Cork's Scoil Mhuire win Daphne Hall All-Ireland Hockey Cup final

On a day that started with slight disappointment ended in delight for Cork school Scoil Mhuire.

In their final pool game of the All-Ireland schoolgirls hockey competition, they lost out to Wesley College.

This meant they lost out on goal difference to Banbridge to reach the Kate Russell final.

However, they did qualify for the Daphne Hall final, where they faced Holy Child Killiney.

In the end, they won by 3-2, but the score line flatters Holy Child, with both their goals coming in the last two minutes, the second as the full-time hooter went.

At that stage, they had taken off their goalkeeper and had an extra player outfield to try and get back on level terms.

Scoil Mhuire controlled the game from start to finish and were deservedly in front by half-time, thanks to a goal from Lilymay Kelleher.

They went further ahead in the fourth quarter when Katie Burke scored with a drag flick following a penalty corner, with eight minutes to go.

A minute later their win was secured when Ada Ryan got their third to see the cup head back to Cork.

Co-captain Sofie Moloney was named Player of the Game after the final.

In their game earlier in the day, they lost 2-0 to Banbridge, who went on to win the Kate Russell Cup, beating Royal School Armagh in the final.

In Scoil Mhuire’s opening game on Thursday, they took on Coláiste Iognáid from Galway and started with an impressive 3-1 win.

They took the lead just three minutes in when Esme Kingston took advantage of a defensive mistake to score from a tight angle.

The Cork school kept the pressure on the Galway side, and it paid off in the second quarter when they doubled their advantage, this time Emma McAuliffe scoring to make it 2-0.

Defensively, they were well on top as well, led by Susanna Burke and Arabelle Sheahan.

They continued to build on their lead and had a number of penalty corners, but didn’t find the back of the net.

In the third quarter, Coláiste Iognáid pulled a goal back when Mai Given scored, but credit to Scoil Mhuire they didn’t panic.

They secured the win in the fourth quarter when Sofie Moloney scored from a penalty corner to make it 3-1, with neither side on target for the remaining few minutes.

In their second game, they took on Banbridge, one of the favourites for the overall title, who had beaten Wesley College 3-0 in their opening tie.

Defensively, Scoil Mhuire were superb in their second game, with their defence taking the ball off the line three times.

Keeper Isabelle Healy made several superb saves, and Katie Burke was named Player of the Game for her defensive efforts.

At the other end, Emma McAuliffe got the all-important goal in their 1-0, which sees them as the only side with a 100% record after day one.

The current title-holders, Crescent College drew with Loreto Kilkenny in their opening tie, before losing to Royal School Armagh in their second game.

They bounced back with a good win over Holy Child on Friday to end the tournament on a high.

RESULTS THURSDAY Scoil Mhuire 3, Colaiste Iognaid 1; Crescent College 0, Loreto Kilkenny 0; RSA 2, Holy Child Killiney 2; Banbridge Academy 3, Wesley College 0; RSA 4, Crescent College 0; Holy Child Killiney 2, Loreto Kilkenny 0; Banbridge Academy 0, Scoil Mhuire 1; Wesley College 3, Coláiste Iognaid 2.

FRIDAY Holy Child Killiney 0, Crescent College 1; Wesley College 2, Scoil Mhuire, 0; RSA 2 v Loreto Kilkenny 0; Banbridge Academy 5,  Colaiste Iognaid 1.

Daphne Hall Cup final: Scoil Mhuire 3, Holy Child Killiney 2.

Kate Russell Cup final: Banbridge 3, RSA 1.