Carrick Ladies secure pre-season draw with Civil Service

Having endured a fairly miserable season last year by their high standards, Carrick are looking to strengthen and revitalise their senior squad and, if Saturday’s showing is anything to go by, the club has a lot to look forward to over the coming years.

Already rocked by the loss of their highly experienced centre-back Michelle Finlay, who is now working abroad, as well as the possibility of talented central defender Lois Passmore being unavailable for the coming season, Carrick clearly have a task on their hands.

However, an influx of talented young players from their Junior Section, the arrival of one or two new players plus the return of their talisman midfielder, Christine Waide, looks likely to more than plug any gaps which may have appeared since last season.

Carrick got off to a flying start at Stormont on Saturday afternoon and the new squad appeared to gel right from the outset. Last season’s junior players Chloe Mitchell, Katie Houston, Carolyn McReynolds and Dara Curry looked immediately at home in the squad while another youngster, Megan McCullough, appears to be steadily fulfilling her early potential in the club.

New face Jill Stewart slotted seamlessly into the demanding role of centre-back while Rachel Murray made a welcome return in midfield, joined up front by Rebecca Love who is steadily easing her way back from a long-term injury.

Carrick deservedly took the lead in the first session of the game when Melissa Taylor neatly finished off a Waide attack, and Rebecca Love was unlucky not to make it two when her shot rocketed off the Civil Service upright.

The visitors continued to look the better side in the second session even with a general rotation of the 16-player squad and it was only in the final session that Civil Service managed to unlock the Carrick defence when their striker netted from a rebound after Sara Beattie had expertly blocked her initial shot.

Carrick could and should have won the game at the end, but Melissa Taylor’s clever flick rebounded off the cross bar with the Civil Service keeper well beaten.

“It’s early days yet of course, but I’m well pleased with the way the squad performed today against what is effectively a Senior One squad,” said Carrick coach Neil McConnell after the game.

“In particular, I was very impressed with our early season fitness, our application, and our team spirit. It’s never easy to put together a sizeable new squad but not a single player looked at all out of their depth and they all played for each other.

“Apart from Michelle Finlay, and possibly Lois Passmore, we still have five of last season’s first squad with us who weren’t available for today, including our first-team captain, Trish Neill.

“So we effectively have a potential squad of about 22 players all competing for, and well capable of fulfilling, a first-team role. That augurs well not only for our first team, but also our seconds and thirds.”