Mount Mercy earn place in Cup final

Mount Mercy College 2 Ashton School 0

The winners of the Laurel Hill Colaiste versus Ursuline’s Thurles match now await the Cork side in the decider.

Mount Mercy, with five of the Senior Cup squad on duty, were hotly fancied but they were pushed all the way by a resolute Ashton team which was particularly impressive in defence.

Territorially, Mount Mercy held the upper hand with their better balanced side forcing eight penalty corners without reply.

They took the lead in the seventh minute when Orla Crowley’s expertly hit free shot found O’Halloran and she beat Zoe Coughlan with a fine strike.

Mount Mercy continued to force the pace after this but Coughlan and other Ashton performers like Lisa Treacy, Mol Linehan, Rebecca Sweetnam, Wendy Kingston, and Stephanie Mohally held firm.

Ashton produced a number of counter attacks without ever threatening Karen Olden in the Mount Mercy goal. Their fate was decided however in the 37th minute when following great combined play by Cliodhna Sargent, Emily Kenefick, Lesley Ann Daunt, Jenny Owens, and player of the match Miriam Crowley, Mount Mercy were awarded a penalty stroke and O’Halloran tucked the ball away in clinical fashion.

MOUNT MERCY: K Olden, O Crowley, E Noonan, C Sargent, T Coffey, E Kenefick, J O’Halloran, M Crowley, J Owens, LA Daunt, J McElhinney, A Donegan, F Shanahan, L Lynch.

ASHTON SCHOOL: Z Coughlan, L Treacy, M Ryan, M Linehan, R Sweetnam, W Kingston, A Rowan, C Turner, H Kingston, T Lynch, L Keane, J Nagle, J Falvey, L Gokul, C Cahill, S Mohally, S Delaney.