Ballymackey U16 Girls are through to the last 16 of the National Cup overcoming Cork side Carrigaline United Soccer Club at home on Penalties. The depth of the Ballymackey squad was tested with 6 enforced changes to the side that took the field in the last round due to a clash with St Marys Nenagh Schools Munster Final. There was still lots of talent to select from with the squad supplemented with reinforcements from the U14 Girls side. Ballymackey started well but were unfortunate to go behind from a corner. Ballymackey were back level before the half time break with Seonaid McGuigan poking home an equiliser from a corner. Both teams went for it in the second half and had their chances, the Carraigaline keeper making a couple of spectacular diving saves and the visitors also spurned a couple of good chances. Onto extra time where in an eventful first period the visitors took the lead again, but were pegged back again instantly when from the restart Ballymackey forced a corner and Seonaid McGuigan smashed home her second from a super Míoda O Shea delivery. The second period of added time was less eventful though neither team was happy to settle for penalties, but no additional goals saw the dreaded spot kicks needed to decide the outcome. Ballymackey were flawless from the spot, with strikes from Míoda O Shea, Lexi Wynne, Seonaid McGuigan and Anna Lee coupled with a super penalty save from Ava O Rourke winning the day for Ballymackey with a round of penalties to spare. Super display from all 13 girls on the day, playing some brave attacking football and a testament to the dept of talent in the club for the team to perform so well missing 7 players from our last outing. Hard to single out players on the day with all players delivering performances to be proud of, but we had standout displays from Laura Kinsella, Míoda O Shea, Sadhb Connolly, Seonaid McGuigan and our player of the match was Lexi Wynne on her first outing with the side, stepping up from Under 14. Squad: Ava O Rourke, Shauna Looby, Emma Nolan, Laura Kinsella, Nicola Zarina (C), Míoda O Shea, Lexi Wynne, Shauna Egan, Sophia O Meara, Sadhb Connolly, Grace Quinn, Anna Lee, Seonaid McGuigan.

A big thank you to the girls and their Families for the lovely food they brought on to look after our visitors, a few candidates for the bake off in the mix!