UL and UCC lock horns in second round of O’Connor Cup

After an exceptional win over DCU St. Pats last week with a score line of 7-16 to 1-5, UL will now go onto play in their second round match of the O’Connor Cup against a very good UCC on Wednesday.

UL opened this year’s campaign with strong performances from Louise Ward, Joanne Cregg, Natasha Gaughan and Shauna Howley, and also by Maria Curley, Aisling Kelleher and Shauna Molloy in the backs.

UL goals from Howley, Ward and Cork Senior Eimear Scally which were all crucial to the Limerick University getting such a high scoring line.

It was a lot to ask of DCU St Pats – who are in their first year in the O’Connor Cup – to come down to Limerick and pose a serious challenge.

Adding more to their challenge is the loss of their best players Mayo Senior Niamh Kelly to injury which did not help their case. UL were by far the better team threw out the game, and deserved their win.

The University of Limerick girls will go straight into the O’Connor Cup semi-finals if they go on to beat UCC. (The loser has to go on and play a quarter final either against Queens University or NUIG next week as both of these teams lost their first round games).

Elsewhere NUIG were beaten well by DCU last week with the score line at the end being 9-15 to 0-6. Strong performances by Sarah Rowe and Molly Lamb helping the Dublin College to a comprehensive and brilliant win.

UCD also had a brilliant victory over Queens University in the first round. The game finished 4-12 to 0-4. Star performances for UCD came from last year College All Star Nicola Ward, Sarah Gormally, and Megan Glynn. UCD will now play DCU in their second round game on Wednesday evening and we can be sure that it will be a thriller of a match.

The loser of this match will go onto play DCU St. Pats in the Quarter Finals.

UCC got off to a good start in their 2017 campaign by getting a good win over Maynooth University by 6-15 to 0-11 last Wednesday evening.

With a talented panel containing many of the young Cork Ladies who won the All Ireland last year, UCC will be looking to win their first O’Connor Cup since 2012.

UCC’s panel is strong and deep and they also have a bunck of county players just as UL have. These include Roisin Phelan, Doireann and Meabh O’Sullivan, Hannah Looney, and Niamh Cotter who are all Cork Senior players.

The tie promises to be a huge battle as both teams laden with county stars take each other on at pitch 1 at 3pm. Follow @SportingLK for live twitter and video updates throughout the match.