Linfield Swifts have been crowned the Electric Ireland NIFL Women’s Under-19 Academy League champions for 2023.
Led by captain Zoe Knox, the young Swifts capped a memorable season as they were presented with the league trophy at Midgley Park during Linfield Women’s home Premiership clash against Lisburn Ladies on Wednesday evening.
It’s the first time the South Belfast club have won the competition which was introduced in 2019 by the NI Football League as the top youth league for female footballers at Under-19 level.
The Electric Ireland Women’s Academy League provides a critical pathway to the top of the game in Northern Ireland, with many players already having progressed to the Premiership and gaining international recognition after featuring for their clubs in the Academy League.
Linfield clinched the title after a stunning sequence of six consecutive victories in their final six games to race in front of their nearest challengers and allow the Blues to eventually finish five points ahead of Glentoran Reserves in second place.
Rhianna Breen led the goalscoring charts not only for her club but finished as the Academy League’s leading goalscorer with 15 goals, ahead of her own team-mates Maureen Quinn (12 goals) and Eva Myles (9 goals).
