Emerging West bid to topple South East in cup showdown

GIRLS’ FOOTBALL: South East, who have dominated the event in recent seasons, and West won the section play-offs in the under-15 Inter Regional Cup and will meet in the final at Toryglen in Glasgow at the end of next month.

The cup doubles as the trials for the Scotland side to play in the Bob Docherty Cup in Dublin in April – an annual international event that has been expanded to six teams this season, including newcomers England.

South East have won the cup five times in six years and the defending champions include four players – Amy Lynch, Simone McMahon, Brogan Anderson and Cailin Michie – from the Scotland side that faced Germany in an under-16 international last month. Another star of the team is prolific goal scorer, Alyshia Walker, who hit the headlines earlier this year when she was the lone girl in the Fauldhouse Foxes team that won the Scottish Youth Challenge Cup.

However, West are ready for the challenge and can boast five players in the side that went down to Germany – Morven Bain, Taylor Watson, Courtney Whyte, Haylie Sinclair and Megan Mason.

In the sectional final in Aberdeen, South East beat North 2-0 and East 7-1, with Nicole Rutherford snatching four goals. In the other match, North beat East 1-0.

West won the sectional qualifier at Toryglen. The home team beat Central 4-1 and South West 5-1. In the other tie, South West defeated Central 2-1. Normally a four-team event, this year’s Bob Docherty Cup will include the Republic of Ireland, Wales, holders Northern Ireland plus England and the Netherlands.

Ronnie Hamilton has coached the South East team for ten years and is thrilled by the massive growth of the girls’ game. He said: “At one time it was easy to pick a Scottish team but now there are hundreds to choose from.

“The Inter Regional Cup is a great showcase for the under-15s. We are delighted to be through to the final again, but West are going to provide very tough opposition.

“I used to coach boys’ teams but I got frustrated when the clubs would sign youngsters and then not let them play for the school.

“Girls’ football is great. The main season is March to November – it is part of an SFA trial for summer football – and then the schools take over in December and January.”

West coach Gillian Duffy took the side to cup final last year, and she is hoping to get the hands on the trophy on 26 January.

“South East will be tough to beat but it would be wonderful to win it for the first time,” said the PE teacher.

“I think it promises to be a great final.”