Heartbreak for ATU Sligo in Moynihan Cup final with DkIT

Yoplait Ladies HEC Championship Moynihan Cup final

ATU Sligo narrowly lost the Moynihan Cup final on Friday at the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan.

Gavin Cawley’s side, which includes Sligo’s Aoife Morrisroe, Louise Merrick, Megan Davey, Caoimhe McDonagh, Lisa Powell, Hannah Walsh, Laura Conway, Lauren Fitzgerald and Ciara McDonagh lost by a mere point after the encounter.

ATU midfielder and Sligo intercounty player Lisa Powell picked up a nasty injury which resulted in a lengthy stoppage.

Lauren Boyle scored two goals as DkIT won the Moynihan Cup for the second time in the Connacht GAA Air Dome on Friday night.

The Dublin Road outfit led for the majority of a breathless contest and, in front of their county team manager Kit Henry and selector Dáithí Savage, the Louth girls really rose to the occasion with each of DkIT’s 2-6 coming from the feet of those involved in the Senior set-up.

Having led by 2-4 to 0-7 at half-time, Dundalk only just held on as, despite forcing Lily Vickers into two fine saves, the Connacht side’s poor shooting, which resulted in a tally of 11 wides, allowed the Karl O’Connor/Jack MacNamee-trained team the room they required to slip into the winners’ enclosure.

In Orla Hennessy and Mia McDonald, Sligo had two of the game’s outstanding players, but Boyle – as she always seems to in final territory – really delivered and she was ably assisted by her long-time partner up top, Niamh Rice, whose direct running and pace caused ATU all sorts of problems. Ciara Mulligan, who was sin-binned with five minutes to play, also performed her part with some strong tackling and Caitlin O’Reilly distributed very effectively when required to.

While neither side registered during the opening quarter, it was a hugely entertaining spectacle, with both outfits hugely positive in trying to implement a fast-moving, kicking game. Unfortunately, a nasty injured picked up by ATU midfielder Lisa Powell resulted in a lengthy stoppage, but scores were fluent when the fixture resumed.

Dearbhaile Lynch converted three frees in a five-minute spell, although Boyle was lethal at the other end, taking a well-placed delivery by Rice, dancing around her marker, Aoife Morrisroe, and blasting a shot to the roof of the net on 19 minutes, making it 1-0 to 0-1.

ATU were on terms when McDonald split the posts for the first time and they even moved two points clear through Niamh McDonagh and Niamh Boyle, although DkIT were hugely fortunate that the former’s shot didn’t end up in the net after Hennessy had beaten Ciara Gilsenan to a Rebecca Lambe-Fagan kickout.

The sides were level in added-time – 0-7 to 1-4 – when a fabulous pass by Mia Duffy split open the Sligo defence, presenting the inrushing Boyle with a ripe ball and she made no mistake in rifling to the bottom corner.

A strong third-quarter by the underdogs ensured they reduced the deficit to the minimum – 2-5 to 0-10 – with Mia Duffy’s well-taken point all DkIT had to show for their efforts by that stage of the second period.

Rice, however, was growing in influence and after bringing off a fine stop by Vickers, she hit over with the outside of her trusted right boot for what turned out to be the title-clinching notch.

Sligo poured forward, desperate to complete a successful salvation effort, but, crucially, missed three frees within scoring range and yielded just a third McDonald point for their concerted spell of pressure, during which time Gilsenan was yellow carded for an off-the-ball incident.

Player of the match Boyle was presented with her prize at full-time, while captain Holly Lambe-Sally, a Geraldines clubwoman, accepted the Moynihan Cup.

ATU SLIGO: Lily Vickers; Louise Merrick, Ellen O’Donoghue, Aoife Morrisroe; Niamh Beggan, Róisín Rodgers, Megan Davey; Éilis Keane, Lisa Powell; Niamh Boyle 0-1, Orla Hennessy 0-1, Dearbhaile Lynch 0-4 (4f); Hannah Walsh, Niamh McDonagh 0-1, Mia McDonald 0-3. Subs: Ellen McNamara 0-1 for Powell (16), Ella O’Neill for Morrisroe (43), Laura Conway.

DKIT: Rebecca Lambe-Fagan; Caoimhe Dooley, Holly Lambe-Sally, Rebecca Rooney; Megan Benson, Ciara Mulligan, Caitlin O’Reilly; Ciara Gilsenan, Ellen Brodigan; Aisling O’Doherty 0-1, Niamh Rice 0-2, Grace Treanor; Lauren Boyle 2-2 (0-2f), Gemma Grimes, Mia Duffy 0-1. Subs: Caitlin O’Brien for Grimes (HT), Chloe McQuillan for O’Doherty (47), Louise Johnson for Benson (49).

REFEREE: Justin Murphy (Cork).