Brianna earns captain honours for the Ireland U16 Hockey team
Newry High School student, Brianna Gregg, has just returned from a three-match series with the U16 Ireland Hockey team against England at the National Sports Centre in Lilleshall, outside Birmingham.
Brianna was selected for the national team following an impressive six months of training and playing at the heart of the defence for Ulster. This led to several trials, followed by weekly training sessions in Bray, resulting in her inclusion in the final squad for England.
Brianna, also a member of Newry AC, combines a high level of fitness with composure on the ball to dominate the back line and turn defence into attack.
The Newry native was further honoured when she was given the captain’s armband for the opening match and proudly led the girls in green to the best possible start with a 1-0 win over arch-rivals England.
Despite the good start, England responded with a decisive 5-0 win over a fatigued-looking Ireland on day two. The series concluded with both teams sharing the spoils in a hard-fought 1-1 draw on the final day.
This trip was a significant achievement for Brianna and her teammates against a highly ranked England side. Looking ahead, the talented teen’s next challenge will be selection for Team Ireland’s upcoming tour to Hanover, Germany, during the Easter break.