Accies girls are aiming for more Kingspan glory

OMAGH Accies under-16 girls team may be a year young for that age category but that hasn’t stopped them from reaching a second successive final at Kingspan Stadium.

The talented group of youngsters dominated the under-14 grade last season, completing a league and cup double with a stunning 21-10 win over a combined team Ballymena/Cooke at Ulster Rugby HQ.

And they have continued that form into this campaign when, despite being on the young side, they have won all but one of their league games and they have also knocked out their Enniskillen and Malone counterparts to book a return to Kingspan where they have a touch of revenge on their minds.

That’s because their only defeat of the season came at Virginia early in the year and they are keen to avenge that 12-7 reverse in Belfast this coming Sunday when the top two under-16 girls teams in the province clash once more.

Many of the girls came through the mini ranks at Omagh Accies before making the step up to the 15-a-side game at under-14 level where they hit the ground running before doing similarly at the next age group up.

“In their first year of under-14 rugby they might have come third [in the league] and were put out of the cup around the quarter-final stage by Enniskillen but the following year they did the double and this year we are sitting second in the league because they lost against Virginia 12-7,” observed team manager Wendy Irwin.

“They only play one game in the league but our final is against Virginia which is a big thing because that was the only game they lost this year.

“I wouldn’t say we’re going in as underdogs. We’re going in a year young but that shows we have the skill and the natural ability to be in the cup final.

“We’ve had some big wins and even our semi-final against Malone, we were missing a couple of our big players due to injury.

“And they know what to expect because they have been there and done it.”

The talent at under-16 girls level Omagh boasts is impressive, with several members of the team catching the eye of Ulster Development squad coaches.

Wendy’s daughter Emily Irwin, who has just turned 15, is a member of the Ulster under-18 development squad; team captain Sophie Hamilton is in the under-17 Ulster Development squad and there are five members in the under-16 set-up – Olivia Kyle, Layla McCaffrey, Jessica Milligan, Ava Fegan and Jessica Brady.

“It fills us with pride but they deserve it, they are a good bunch,” Wendy beamed.

And while Sunday will be an exciting day all around for the Omagh Accies players and fans, it will probably me completely nerve-wracking for the coaching staff of the under-16 team, each of whom have a daughter playing on the day.

As well as Wendy’s daughter Emily being in the squad, forwards coach Alan McCaffrey’s daughter Layla, backs coach Andrew Brady’s daughter Jessica is too and kicking expert Neil Hamilton’s daughter Sophie is the captain.

Route to the final

Omagh Accies under-16 girls booked their spot in the final with a thrilling 15-12 victory over Malone girls at Malone Rugby Club. Try scorers were Sophie Hamilton, Olivia Kyle and Jessica Milligan

And they won their quarter-final after a hard-fought 11- 5 victory over local rivals Enniskillen at Mullaghmeen. Emily Irwin was on hand once again, scoring a try and two penalties to ensure Omagh took the spoils.

Squad

Leah Anderson, Lily Armstrong, Amber Baxter, Kaceylee Beattie, Jessica Brady, Jemma Ewing, Ava Fegan, Louisa Ferguson, Sophie Hamilton (captain), Emily Hemphill, Emily Irwin, Erin Jamieson, Olivia Kyle, Layla McCaffrey, Amy McCann, Sarah McVeigh, Jessica Milligan, Lara Pauley, Melanie Rea, Anna Speer.