Two teams from the Irish Football Association’s girls’ excellence programme will be competing against boys’ teams at this year’s O’Neills Foyle Cup.
Development squads from the 2005 (U13) and 2007 (U11) groups will be among more than 300 teams taking part in the annual tournament which is being staged in the North-West of Northern Ireland and Donegal from 22 to 27 July.
The U13s have been drawn to face Ballymoney Youth, Foyle Harps and Letterkenny Rovers in the group stage of the U13 competition.
And the U11s are due to take on St Oliver Plunkett, Ballinamallard United, Lurgan Celtic, Westport and Tristar Colts in their group.
Stevie Graham (head coach) and Marty Douglas (coach) will be looking after the 2005s panel, which features a handful of players from the North-West. And Aimee McKeown is head coach for the 2007s, who will also be coached by Martine Power.
The 2005 Irish FA girls’ development squad for the 2019 Foyle Cup features: Erin McAllister (Crusaders Strikers), Cerys Madden (Cliftonville Ladies), Rhyleigh Marks (Crusaders Strikers), Rebecca Magee (Glentoran Women), Sarah Tweedie (East Coast), Aoibhe O’Neill (Foyle Belles), Keri Halliday (Ballymoney), Lucy Johnston (Lisburn Ladies), Emily Reid (Ballymoney), Naomi McLaughlin (Derry City), Tara Reilly (Cliftonville Ladies), Jessie Ferguson (Lisburn Ladies), Marciana Martins (Dungannon), Maeve McConaghy (Lurgan Town), Amy Trueick (Linfield Ladies), Aoibheann McGinnley (Sion Swifts Ladies), Amy McFarland (Killen Rangers), Grace Montgomery (Crusaders Strikers).
And the 2007 squad includes: Jasmine Graham (Linfield Ladies), Rhianna Murphy (Linfield Ladies), Molly Gallagher (Cliftonville Ladies), Zoe Knox (Linfield Ladies), Daisy Conway (Carnmoney Ladies), Katie Herron (Linfield Ladies), Katie Whiteside (Crusaders Strikers), Darcie McNeill (Crusaders Strikers), Grace McBride (Linfield Ladies), Rhianna Breen (Linfield Ladies), Faye Dorrian (Linfield Ladies), Abbie Smith (Hillsborough Boys), Jessica Williamson (Linfield Ladies), Mia Moore (between clubs – Glentoran/Castle), Eva Myles (Linfield Ladies), Gracie Conway (Carnmoney Ladies).
Image: The annual O’Neills Foyle Cup attracts more than 300 teams.