Four in Row for UL in Ashbourne Cup

UL completed a historic four in a row in the Ashbourne Cup in Mallow yesterday after defeating UCC in the final 3-8 to 0-8.

It was the Limerick colleges fifth title in six years as their dominance in the competition extended.

UCC qualified by virtue of a hard-fought, come-from-behind victory over the League champions WIT. In contrast, UL had a far more comfortable win over DCU and certainly it seemed early on as if the Cork contingent were feeling their exertions early on.

UL got off to the perfect start with Limerick star Rebecca Delee netting inside the opening two minutes.

Beth Carton, who would be named Player of the Match, followed up quickly with a point from a free.

Niamh McCarthy got the skull and crossbones off the mark in the fifth minute but after Caoimhe Lyons and UCC captain, Chloe Sigerson (free) exchanged scores, UL registered three points in succession. 

Sarah Fryday notched up a neat score off her left and then Waterford All-Star Carton added to her tally with a couple of more frees giving UL a six point advanatage with only 12 minutes elapsed. 

But UCC showed that character that got them over the line 24 hours earlier, to get within two. Sigerson, a Player of the Year nominee after her fabulous performances as Cork retained their All-Ireland Championship, led from the front, while fellow Rebel stars, Libby Coppinger and Hannah Looney were also prominent. 

Sigerson (45), Hayley Ryan (free), Sigerson again (free) and a fantastic score over the shoulder from Looney made it a game and it took a couple of important interceptions by Mary Ryan to deny UCC at least one other score. 

Walsh made a brilliant save from point-blank range to deny Lyons, after the Limerick forward had been put through by Hanniffy but Carton slotted the resultant 45 for UL’s first score in 20 minutes to make it 1-6 to 0-6 at half time. 

Mary Ryan made another excellent intervention at the start of the second half but Hayley Ryan pointed a free soon after and it was a two-point game once more. 

Niamh Hanniffy’s first goal took the wind out of UCC’s sails though and they managed only one more point with 13 minutes left, from a Sigerson free. 

Instead, it was UL who found another gear, substitute Grace O’Brien hitting the target brilliantly form a tight angle before Hanniffy cleverly found Delee in space to put six points between them. 

Hanniffy provided the coup de grace with the last action of the weekend and the celebrations were under way.