Sylvia Gore Girls Football Finals!

This year’s Sylvia Gore Cup came to a dramatic finale with a nail-biting penalty shoot-out between St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Primary from Huyton and St Andrew the Apostle Primary from Halewood, watched on by three former Lionesses, and members of Sylvia Gore’s family!

Around 90 schoolgirls from across Knowsley came together to compete in the grand final of the Sylvia Gore Schoolgirls’ Cup at the Liverpool Football Club AXA Training Centre in Kirkby on Thursday 23 May.

Over the course of the day the schoolgirls showed that Knowsley is bursting with talent, treating those watching on to some high-quality football!

In the final, St Margaret Mary’s battled back from a two nil deficit to take the game to a penalty shoot-out. It had looked like St Andrews were set to take the trophy home in normal time, having dominated the opening exchanges. The game looked done and dusted when St Margaret Mary’s hit the inside of the post in the dying minutes. However, the girls grabbed a deserved equaliser with the last kick of the game.

A nervy penalty shoot-out brought the competition to a close with St Andrews dusting themselves off and dispatching their spot kicks with confidence.

This year’s competition final saw some very special guests take part in the event. Three members of England’s very first women’s team (of which Sylvia was a part) as well as the former secretary of the Women’s FA, Pat Gregory attended on the day.

Sue Whyatt, Pat Davies and Janet Clark were all part of the very first England Women’s National team who made history on 18 November 1972. They were on hand to present medals to the final four qualifying teams and present the shield to the overall winners, St Andrew the Apostle.

The day began with a Q&A session, chaired by Sylvia’s cousin Steve Gore in which the schoolgirls had the opportunity to ask the ‘Ladies of ‘72’ questions about their personal experiences of playing the sport.

Sue Whyatt, former England goalkeeper said: “I think we might have enjoyed today more than the kids! They asked us such fantastic questions and took a real interest in the history of women’s football. The matches were superb, and we were all so impressed by the high standard of the teams. I know Sylvia would have been so proud that all of this is being done in her name.”

After another fantastic year of the Sylvia Gore Cup we look forward to continuing to grow the competition and encouraging more girls to get involved!