DCU secure O’Connor Cup hat-trick

Dublin City University won the prestigious O’Connor Cup for a third successive year in dramatic fashion at blustery University of Limerick this afternoon.

Sun, 20 Mar, 2011 - 17:29

Dublin City University won the prestigious O’Connor Cup for a third successive year in dramatic fashion at blustery University of Limerick this afternoon.

In a repeat of last year’s final, University of Ulster Jordanstown were left disappointed once again as DCU scored a 3-8 to 1-11 victory.

But 2008 winners UUJ missed a penalty in the dying seconds, when a goal would have taken the game into extra-time.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time, full-forward Aoife McDonnell saw her effort comfortably saved by DCU goalkeeper Becky Walsh and within seconds, referee Sean Joy blew his full-time whistle.

Star-studded DCU scored two goals in the first six minutes of the second half which changed the complexion of the game after UUJ had led by 1-5 to 1-4 at the end of a closely-fought first half.

Lyndsey Davey took a pass from the outstanding Ciara McAnespie for DCU’s first half goal in the 14th minute before UUJ’s top scorer Sinead Fegan responded with a 21st-minute goal, pouncing at the second attempt after Walsh had saved the Down player’s initial effort.

Three minutes after half-time, Monaghan’s McAnespie sisters combined for DCU’s second goal as Ciara, who scored 1-3 from play in total, supplied a clinical finish.

Three minutes later, Cavan’s Roisin O’Keeffe scored DCU’s third goal as her shot looped over the head of UUJ goalkeeper Emma Kelly and into the net.

DCU now led by 3-5 to 1-5 before a run of five unanswered points brough UUJ back to within a point of the winners.

DCU lost corner back Sinead O’Mahony to a 46th minute sin-binning but crucially, the Glasnevin-based outfit outscored UUJ by two points to one with O’Mahony off the pitch.

Ciara McAnespie scored a sensational point in the first minute of stoppage time, robbing UUJ corner back Niamh McGowan 50 yards from goal before embarking on a weaving run which ended in a classy point.

But even with a three-point lead and defending superbly, DCU were never safe until the final whistle and they survived that late scare when Down forward McDonnell fluffed her lines.

Waterford IT made up for last year’s final defeat at the hands of NUI Maynooth with a 1-8 to 1-6 victory against IT Tralee in the Giles Cup final.

WIT’s top scorer Marie Dargan and ITT’s Aoife Dillane traded first half goals as the sides went in level at half-time, 1-4 apiece.

Dargan scored two second half points to bring her personal tally to 1-3 as WIT outscored ITT by 0-4 to 0-2 in an entertaining second half.

Meanwhile, second half goals from Grainne Callery and Katie Geoghan proved decisive as Carlow IT defeated DCU’s second string by 2-11 to 1-3 in the Lynch Cup final.

Galway’s Catriona Foley scored the first half goal for DCU as they went in level at half-time, 1-3 to 0-6, but Carlow IT held their opponents scoreless in the second half and hit 2-5 to take the title.

In Saturday’s enthralling Lynch Shield final, Dublin Institute of Technology ran riot in extra-time to see off the challenge of Athlone IT.

DIT won by double scores – 4-16 to 2-8 – as Jane Dolan (2) and Colleen Brierly scored the extra-time goals, after the sides were deadlocked at 1-11 to 2-8 after 60 minutes.

Athlone IT failed to register a score in extra-time.

RESULTS:

Lynch Cup semi-finals:

Carlow IT 3-9 Trinity College, Dublin 2-7

DCU(2) 1-7 St Mary’s Strawberry Hill 1-5

O’Connor Cup semi-finals:

UL 4-3 DCU 2-14

NUIG 3-7 UUJ 2-11

Lynch Shield Final:

DIT 4-16 AIT 2-8

Sunday, March 20:

Lynch Cup final: