Purcell Semi-Finals
February 23, 2010A good start helped IT Tralee into the final of the Purcell Cup in the first game to be played at CIT on Saturday morning.
The Kerry college were always on top in this game, with everybody playing well for them, Tara Cooney at full-back especially impressive while Orlaith Murphy was impeccable from placed balls.
Goals early in the first half from Mairead Fitzgerald and Danielle Sheedy gave Tralee a nice cushion on which to build, and by half-time they led 2-4 to 0-1, Garda's sole point coming from Eileen Ní Ghiollaraí.
The steady flow of Tralee points continued in the second half, with Murphy adding two more frees and Megan Moran, Geraldine Norton and Ailish Considine all getting their names on the scoresheet with Sheedy adding a point as well.
Ní Ghiollaraí did find the target again for Garda, but the outcome was beyond doubt well before the end of the game and Tralee will go into Sunday's final with confidence.
IT Tralee: M O'Brien; M Moroney, T Cooney, J Hurley; M O'Brien, E Keane, A Byrne; M Moran (0-1), S Sexton; O Murphy (0-5, 0-3f), G Norton (0-1), D Sheedy (1-1); M Fitzgerald (1-1), A Considine (0-1), G O'Riordan.
Subs: A Neary for Moroney (inj), E Rogers for Moran, C Harnett for Fitzgerald.
GARDA TRAINING COLLEGE: R Ní Ceanaile; R Ní Chiannail, L Ní Mhathúna, S Ní Shelly; A Ní Bhraonáin, M Ní Fhionnachta, R Ní Parle; P Ní Chionnaigh, S Ní Keohin; T Ní Mhuirí, E Ní Iarlaithe, N Ní Dhéin; L Ní Mhurchú, E Ní Ghiollaraí (0-2), C Ní Iffernáin.
Referee: M O'Kelly.
Dublin IT 3-7 Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 2-9
Dublin IT will meet IT Tralee in the final of the Purcell Cup after they came from behind to sneak a late win over Mary Immaculate College in their semi-final at CIT on Saturday.
Captain Joelenne Hoary was the heroine for DIT, as she scored three goals, including the late one to put the Dublin college ahead, with Mary I having led for a lot of the game.
From as early as the fourth minute, when Ashley Lovett found the net for the Limerick side from a narrow angle, Mary I had a cushion for a lot of the first half, and when Margaret Howard found the net, they led 2-3 to 0-3, frees from Niamh Mulcahy adding to the goals.
Two green flags from Hoary helped DIT to be level at the break however, as the sides retired at 2-4 apiece.
Three points on the trot from Mulcahy, Roisín McMahon and Lovett put Mary I back into the lead at the start of the second half, but DIT kept plugging away, helped by Jane Dolan's accuracy from placed balls and points from Cathy Bowes.
Hoary's hat-trick goal in the final 10 minutes put them level, and though Mulcahy put Mary I in front again, Dolan was on hand to clinch the game for DIT in injury time.
Another to play well for DIT were Karen Mullins, while Sinéad Quinlan, Kate O'Mahony and captain Leah Weste lost no honour in defeat for Mary I.
DUBLIN IT: N Byrnes; AC Fagan, G Quinn, S Walsh; K Mullins, S Ryan, N Kirby; J Dolan (0-3, 0-2f), A O'Loughlin; E Brunell, CA Canning, C Bowes (0-4); K Katounia, N Corrigan, J Hoary (3-0).
Sub: D Barry.
MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE, LIMERICK: M Gleeson; N O'Keeffe, T Burke, S Quinlan; E Harrington, K Lynch, O Neville; R McMahon (0-1), E Dunne; P Ralph, N Mulcahy (0-5f), L Weste; M Howard (1-0), A Lovett (1-1), K O'Mahony.
Subs: C Holland, MA Hawkes.
Referee: P Whelan. Tweet
