DCU Dóchas Éireann will bid to capture the AIG O’Connor Cup for the third year in succession when they take on UCC in a repeat of last year’s final at Queen’s University this Saturday afternoon (3pm).
But two of the players who helped them retain the crown a year ago will this time being lining out for the opposition with Emma Morrissey and Roisin Ennis hoping to inspire UCC to their first O’Connor Cup title since 2012.
Morrissey, who scored eight points in UCC’s 3-15 to 2-7 semi-final win over University of Galway, said it was unusual for Ennis and herself to now try to plot the downfall of DCU.
“The two of us have been playing together for the last four years and we know a lot of the girls on the other side.
“We’re here with these girls now from UCC and we have created new bonds and new friendships. We’re out here and we’re playing together. So far it’s looking so good, so we’ll take that,” she said.
UCC led by 2-10 to 2-5 at the break and then pushed on from there but manager Joe Carroll said they know they will need to be on top of their game to dethrone the champions and capture the title for the fourth time.
“In the first half, a few times it was a small bit ropey,” said Carroll. “We scored a goal up this end and they got a goal down the other end. In fairness, I think we steadied the ship a bit after that. I’d be very pleased with our second half, in particular.
“They only got two points in the second half, which was very good and we were better defensively. We weren’t as open as we were in the first half. It’s great to get to a final and it would be fabulous to win it.”
Champions DCU Dóchas Éireann, who are bidding for their seventh O’Connor Cup title and second three-in-a-row success, saw off the challenge of Ulster University by 2-10 to 0-9 in their semi-final.
A goal from Ruth Sargent helped the champions lead by 1-8 to 0-3 at the break and they sealed their place in the final when Hannah McGinnis found the net.
“Happy to be in another final but we’ve a massive job ahead of us,” said DCU manager Stephen Duff. “Delighted to be in another final, but a lot to improve. For us, this team, this is the first time they’ve played together all year.
“We’ve had injuries and people away on placements and stuff like that. That’s college football. What we’ve asked for, for our girls, is that they just enjoy their college experience. We’re so lucky to have the players that we have and the structures we have around us.
“What we just try and do is just take them away from the stress of inter-county and let them enjoy their college football.”
AIG O’CONNOR CUP SEMI-FINAL
DCU Dóchas Éireann 2-10
Ulster University 0-9
By Daire Walsh
Defending champions DCU Dóchas Éireann maintained their push for a third consecutive AIG O’Connor Cup title after recording a seven-point triumph over Ulster University (Belfast Campus) at Queen’s University on Friday afternoon.
With Kate Kenny, Leah Fox and Emma Duggan very much to the fore, Stephen Duff’s side held off a strong challenge from their northern counterparts to set up a repeat of last year’s final in Queen’s tomorrow.
Determined to stamp their authority on this contest, DCU raced into an early four-point lead courtesy of unanswered contributions from Fox, Hannah McGinnis, Duggan (free) and Kenny – who was a key figure for the college in their 2023 and 2024 successes in this competition.
While Ulster University finally opened their account with a fine individual point from Armagh’s Caitriona O’Hagan, Fox immediately responded at the opposite end and DCU created even further daylight when marauding half-back Ruth Sargent bagged a goal via excellent approach work by Duggan.
Sargeant was temporarily replaced in the wake of this score after she fell heavily on the turf, but DCU continued to pick off points through the boots of Fox, Duggan and Mayo’s Fionnuala McLaughlin.
An Amy Garland point cut the Ulster University deficit to eight points at the break (1-8 to 0-3) and a second effort from the Monaghan wing-back sparked a strong fightback by her side on the restart.
With DCU attacker Clodagh Lohan in the sin-bin, two points apiece from Emma Conroy (moments after her introduction as a second half substitute) and Lauren Garland ensured Ulster University had reduced the gap to three points by the third-quarter mark.
DCU had seemingly weathered the storm when Kenny kicked superb points either side of a Sorcha Gormley effort for Ulster University, but the college’s supporters breathed a sigh of relief when goalkeeper Robyn Murray produced an outstanding penalty save from Niamh King.
This was a let-off for the title holders, but their victory was officially secured when Kenny released McGinnis for a close-range goal in stoppage-time.
DCU Dóchas Éireann previously completed three in-a-row in this competition from 2009 to 2011 and now the college’s current crop of players are just 60 minutes away from achieving the same feat.
Scorers – DCU Dóchas Éireann: H McGinnis 1-1, R Sargent 1-0, K Kenny 0-3, L Fox 0-3 each, E Duggan 0-2 (2f), F McLaughlin 0-1.
Ulster University: L Garland 0-2 (1f), A Garland, C O’Hagan 0-2 each, E Conroy 0-2 (2f), S Gormley 0-1.
DCU Dóchas Éireann: R Murray; N Donlon, L Lenehan, C Durkan; S Reynolds, R Sargent, C Charters; K Owens, H McGinnis; C Lohan, E Duggan, F McLaughlin; L Fox, K Kenny, A Hanly. Subs: J Mortimer for Sargeant (18-h-t), A Cullen for Hanly (38), J Mortimer for Owens (54), J Lyons for Fox (60).
Ulster University: C Bradley; L Kavanagh, E Sands, M Ferguson; S O’Neill, C Brown, A Garland; B Quinn, N McClory; E Hagney, C O’Hagan, L Garland; H McQuaid, M O’Neill, N King. Subs: A Gough for Quinn, E Conroy for Hagney (both 38), S Gormley for M O’Neill (40), A Sherlock for O’Hagan (50), C Doyle for McClory (59).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
O’CONNOR CUP SEMI-FINAL
UCC 3-15
University of Galway 2-7
By Daire Walsh
Emma Morrissey kicked eight points at Queen’s University this afternoon as 2024 finalists UCC booked their spot in Saturday’s AIG O’Connor Cup final with an impressive victory over University of Galway.
While the Munster side hit the ground running with points from Morrissey (who, along with her team-mate Roisin Ennis, won this competition with DCU in 2024) and Aine O’Neill, University of Galway responded at the opposite end with quickfire scores from Eva Noone and raiding centre half-back Saoirse Wynne.
This left the tie delicately poised during the early exchanges, before UCC subsequently flexed their muscles either side of the first-quarter mark. After unanswered points from Morrissey (two), Abigail Ring (two) and Waterford’s Brid McMaugh had created daylight between the teams, Cork attacker Ring rattled the net from close-range on 19 minutes to move the Leesiders into a 1-7 to 0-2 lead.
Further points arrived through the boots of Emily Lacy and Morrissey (free), but thanks to clinically secured goals from Muireaan Devaney and Kate Slevin – former team-mates at Athlone Town in the Women’s Premier Division – University of Galway came roaring back into contention.
However, UCC bagged a second major of their own from Lacy in the 27th minute and this propelled them towards a 2-10 to 2-5 interval lead.
Another place-ball effort by reliable Aherlow and Tipperary ace Morrissey kept UCC in the driving seat on the resumption and although Aoife Staunton raised a white flag for University of Galway, the Connacht college suffered a hammer blow on 43 minutes.
After picking up possession at a right-hand angle, Kerry native Amy Harrington unleashed a fierce strike into the top corner of the net that opposite netminder Joanne Reilly was powerless to stop. This left University of Galway with a mountain to climb inside the final-quarter and with McMaugh and Morrissey finding the target either side of Slevin’s pointed free for the Tribeswomen, UCC remained very much in control of their own destiny.
UCC manager Joe Carroll opted to introduce some fresh legs late on ahead of their final against the winners of today’s other last-four clash between DCU Dochas Eireann (who defeated the Leesiders in last year’s final) and Ulster University, but it was the first-choice duo of McMaugh and Morrissey that rounded off the scoring with late points.
Scorers – UCC: E Morrissey 0-8 (5f), A Ring 1-2, E Lacy 1-1, A Harrington 1-0, B McMaugh 0-3, A O’Neill 0-1.
University of Galway: K Slevin 1-2 (0-1f), E Noone 0-3 (2f), M Devaney 1-0, S Wynne, A Staunton 0-1 each.
UCC: C Richmond; D Kiniry, E Power, R Sheehan; A Corcoran, R Corkery, R Ennis; A Healy, A Harrington; A O’Neill, B McMaugh, E Lacy; L Hallihan, E Morrissey, A Ring. Subs: E Twomey for Lacy (40), K Brosnan for Hallihan (44), S McGoldrick for Corcoran (53), K Redmond for Harrington, J Gill for Ring (both 57).
University of Galway: J Reilly; A Flanagan, M Jordan, C Hogan; M Barek, S Wynne, E O’Connor; M Walsh, S McCarney; A McDonnell, A Staunton, M Devaney; E Noone, M Mulryan, K Slevin. Subs: E O’Riordan for Flanagan (18), R McLoughlin for Mulryan (40), S McGuinness for McDonnell (49), M O’Neill for Hogan (56).
Referee: Eddie Cuthbert.
Saturday 15th March:
AIG Giles Cup Final; MIC Limerick v UCD; 11am – Live on LGFA YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DIehyc
AIG Lynch Cup Final; MTU Cork v UCD (2), 1pm – Live on LGFA YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DIehyc
AIG O’Connor Cup Final; DCU Dóchas Éireann v UCC, 3pm – Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube: https://bit.ly/3DIvHLd
