Lisburn Cathedral Scouts Fencing Club had a very successful weekend at the NI Youth Qualifiers held at Sullivan Grammar School.

The fencing squad has only been going for 3 months and our 7 entrants did really well beating Irish Internationals at Under 10, 12 and Under 14 level.

Charlotte Slater won the under 10 girls and was runner up overall in foil. Hayden Johnston came third overall in Under 10 boys foil and both have qualified to represent Northern Ireland at the GB National Youth Fencing Championships to be held in Sheffield in May.

Sophie Black almost beat an Irish International in her opening match narrowly losing 5-4 and went on to record other victories in her poule before losing out in the second round of the knockout.

Philip Slater beat the Irish Under 14 boys foil and this years eventual winner in the preliminary poule rounds ranking him 11th. Paul Stacey also had some notable successes being ranked 13th going into full DE tableau.

Kiera Kennedy won 3 out of her 4 poule matches ranking 3rd overall and lost out to some ill disciplined fencing in the knockout stage from her opponent where Kiera got injured.

All in all everyone did really well given that this was the teams first tournament and we had success at each age level which bodes well for the rest of the NI junior series and forthcoming GB National Youth Championships.

WELL DONE TEAM