Ursuline Thurles overcome Pres Athenry to reach schools A final
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ALL-IRELAND Junior champions two seasons ago, Ursuline Thurles stayed on course to win a maiden Corn Sceilg senior title with a controlled performance in their semi-final in Moycarkey-Borris on Saturday afternoon.
They led by a single point at the break but gradually pulled clear of visitors Presentation Athenry during the second half.
Caoimhe Stakelum was the star player accumulating 2-6 over the hour and her first-half goal, that came after Sarah Corcoran had netted for the Ursulines, gave them a lead of 2-5 to 2-4 at the break with Viviene Blaine and Siobhán Carr the goal-scorers for Athenry.
Stakelum’s goal and general accuracy in front of the posts saw Thurles push on to bridge a seven-year gap to their only final appearance when they lost to Loreto Kilkenny.
Holders Loreto will host St Patrick’s Maghera in the second semi-final next weekend, the Kilkenny side attempting to become the first school to achieve nine titles.
C Stakelum 2-6, S Corcoran 1-1, L Purcell 0-2, A Bevans and D Ryan 0-1 eachÂ
V Blaine 1-3, S Carr 1-1, K Madden 0-2, E Joyce 0-1
OUR Lady’s Templemore came back from a 0-6 to 0-3 deficit at half time to reach the final of the Allianz Dónal Burke Cup on Saturday.
Visting Calasanctus from Oranmore had a big win in the quarter-final midweek against St Colmcille’s Knocklyon and they were the better team during the opening half in Templemore with scores from Grace Tarpey and RóisÃn Coleman contributing to their half time total, while Templemore replied through Eimear Hassett, Shona McBride and Caitlyn Treacy.
Treacy got the second half scoring under way, but it was a goal from Hassett after 14 minutes that turned the game. She added a point soon after and then a second goal for Our Lady’s from Ciara Cahill took them clear in the run in to the final whistle.
The winners had strong performances from Cahill, Treacy and Hassett as well as Tara Hoare, Aoife and Órfhlaith Bergin while Grace Tarpey provided most resistance.
The second semi-final, a home match for Our Lady of Lourdes Rosbercon against Down school Assumption Ballynahinch, has been postponed until Monday 5th February.
E Hassett 1- 3 C Cahill 1-1 C Treacy 0-2 S McBride 0-1 Calasanctus: G Tarpey 0-4, R Coleman 0-2, D Grealish, H Mangan and L Stephens 0-1 each.
THE Allianz Lily Spence Cup final will feature St Mary’s Magherafelt and Mercy Convent Roscommon who both won semi-finals away from home over the past couple of days.
Mercy did the heavy lifting during the first half of their tie against SCJ Laurel Hill in UL. They led by 1-8 to 1-4 at half time, despite the home side scoring the first goal through Jayne Meaney.
Hazel Kelly and SÃofra Hession kept the score-board ticking over with points and Zara Fallon’s goal opened the gap before half-time.
Hession stretched the lead with a goal shortly after the break and, while the Limerick school’s best player Niamh Ryan cancelled that score and Rachel O’Grady added four more points, Mercy held on for victory.
On Saturday afternoon a superb defensive performance in the first half against the breeze set St Mary’s Magherafelt up for success in Johnstown against Coláiste Mhuire.
Although the home team had posted two early points through Michelle Killeen and Mary Cussen, a fifth minute goal from Emma McNally gave the Ulster champions the platform to push on to lead by 1-3 to 0-5 at the break, all the visitors’ scores coming during the first quarter.
Magherafelt then struck for home in the third quarter with points from Molly McErlaine, Caoimhe McErlean and two from Jemma Shivers. A couple of minutes from time Caoimhe Ferris closed the game out with a second Magherafelt goal.
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