Crescent College Comprehensive are basking in glory this week after landing the Kate Russell 2019 title at St Andrews College last Friday.
The Cathal Duggan and Gary Kirby coached side topped the table with two wins and two draws from their four games and won the tournament on scoring difference.
Crescent were up against the hosts and Leinster champions, St Andrews College, Ulster supremo’s, Banbridge Academy, Coláiste Iognáid from Connacht and the 2018 champions Kilkenny College from the south east in the competition that was live streamed exclusively by Sporting Limerick in its entirety.
The Munster champions began their campaign with the first game of the competition on Thursday morning and thanks to Meadbh McNamara, they saw off St Andrews on a 1-0 scoreline.
Next up for Crescent was a tie against 2017 Kate Russell champions Banbridge Academy. Crescent fell behind in this game, but again McNamara was the Limerick school’s hero with an equalising goal early in the second half.
The win and a draw from their two games on the opening day saw Crescent second in the table heading into the second day.
Again, Crescent were first up and a sensational performance saw them beat Coláiste Iognáid 6-1.
Hero from the Munster Final win over Mount Mercy last month, Leah Clery, was again to the forefront with a stunning hat-trick. Sophie Clein, Aoife Hickey and Clare O’Meara also hit the target for Crescent.
That set up a huge fixture against Kilkenny College in their final game of the competition.
A victory over the defending champions would have seen Crescent win the title, but a superb performance by Kilkenny keeper, Ellie O’Donoghue, ensured that Crescent would have to rely on other results with their game finishing 0-0.
A win by five goals or more against Coláiste Iognáid would have seen Banbridge take the Kate Russell title from under the noses of Crescent, but the Ulster school could only manage a 3-0 victory.
Kilkenny College could have also won the competition if they had beaten St Andrews in the final game, but they were beaten by the tournament hosts and Crescent were crowned Kate Russell champions for only the second time.
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