Jacqui Potter Cup final
Railway Union 7 (Z Delany 3, A-M Whelan, K Dillon, M Carey, E Smyth) UCD 0
Railway Union eased to their fourth Jacqui Potter Cup title since 2011 with a facile win over a UCD side short their international stars, winning out 7-0 at Grange Road.The students had been unbeaten in all competitions this term but they never looked in the running from the moment Anna-May Whelan volleyed home from mid-circle in the eighth minute.
Zara Delany added a pair of clever deflections in the 26th and 27th minute to build a 3-0 lead at half-time. The first came from Sarah Canning’s cross from left wing, the second from Hannah de Burgh Whyte’s right wing ball into the centre, a lovely move and finish.And the second half provided little respite as the much-changed UCD side who were without Deirdre Duke, Emma Russell, Gillian Pinder, Lena Tice and the injured Sally Campbell.Former international Emma Smyth slammed home in the first minute of the second half after Michelle Carey’s run into the circle had been halted at the near post.Delany then provided a piece of class for the fifth, providing a strong pick-up down the left wing, beating her marker with strength and then flicking in at the near post.
Zara Delany celebrates her hat trick with Julia O’Halloran. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Kate Dillon snuck another chance through Clodagh Cassin’s defences before Michelle Carey closed out the win with a brave tap in, guiding home a head high reverse-stick shot from Smyth.UCD had sporadic efforts on goal, the pick of which saw Abbie Russell clean through but Grace O’Flanagan came off her line quickly to save smartly.
Railway Union: G O’Flanagan, Z Delany, J O’Halloran, K Fearon, K Orr, A-M Whelan, E Smyth, E Lucey, H de Burgh Whyte, N Carey, S Dooley, O Fox, S Canning, M Carey, N Heisterkamp, G McLoughlin
UCD: C Cassin, S Twomey, A Russell, L Ewart, S O’Loughlin, A Richardson, E Duncan, S Clarke, O Patton, E Mathews, A Scott, S Patton, J O’Brien, K Hennessy, M O’Donnell, S Robinson
Earlier in the day The ladies U16 were beaten in the final of the junior Jacqui Potter cup.
Junior Jacqui Potter Cup final
Muckross 3 (L Mulcahy 2, R Cullen) Railway Union 1 (S Whelan)
Lisa Mulcahy’s pair of goals saw Muckross claim their first ever Junior Jacqui Potter Cup title, swapping places with Railway Union from last year’s final at Grange Road.It was tightly locked at 1-1 at half-time as Railway employed an effective half-court press that led to a big battle in midfield between Amy Elliott and Caroline Mathews while Sophia Cole impressed in the Railway defence.
Mulcahy put Muckross one up from a penalty corner second phase but Railway countered in the same manner with Sarah Whelan sliding home on the reverse. Muckross, however, dominated the second half. They got two quick goals from Rachael Cullen’s corner rebound and Mulcahy’s second, driving forward quickly from a long corner before pushing home from mid-circle.It put them in a strong position they would never relinquish. Indeed, they might have had a few more but for some fine Railway defensive work from Saoirse Quigley to deny Natasha Twomey, Charlie Browne and Ella Malone.
Muckross: C Connell, E Fitzgerald, C Mathews, E Dawson, E Malone, R Cullen, L Mulcahy, C Browne, F McNulty, A Lyons, A Hamilton, A Tarpey, G Keane, G Kos, I Cotter
Railway Union: S Quigley, K Clarke, A Clarke, K Benson, E Lavelle, K Sullivan, K Burnett, S O’Brien, S Whelan, M McDowell, A Power, A Flanagan, A Elliott, L O’Byrne, A Orr, S Cole
