Northern Ireland U21 National Academy Expression Of Interest Now Open!
Netball Northern Ireland are delighted to re-open applications to join the Northern Ireland U21 National Academy.
Please complete this form if you have not previously represented Northern Ireland, and are eligible to represent Northern Ireland at U21 International level, working towards the World Youth Cup in 2025.
Read more about the eligibility requirements to represent Northern Ireland here
Age Eligibility:
- Born after 31st December 2003
- Born before 1st January 2008
Experience requirement:
International, NSL, NPL, Prem or NI Premier League
Key dates:
- Deadline to express interest: Sunday 5th January 2025
- Invitation to selection: sent out by/on Monday 13th January 2025
- Selection date: 1st & 2nd February 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland
General Programme Overview:
- 6-8 weekend camps from April 2025-September 2025
- World Youth Cup 2025 preparation (15-29 September 2025)
Please note that Northern Ireland U21 Programme is fully self-funded:
- £10 trial fee
- £300 programme fee
- £750-£1000 competition fee
- Group fundraising effort to reach competition cost
Submit an Expression of Interest here
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Meg Wallace performancecoordinator@netballni.org
Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Confirmed
Northern Ireland U21 now know who their opponents in stage one of the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 (NWYC2025) in September.
The release of the NWYC2025 draw is a big part of the build-up to the tournament. The NWYC2025 is taking place from the 19-28 September 2025 on the Rock, Gibraltar.
Having finished third in the Regional World Youth Cup Qualifiers, Northern Ireland qualified for the 2025 competition and were then placed in Pool B.
The Northern Ireland U21 squad are joined in Poll B by Australia, Samoa, Scotland and Singapore where they all play off against each other in a round robin format. Then the nations go on to be regrouped for stage two, based on their finishing position in their Pool.
Northern Ireland U21 National Squad Selected for WYCQ 2024
The Northern Ireland U21 National Squad selection has been made, ahead of the World Youth Cup Qualifiers in September 2024.
The Qualifiers will take place in Cardiff, Wales on the 24th-29th September. Northern Ireland will compete against Isle of Man, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, UAE and Wales in a bid to qualify for the World Cup in 2025.
Sachel Grant, U21 Head Coach, expressed her delight with this squad selection.
Congratulations to all selected for the squad and the reserves. I am very excited to lead this team at the WYCQ. These athletes along with those not selected at this time have pushed each other over the last 7 months and have made this decision very hard. The make up of the squad is exciting with some serious ball winners, shooters who are confident to go to post and mid courters who are strong and dynamic. The mix of youth and experience is also key to our squad selection. Our aim is to qualify for the World Cup and this squad shows clearly our intentions.
Under 21 National Squad:
| Name | Club | Position |
| Alex Martin | Concordia Netball Club/NE Phoenix | Circle Attack |
| Alice O’Brien | Exeter Netball Club/Exeter University Netball Club | Midcourt |
| Ana Mulholland (VC) | Crumlin Community Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Evelyn McCagherty | Central Warriors NPL/Weston Park Blades Netball Club | Midcourt |
| Jill Smiley (VC) | YMCA Magic NC/Leeds University Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Joy Ebbinghaus | Donaghadee Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Lisa Carlin | NE Phoenix/Northumbria University Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Mia Lanigan | YWCA Bury/Leeds Rhinos | Midcourt |
| Mica Quinn | Central Warriors NPL | Circle Defence |
| Orla McGeough (C) | Manchester Thunder NPL | Midcourt |
| Rosa McCloskey | Kingsway Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Tillie Irvine | Saracens Mavericks NPL/Hertfordshire University Netball Club | Circle Defence |
Reserves:
Anna Rice (Crumlin Community Netball Club)
Erin Young (Belfast Ladies Netball Club)
Zoe Maynard (Team Bath, Mavericks Netball Club)
*Clubs as per the 2023/24 season
Management
Head Coach – Sachel Grant
Assistant Coach – Lisa Bowman
Team Manager – Charlotte Elliott
Physio – Gavin Noble
PA – Lauren Webb
Support the U21 Squad here !
Northern Ireland select U21 Squad for 2024
23 athletes have been selected for the U21 squad for the 2024 season, led by newly appointed Head Coach, Sachel Grant, and Assistant Coach, Lisa Bowman. This squad will be working towards World Youth Cup Qualifiers in Cardiff in September 2024.
The squad consists of 10 athletes who currently sit in the Emerging Warriors and Warriors programme, 9 athletes currently on our Pathway (U17-U21), and 4 new athletes.
Northern Ireland U21 Head Coach, Sachel Grant, is delighted with the selected squad
I was impressed with the standard and effort from everyone who attended the selection weekend, as well as the U21 staff group. We cannot wait to get going and be ready to qualify for the World Youth Cup.
Over the coming months, the squad will be together for regular camps and pushing themselves in competition to develop connections on and off the court.
Warriors Head Coach, Sheonah Forbes, commented
I am really excited to see this squad come together, where we have a range of athlete graduating through the pathway. We are committed to developing the provision within our pathway to ensure that we have international athletes ready at the right time.
Keep up to date with the squads journey on our social media.
| Name | Club/Franchise | Court Area |
| Alex Martin* | Concordia Netball Club, NE Phoenix | Circle Attack |
| Alice O’Brien | Exeter NC, Exeter University Netball Club | Mid Court |
| Ana Mulholland | Crumlin Community Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Anna Rice | Crumlin Community Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Catelyn Burns | NE Phoenix, University Netball Club | Mid Court |
| Erin Watson | Belfast Ladies Netball Club | Mid Court |
| Erin Young | Belfast Ladies Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Eva Ramsey | Crumlin Community Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Eva Scott | Antrim Ladies Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Eva Wilson | Belfast Ladies Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Evelyn McCagherty | Weston Park Blades NC, Central Warriors | Mid Court |
| Evie McCafferty | Clann Eireann Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Georgia Miller | Valley Netball Club | Mid Court |
| Isabella Paas | Hatfield Netball Club, University of Leicester Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Jill Smiley | YMCA Magic NC, Leeds University Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Joy Ebbinghaus | Donaghadee Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Lisa Carlin | NE Phoenix, Northumbria University Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Mia Lanigan | YWCA Bury, Leeds Rhinos | Mid Court |
| Mica Quinn | Central Warriors | Mid Court |
| Orla McGeough | Manchester Thunder, Liverpool University Netball Club | Mid Court |
| Rosa McCloskey | Kingsway Netball Club | Circle Attack |
| Tillie Irvine | Saracens Mavericks, Hertfordshire University Netball Club | Circle Defence |
| Zoe Maynard | Team Bath, Mavericks Netball Club | Mid Court |
*subject to fitness
Tracked Athletes who will attend parts of the programme;
Aoibheann Donnelly (Mid Court, Crumlin Community Netball Club)
Annie Elliott (Mid Court, Banbridge Netball Club)
Now Recruiting U21 Team Manager
Netball NI are now recruiting for the position of U21 Team Manager.
Check out the job description below for more information on this exciting role.
Deadline to apply is 22 January 2024 at 12 noon.
To apply, please send CV and Covering Letter to Meg Wallace at performancecoordinator@netballni.org
Under 21 Coaching Team Appointed
Netball Northern Ireland are delighted to announce the appointment of our U21 Coaching Team that will prepare the squad for the upcoming World Youth Cup Qualifiers in September.
Sachel Grant, will lead the management team as Head Coach, with Lisa Bowman taking up the Assistant Coach role.
Sachel, will be known to many with her extensive experience at Netball Superleague Franchise, Saracens Mavericks. As Mavericks Pathway Lead for seven years and U21 Head Coach for four years, Sachel brings a wealth of knowledge to the role and an understanding of the programme required to support and develop athletes and teams at this stage in the performance pathway to achieve success and provide longevity and sustainability.
Lisa, no stranger to anyone in Netball in NI, will be supporting Sachel as Assistant Coach alongside a new role for our performance programme in Northern Ireland, as National Technical Coach. This will include working alongside the Warriors Coaching team as well as across the underage pathway in her specialist capacity.
The appointments align fully with the Warriors Vision that has been created by our senior squad and management team;
- Legacy – To inspire and pave the way for those aspiring to be a Warrior, as well those pioneering to grow the game in NI.
- Visibility – Celebrating the success of the Warriors pathway & Netball in NI together, as well as increasing our voice amongst the world’s best.
- Warriors – Built with Heart, Play with Grit
Sachel is an excellent coach and person who I have no doubt will continue to drive the U21 programme forward in 2024. With the World Youth Cup Qualifiers in September this year, Sachel’s experience working in this age group will be paramount to the success of the group.
I am really excited to develop the Technical Coach role with Lisa who will sit in the vital assistant coach role with the U21 group alongside Sachel, as well as delivering in the Warriors environment. Lisa’s knowledge and continual passion for the development of the Warriors is infectious and I cannot wait to continue to see her grow on the international scene.
I look forward to working with the coaches with the same drive of developing our future senior Warrior athletes.
Sheonah Forbes – Warriors Head Coach
We wish the coaches the best of luck as they begin the new programme and know our Netball Family here in Northern Ireland and beyond, will be behind them.