressed to the final against Methody. The final was played at playball in front of a large crowd and it did not disappoint the spectators. Methody took the lead against the run of play to go 1 up but Friends fought back with Freya Ulmann strong in defence and creating attacking opportunities for the midfield and forward line. The team did not let their heads dropped and had numerous corners before the pressure told and a crashed ball from Katie Haire got a fantastic touch from Sofia Hortiguela Conn to fire into the roof of the net to equalise the match.

Friends’ continued to pile the pressure on Methody and with 4 seconds left on the clock Anna Tully worked her magic to fire the ball into the back of the net to score the winner. The game will be talked about for a long time as it was such an exciting match with a tense finish and Friends’ came out on top and deservedly won the Gibson Cup.

The girls were sad to say farewell to Eve McGurnaghan , Sofia Hortiguela Conn, Anna Tully and Abby Aiken we wish them well at university and in their future hockey careers. Thanks go to Angie for another successful year coaching and for Aimee Christie, Mrs Marshall and Mrs O’Neill for their help on Tuesday afternoons.

4th XI

The 4th Xi, captained by Anna Warwick had a good season albeit frustrating as one of their only losses was in the cup when they got knocked out by BRA. This was a young team with a lot of year 11 and 12a who progressed a lot throughout the season, improving their individual skills and overall team performance.

Olivia McKinley, Katie Mulholland, Naomi Patterson and Jessica Cleland who were the u14A defence from the previous seasons remained as tight unit and were strong in defence. Trudy Murray was goalkeeper and was invaluable as she would regularly play for the 4th and 5th xi.

Isobel Lyons, Lara McDonagh, Zoe Kearon, Sara Irwin and Anna Warwick brought flare and energy in midfield. The forwards had a lot of speed with Sarah Black, Charis Faulkner, Hannah Neill, Ruby Kennedy and Orla McIntyre.

The season started with good results, beating Hunter House 2nds 7-0 and beating Sullivan 3-1. In the cup they face BRA who proved to be too strong and narrowly defeating Friends’ 2-1. The disappointing thing about the 4ths cup is it is knock out and that meant early in the season the team were out of the cup competitions.

They did not let this dampen their spirits and still trained every Tuesday showing great commitment and finishing the season with strong performances and victories against Ballymena, Methody and Down High.

This is a young squad who will all be fighting for places on higher teams next season.

5s and 6s

The 5s and 6s trained regularly each week with Angie Dickson, Mrs Marshall and Mrs O’Neill. The girls deserve credit for their commitment and dedication as Friends’ are one of the only schools able to field 6 senior team. The downside of this is the majority of schools we played were not able to offer us fixtures. Matches were played against Ballymena, Sullivan and Methody were we were victorious, however we lost narrowly to Ballyclare, albeit we were playing on their gravel pitch which was a shock to the system.

Midweek matches against local rivals Wallace and Dromore HS kept their interest. These girls were always willing to step up and play for the 4th XI when they were asked.

Congratulations girls for your commitment throughout the year.

Year 8

Over 30 Year 8 girls practised twice a week under the guidance of Shannon Johnston, Mrs Waring, Grace Cotton and other coaches.  The girls were very successful in 8 aside matches with matches with Methody and Wallace and the A team winning the Regent hockey blitz. They progressed to 11 aside after Christmas and had matches versus Wallace and Ballyclare and the A team represented Friends in the Grosvenor tournament where they defeated BRA and Grosvenor and drew with Regent and Sullivan. This meant they finished the season unbeaten. They will look forward to matches every Saturday next season.

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

               

 

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