McDonagh brace steers MIC Limerick past UCD to fourth Giles Cup title

March 15, 2025

MIC Limerick captain Aoife Dillane celebrates with the Giles Cup and her teammates after the 2025 Ladies AIG Giles Cup final at Queen's Sport, Queens University, Belfast. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

MIC Limerick 3-9
UCD 1-8

by Daire Walsh

Player of the match Lydia McDonagh struck a brace of second half goals at Queen’s University on Saturday as MIC Limerick claimed their fourth AIG Giles Cup title with an excellent final victory over UCD.

In a fast-paced opening to the contest, UCD full-forward Meadbh Monaghan traded an early point with her opposite number – current Kerry panellist Rachel Dwyer. The latter went on to add a second point in response to a free from Ella Parke, before UCD, who had defeated DCU at the semi-final stage of the competition on Friday, created some daylight with back-to-back scores from midfielder Sarah Mulroy and Parke.

Yet MIC subsequently settled into the stride and edged in front for the first time courtesy of three points in succession by Caoimhe McNamara, Laura Griffey and Dwyer (free). Southern Gaels attacker Dwyer was proving to be a thorn in the side of the UCD defence and she burst through for a superb goal on the stroke of 20 minutes.

This came as a blow to their south Dublin counterparts, but even though Ella Thompson found the target for MIC, three points from the reliable Parke – including two efforts from play – left UCD just two in arrears at 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval.

While Sara Doyle split the uprights within 60 seconds of the restart to reduce the gap to the bare minimum, MIC Limerick clinically re-established their authority when centre-forward McDonagh from the Naomh Aban club in Cork fired to the net on 32 minutes. Although this appeared to be a major set-back for UCD, Ian Kealy’s charges immediately responded with a goal of their own from Ballyboden St Enda’s footballer Karrie Rudden.

It looked to be anyone’s game to win at this stage, but thanks to quickfire efforts from substitute Sarah Ryan and McDonagh, MIC, who overcame the challenge of Maynooth University in the last-four, brought a three-point advantage into the final-quarter and ultimately pushed on for victory.

After Erin Murray moved them even further in front with an excellent score at a right-hand angle, the final outcome was placed beyond all doubt when McDonagh bagged her second goal at the end of a lung-bursting run in the 54th minute.

Scorers – MIC Limerick: L McDonagh 2-1, R Dwyer 1-3 (0-1f), S Ryan, E Thompson, E Murray, L Griffey, C McNamara 0-1 each.

UCD: E Parke 0-5 (2f), K Rudden 1-0, S Mulroy, S Doyle, M Monaghan 0-1 each.

MIC Limerick: D Creed; E Hickey, I Claffey, N Dunne; S English, A Dillane, M MacNamara; E Murray, N Towey; E Thompson, L McDonagh, A Ryan; C McNamara, R Dwyer, L Griffey. Subs: R Hyland for Dunne (h-t), S Ryan for Griffey (36), A Brazil for English (51), C Hynes for Towey (60), K Donoghue for C McNamara (62).

UCD: A Dunlea; K McCaffrey, S Lally, B Cotter; C Crowley, C Lawlor, L Dunne; E Reape, S Mulroy; A Walls, K Rudden, S Doyle; A Madden, M Monaghan, E Parke. Subs: S Hamilton for Monaghan (38), KA Walsh for Reape (41), C Kennedy for Cotter (43), O Keon for Parke (53), L Bourke for Mulroy (56).

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).


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