This year the 2nd XI were an eager team ready to improve with great enthusiasm shown throughout the year, attending practices after school and lunch times which ensured the team was fully prepared for the upcoming matches.

After a long break from matches due to Covid-19 the hockey season finally got underway. The first match being played was against Down High School, with the winning 1-0 the girls showed their true potential of the team despite most of the team not having played together. We then faced a few defeats from Regent House with a 1-0  loss and player of the match being Eve Connelly, then Omagh Academy being defeated 3-0 and finally Lurgan College 2-1 with player of the match Katie Walker working tirelessly down the right side of the pitch. These games helped identify our weaker areas where we needed to improve, working on these over the coming weeks during trainings to strengthen the team.

The 2nd XI faced Wellington College 1st XI winning 2-1 with goals from Hannah Herron and Chloe Johnston. Playing this match showed how much the team had improved when playing against a 1st XI team and coming back with a win. We then played Belfast High School winning 2-1 with goals from Toni Caddoo and Miriam Carson with Erin Mathieson as player of the match. The team then faced Omagh Academy again, knowing we had previously played them earlier in the season the girls knew it was going to be a tough game, but coming out with a 1-0 win with the goal from Erin Mathieson.

The team moved onto our McDowell Cup campaign playing Belfast High School in the first round. As a team we were aware that even having beaten them earlier in the season how much our team had improved that this would have been reciprocated from their team so it was all to play for. With a slow start from the RSD girls with Belfast High coming close to scoring a couple of times the girls then found their stride with a goal coming from Hannah Herrron and then later from Hollie Abernethy winning the game 2-0. This meant the team progressed into the next round playing Lurgan College. The girls played a very tough match against a strong Lurgan team, with Lurgan getting the first goal in the first quarter, the team began to find their way to the goal with Hollie Abernethy scoring to equalise in the third quarter. It was all to play to for with both teams equally wanting the win, but in the last quarter Lurgan found a gap and using this to their advantage leaving the final score 2-1.

With the defeat to Lurgan college the team was then placed into the quarter final of the McDowell shield, facing Banbridge Academy. Knowing how strong a team Banbridge were, the team knew we had to put all our effort in from the start. In a very tight match with both teams creating chances for an opportunity to score the defensive work from the team was great. With RSD nearly scoring in the 2nd quarter, the score was still 0–0 at the end of the third quarter. We then went into the final quarter of a very demanding game, with Banbridge scoring in the last 2 minutes of the quarter. Leaving the final score 1-0 to Banbridge with our shield campaign over.

However, we played Lurgan college in the last game of the season, showing to all how much we had progressed as a team creating good chances from the midfield and forwards to score with them securing a goal, lurgan then came back to also score to draw the game at 1-1.

This year the player of the year was awarded to Eve Connelly and the most improved player awarded to Erin Mathieson.

On behalf of the team I would like to thank Miss McCombe for her encouragement, passion and commitment whilst taking the time to train and coach us throughout the whole season it has all been greatly appreciated. I would also like to take the opportunity to wish next years 2nd XI hockey team a very successful and enjoyable season.