Grove Menzieshill and Watsonians are U16 Champions

This season’s U16 National Club Cup Finals at Peffermill delivered a feast of thrilling youth hockey. The event on Sunday 23 April brought together the top four boys’ and girls’ teams in the country, who had qualified from matches throughout the season.

Ultimately, Grove Menzieshill beat Inverleith on penalties to become boys’ champions; and Watsonians beat Inverleith in a 15-goal final to win the girls’ cup. But only after a thrilling set of matches!

U16 Boys Club Cup

Boys Semi-Finals and Play-Off

In the first semi-final, Inverleith’s Findlay Duncan opened the scoring against Western Wildcats with a reverse shot, before Ben Turtle made it 2-0 before half-time from a penalty corner. Gus Inglis tapped in for 3-0 before a fightback from Wildcats saw them score two penalty corners. Fraser Dick and Peter Mostier scored the goals, but Tom Barton’s team held on for a 3-2 win.

The second semi-final was an equally tight match, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. Goalies, Ally Glen (Kelburne) and Finlay Ross & Brendan Hawley (Grove Menzieshill) were unbeatable, making a number of great saves. With the teams tied 0-0 at full-time, it went to a penalty shoot-out, and the Dundonians held their nerve to triumph 4-2.

In the 3rd/4th play-off, Kelburne beat Wildcats 5-2. Angus Menzies opened the scoring for Kelburne before Robbie Molloy equalised. However, Andrew McGrane gave the Paisley boys a 2-1 half-time lead. The second half belonged to Kelburne as McGrane and Tommy Austin scored to make it 4-1. Angus Wylie got a consolation goal, but McGrane rounded off his hattrick in the last minute.

Boys Cup Final

The final was a thrilling match between two excellent teams. In an end-to-end first quarter, neither team could find the net. However, Inverleith finally broke the deadlock after 20 minutes with a penalty stroke from Gus Inglis. They could have been two up from another penalty stroke just before half-time, but Brendan Hawley made a superb save.

In a feisty third quarter, Theo Wood (Grove Menzieshill) and Simon Temperley (Inverleith) both received yellow cards. With both teams down to 10 players, Grove Menzieshill equalised when John Donald converted their first penalty corner of the match. Both sides had great chances to win it, but defences held firm to keep the score at 1-1 at full time.

After three penalties, Grove Menzieshill were 3-1 up but then had their last two saved. Inverleith scored again but missed their last penalty to see the Taysiders crowned champions, winning 3-2 on penalties. Either side could have won an absorbing final, but it was captain Alfie Bonnar who lifted the trophy. Well done to the coaching team, Chris Bonnar, Ross Yule and Craig Anderson.

Grove Menzieshill – U16 Boys Club Cup Winners Photo: David McCarthy

U16 Girls Club Cup

Girls Semi-Finals and Play-Off

The first semi-final was a repeat of last season’s final, with Watsonians looking to unseat the holders, Grange. In a frenetic start to the match, Grange’s Izzy Alexander scored after 20 seconds, but eight minutes later Watsonians were 3-1 up. Amy Edgar, Gabriella Fontenla and Jessica Garden finished off excellent moves. Things quietened down in the second quarter, but the maroons scored twice in the second half to seal a 5-1 win. Fontenla scored her second after 36 minutes before Amy Clark smashed home a penalty corner.

In the second semi-final, GHK captain Maia McAloney scored just before half-time. However, Inverleith hit back with two goals in the third quarter from Eva Hodge and Tamzin Ralph. GHK responded well and Libby MacFadyen equalised at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but it remained 2-2 at full time. In the penalty shoot-out, both goalies saved four out of five, taking us to sudden death.  Annie Smith scored for Inverleith, but GHK’s penalty was saved by goalie Madeline Shepherd to put her team into the final.

That meant Grange met GHK in the 3rd place play-off. Libby MacFadyen opened the scoring for GHK, but Marianna Maclean equalised before half-time. And Skye McIntosh scored the winner after 39 minutes for Clemens Rusjnak’s Grange girls.

Girls Cup Final

The Girls’ final started with early pressure from Watsonians, who were soon 2-0 ahead through Izzy Hogarth and Jessica Garden. By quarter-time it was 4-0, as Georgia Fraser and Gabriella Fontenla hit the target against a shell-shocked Inverleith team. Hogarth soon made it five, but Inverleith rallied and deservedly scored through Coco Porter before Amy Clark hit back to make it 6-1 at half-time.

The maroons’ relentless, high-tempo hockey continued in the second half, extending their lead to 10-1 by the end of Q3. Hogarth and Garden (2) both completed their hattricks, and Amy Edgar added the other. However, Inverleith never gave up and should take great credit from drawing the final quarter 2-2. Amy Hannay and Coco Porter scored either side of Hogarth and Garden scoring for Watsonians to round off the ‘goal-spree’. Inverleith’s Madeline Shepherd saved a last-minute penalty flick to leave the final score 12-3.

It had been a devastating performance from Watsonians against a resilient Inverleith team, and captain Amy Clark accepted the trophy from Scottish Hockey President, Colin Fraser. Well done to the winning coaches, David Hogarth and Mairi Shaw.

Watsonians – U16 Girls Club Cup Winners Photo: David McCarthy

Thank you to all the players, coaches, officials, umpires, spectators and Peffermill staff for making it such an enjoyable day of top-quality youth hockey.

You can find more detailed match reports here:  U16 Finals_Full Match Reports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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