U15s give impressive performance

SUNDAY saw Lurgan Ladies begin their U15 Performance League campaign at Lisnagarvey hockey club.

They were to take on the Dromore performance side in a full 11 a side match, 25 mins each way.

As the whistle blew it was apparent the Dromore team would be no match for the fluid movement of the Lurgan midfield and lethal forward line.

Lurgan put on a dazzling display of total hockey putting 10 past their stunned opposition by the end of the match, with the Lurgan keepers never getting a touch of the ball.

Within three minutes of the start Dromore were already a goal down. Seldom were they able to get the ball out of their own half. They could find no answer to the precision passing of the Lurgan team. The local girls turned on the style as they stroked the ball about the pitch, always finding a Lurgan stick. Their movement off the ball was simply superb and Dromore could only endure the wave upon wave of red and black that picked off every loose ball and inaccurate pass.

Lurgan were three players down due to injury, illness and Ulster commitments, but it did not matter to the overall display.

Some girls were asked to take on positions they do not normally play in. To their credit they knuckled down and ensured the door was slammed shut in the face of any Dromore player who endeavoured to take the game to the Lurgan defence.

Only occasionally was the defensive line troubled, but the local girls were quick to pounce and thread balls through the midfield, who in turn would begin the next attack on the beleaguered Dromore defenders.

Ten it was as the final whistle blew and the girls were elated to have begun their season on such a high. On the scoresheet were: Pippa Best (hat trick), Samantha Bann (2), Chelsea Holden (2), Chloe Neville (2) and Jade McCrory (1). Special thanks to umpire Jade McIlwaine and to the travelling support.

Team List: Naomi Costley (GK), Zo Jackson (GK), Louise McKitterick, Chelsea Holden, Alex Hurst (VC), Emily Johns, Samantha Bann, Jade McCrory, Chloe Neville, Tara McIlwaine, Stacey McCann, Pippa Best (C) and Caitlin Cousins.