Glasgow National Hockey Centre was the place to be for youth hockey on Sunday 21 April. The ten matches at the U16 National Club Cup Finals included three penalty shoot-outs and saw three teams crowned champions.
Grange beat Inverleith in the Girls’ Cup final; Inverleith beat Watsonians to become Boys’ champions; and Western Wildcats edged Uddingston on penalties in the Girls Challenge Cup Final.
U16 Girls Club Cup
Girls Semi-Finals and Play-off
In the first semi-final, Grange were 2-0 up after 37 minutes through goals from Nicole McAdam and Freya Phillip. However, two goals in a minute from GHK’s Brodie McAnkrah and Kirsty Pollock set up an exciting final quarter. In the end, goals from Isabelle Paton and Marianna Maclean gave Grange a 4-2 win.
The second semi-final was even more dramatic as Inverleith beat Watsonians on penalties. Eva Hodge put the purples 1-0 up at half-time. However, ‘Sonians hit back with goals from Sophie Davidson and Gabby Miller before a late equaliser from Hannah Law. In the penalty shoot-out, it was 3-3 before the last Watsonians penalty was controversially ruled out and Amelia Wilson finished coolly to win it for Inverleith.
In the 3rd/4th Play-off, Watsonians produced a devastating performance to beat GHK 9-1. Ellie Miller, Amy Jenkinson and Jenna Park all scored doubles; with Keara Milligan, Gabby Miller and Tabitha Peck adding the others. Holly Rowbotham got GHK’s consolation five minutes from time.
Girls Cup Final
In the Girls’ final, Grange took an early lead through Isabelle Paton, which was immediately cancelled out by Inverleith’s Eva Hodge. It stayed at 1-1 until seven minutes into the second half when Grange captain Jennifer Cain converted a penalty stroke. Further goals from Freya Phillip and Marianna Maclean gave Grange a well-deserved 4-1 win.
U16 Boys Club Cup
Boys Semi-Finals and Play-off
It took Dundee Wanderers’ Daniel McConnachie just two minutes to give his team the lead in the first Boys’ semi-final. However, Watsonians hit back to be 4-1 up after 36 minutes. Matthew Leiper (2), Noah Gray and Ben Lawrence were on target. A double from Wanderers’ captain Gillies Law set up a tense finish, but Gray sealed the win with his second goal.
Meanwhile, over on Pitch 2, Inverleith and ESM fought out a very competitive semi-final. 13-year-old Kaze Cordero put the purples in front on 35 minutes, but it took a goal from Finlay Duncan two minutes from time to seal a 2-0 win against a hard-working ESM team. It was a feisty match, with three players receiving yellow cards.
The 3rd/4th play-off was equally competitive, with ESM beating Dundee Wanderers on penalties. Wanderers took an early lead through Loghan Steven, but Greg Wardlaw’s penalty stroke made it 1-1 at half-time. Alexander Duffie’s 58th-minute goal looked like giving ESM the win before Gillies Law’s penalty corner equaliser three minutes from time. However, ESM won 4-3 on running penalties.
Boys Cup Final
Inverleith took an early lead against Watsonians in the Boys’ final through Hugh Binnie, and it stayed that way until half-time with both goalies making good saves. Inverleith stepped up a gear in the second half and Rory Mclean pounced on a loose ball to make it 2-0. ‘Sonians pushed hard in the final quarter, but Cody Adams scored a penalty corner before Zak Turtle finished things off to make it 4-0 for Inverleith at full-time.
Girls Challenge Cup Final
The inaugural Girls Challenge Cup Final proved to be a really tight match, with defences and both goalies on top form – Fallon Thomson (Western Wildcats) and Ursula Biggam (Uddingston). In an end-to-end final in front of a good crowd, there were chances at both ends but it finished 0-0 at full time.
Uddingston took an early lead in the penalty shoot-out through Rebecca Frain, and Wildcats’ first two attempts were saved. However, ‘Cats scored their other three penalties by Jess O’Toole, Esther Walker and Chloe Hardie; and Christy Porter was the only further scorer for Uddingston thanks to good saves by Thomson. That meant Wildcats were champions with a 3-2 win.
Thank you to all the players, coaches, officials and umpires for making it such a great occasion.
