Ashton power on but Bandon fall just short in final hunt

BANDON’S gut-wrenching loss to Three Rock Ladies was the only bit of bad news on a productive day for Munster women’s hockey in Irish competitions.

Ashton will keep the flag flying for the province after dispatching North Kildare to reach the semi-finals of the Irish Trophy, while there’ll be an all-Munster final of the Irish Challenge between Limerick and Dungarvan.

Three unanswered second-half goals from Caroline McCarthy, Karen Stokes and Ciara O’Herlihy did the trick for Ashton on home turf against a game North Kildare outfit, who pushed the hosts all the way before eventually succumbing 4-1.