More heartbreak for UCC camogie in Ashbourne Cup final against UL

UL 3-10 UCC 2-11

UCC camogie team have suffered another heartbreaking defeat in the Ashbourne Cup final, this time losing 3-10 to 2-11 to UL on Sunday afternoon at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.

Clodagh Finn was the reason why the game was so close, as the Cork star got her side back into the game by hitting 1-4 late on when their Limerick rivals were enjoying a comfortable 3-8 to 1-7 advantage.

It wasn’t to be for a UCC side that went into the game looking for their first title since 2003 and to put an end to a run of nine falls at the final hurdle in 21 years.

It finished as just another defeat, with the only consolation on the day from a Cork point of view being the presence of Newcestown’s Claire Kingston on the UL panel.

UCC actually struck first with a well-worked score on the right by Glen Rovers’ star Emma Murphy.

UL responded by going long with Sinead Farrell’s puck-out and Mairead O’Brien managed to win the sliotar by the 45. 

The half-forward laid it off for Caoimhe Lyons, who hit the back of the net with a venomous shot from a tight angle with just 90 seconds.

Sarah Corcoran then raised a white flag and Ziyan Spillane converted her first of four first-half frees and the side from Limerick surged in front at 1-2 to 0-1 at the fifth minute.

UCC tried to get themselves back in the game by creating a goal chance and their attempt ended with Liz Ann Boylan running into a wall by the edge of the square.

The would-be scorer then found Finn, and the Youghal native goaled with 11 minutes on the clock and the scoreboard read 1-2 to 1-1.

The Cork star followed that up by converting a free and the two teams were level for the first time since throw-in.

Spillane edged UL back in front with a free and Murphy ensured parity. The Limerick side got two inside a minute after that, with Lyons getting one and Spillane hitting her third free.

Finn cut that back to 1-5 to 1-4, and any hope of an equaliser before the break was dashed by a quick-fire goal and point by Caoimhe Keher Murtage and Spillane, respectively.

UL led 2-6 to 1-4 at the restart and Corcoran got things back underway before Murphy retaliated for the Cork side, making it 2-7 to 1-5.

The Limerick side got their next goal with a close-range strike from Caomhie Cahill and it extended their cushion to 3-8 to 1-5 at the 40th minute.

Finn kickstarted a rescue mission and got the gap down to a point, but UL’s Aine Keane had the final say with a free in the dying seconds.

Scorers for UL: Z Spillane 0-5 f, C Lyons 1-1. CK Murtagh C Cahill 1-0 each, A Keane (f), S Corcoran 0-2 each.

UCC: C Finn 2-7 (0-3 f), E Murphy 0-4.

UL: S Farrell (Kilkenny); S Woulfe (Limerick), S Shanahan (Offaly), R Walsh (Waterford), J Hughes (Galway), A Keane, S Cunningham (Limerick), S Corcoran (Tipperary), A O’Sullivan (Waterford), C Cahill (Clare), C Keher Murtagh (Kilkenny), M O’Brien (Waterford), A Fitzgerald (Waterford), C Lyons (Limerick), Z Spillane (Clare).

Subs: K Ralph (Tipperary) for O’Sullivan (38); S Delaney (Laois) for O’Brien (47).

UCC: C Buckley (Cork); A Cashman (Cork) A Walsh (Clare), M Murphy (Cork), L Ryan (Tipperary), A Healy (Cork), M Ring (Cork), E Heffernan (Tipperary), O Kelleher (Limerick), E Murphy (Cork), I Sheehan (Cork), L Ann Boylan (Limerick), E Dempsey (Wexford), C Finn (Cork), S O’Brien (Limerick).

Subs: O Mullins (Cork) for Demsey (HT); E Duignan (Cork) for Kelleher (46).