University of Galway was denied a unique double in the Irish Women’s Hockey cup finals at the weekend.
Contesting two deciders, University of Galway lost the Challenge final by 3-1, but then went on to win the Irish Women’s Hockey Trophy in an exciting shoot-out.
Against Portrane in the Challenge Trophy, University of Galway went behind Portrane in the 11th minute when Sarah Jane Kelly converted a penalty corner.
Although Kelly was also green carded in the 25th minute, temporarily reducing her team to 10 players, the second quarter was scoreless to leave the Dubliners 1-0 in front at half time.
Shortly into the third quarter Portrane increased the lead when captain Hannah Moynihan scored from open play to make it 2-0. She added another goal, her second of the game, four minutes later to leave Portrane leading 3-0 with almost half an hour left to play.
University of Galway responded within a minute through Ailill Dorman’s goal from open play in the 42nd minute, but it was not enough to deny Portrane the victory.
PORTRANE: Neasa Bissett, Jenny Farrell, Nadine Patterson, Sarah Jane Kelly, Hannah Moynihan [captain], Sarah Dowling, Sarah Keon, Ruth Basson, Hailey Clark, Isobel Farrell, Eva Van Dreumel, Mieke Van Dreumel ,Caoimhe McCann, Katie Lloyd, Emma Walsh.
UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY: Ellen Duffy, Aoife Roche, Eimear McCallon, Eabha Durkan, Eimear Walsh, Eva O’Donnell, Jenny Buttimer, Aisling McGrath, Aoife Murphy [captain], Ailill Dorman, Katie Osborne, Chloe Lawlor, Anna Gavin, Ciara Murphy, Florence McDonald, Mia Walsh, Orla Bagnall.
The Trophy decider against Omagh kept both teams on their toes throughout, going all the way to a shoot-out.
In a scoreless first quarter Honour Davison was green carded for Omagh in the 14th minute, Emma Fulton followed suit for Omagh in the 28th minute, while Gemma Buchanan of Omagh collected a green card in the 58th minute.
The stalemate continued in the fourth quarter during which UG's Hannah Kelly and Omagh's Katharine McDowell were also green carded. Thus after 70 minutes, the game went down to penalties.
Ailbhe Folan, Hannagh Kelly and Ciara Dunne put University of Galway 3-0 up before Davison got Omagh on the scoresheet when she converted Omagh’s third penalty to leave it 3-1.
When Jenny Buttimer made no mistake with University of Galway’s fourth penalty, it ensured the Irish Women’s Hockey Trophy was heading west of the Shannon.
UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY: Anna O’Donoghue, Ailbhe Folan (captain ), Emma Dillon, Aoife Quinn, Jenny Buttimer, Ciara Dunne, Ellie Hughes, Jess Dwyer-Matthews, Hannah Kelly, Megan Clinton, Ciara Burke, Aisling McGrath, Emily Duane (GK ), Ailil Dorman, Aoife Roche.
OMAGH: Alison Long, Holly Swann, Emma Fulton, Emma Buchanan, Heather Moffitt, Gemma Buchanan, Lyndsey McCay, Cari McKinley, Honour Davison, Sophie Smyth, Lisa Barr, Laura White [captain], Rachel Buchanan, Katie McDowell, Katie Ballantine, Hollie Berrabah, Amy McCollum.
