Portadown College Girls’ 1st XI have ended a 29-year wait to lift the Belfast Telegraph Senior Schools Cup defeating holders The Royal School, Armagh in a dramatic final at Playball, Stormont on Wednesday March 5.
The contest – which was a thriller – saw the College squad triumph 2-0 on run-ins at the end of the College year of Centenary celebrations.
With both teams having opportunities to win the game in normal time, it was Portadown College who broke Armagh hearts to secure their place as Ulster’s top schoolgirls team this season.
Facing their close rivals who were aiming for a triple of cup final wins, Portadown College delivered a performance filled with courage, determination and resilience.
The final lived up to it’s top two billing, with neither side giving an inch in a tense opening quarter.
The breakthrough came four minutes into the third quarter when Joni Cunningham put Armagh ahead from a well executed penalty corner.
Portadown College however refused to be deterred. Spearheaded by relentless forwards Emily Adamson and Lucy Megaw they pressed for an equaliser, and winning an attacking Penalty Corner on the stroke of the third-quarter break, Evie Thompson deflected Rebekah Lennon’s strike past the Armagh ‘keeper to level the scores at 1-1.
The fourth quarter was fiercely contested. The College had a penalty corner attack overturned on appeal.
This was followed by an Armagh counter attack and with 2 minutes left in normal time, Royal School Armagh had a penalty stroke awarded.
College ‘keeper Makyla Stevenson, who had an excellent game, stood firm as the Armagh taker forced her effort wide.
Royal School Armagh won two corners in the dying moments but the organisation of the Portadown defence was resolute pushing the game into run-ins.
In a tactical switch by coach Beth Harper, goalkeeper Makyla Stevenson was replaced by Jessica Finch who proved unbeatable, keeping a clean sheet through four Armagh attempts.
College takers Evie Thompson and Leah Galbraith converted slick run-ins sealing a 2-0 victory and sparking jubilant celebrations.
On an evening where the whole squad pulled together it was the constant threat of Emily Adamson that resulted in her being named Player of the Match.
Captain Rebekah Lennon proudly lifted the Belfast Telegraph Senior Schools Cup, marking a momentous achievement for the team and the College community at the end of it’s Centenary year.
In an interview after the match Rebekah expressed her delight: “We never gave up. We decided before we stepped on the pitch that we weren’t going to loose, we had to do everything to turn that (goal) over and we did.
“We knew when we got that equaliser we had to at least hang on for the draw and run ins. I don’t think I fully believe it yet!”
Portadown College will now face the best of Irish Schools’ hockey teams when they represent Ulster in the Kate Russell All-Ireland Tournament at Grange Road, Rathfarnham, on April 3-4.
