Strong Kilkenny presence helps Waterford college defend Ashbourne

Pic www.sportsfile.com

By Michael O'Leary

A hectic weekend of third level colleges camogie action at a cold Cork IT saw the Ashbourne and Purcell competitions decided.

Waterford IT retained the Ashbourne cup with a hard fought victory over a gallant UCC. Featuring nine Kilkenny representatives on show, a low scoring first-half saw the Waterford college lead by the slenderest of margins 0-3 to 0-2 at the interval. A tough dogged second-half saw the defending Ashbourne champions maintain their advantage at the death as they came out on top on an 0-11 to 1-6 scoreline.

Six of the Kilkenny senior panel featured on the WIT starting 15, with Kelly-Anne Cotterell at corner-back, Collette Dormer at wing-back and Anne Dalton at centre-back providing half of the defensive starting line-up. The attacking unit saw freshers students and inter-county senior forwards Denise Gaule and Katie Power play their part along with a member of lasts years Ashbourne cup winning team Michelle Quilty.

Kay Ryall goalkeeper on last years winning Ashbourne team was introduced as a substitute in their comfortable 2-10 to 0-3 semi-final victory over Queens University Jordanstown Collette Dormer had the added bonus of being named at right-half-back on the Ashbourne cup all-star team. Wexford inter-county forward Ursula Jacob successfully captained the winning team, while her county colleague Katriona Parrock was named Ashbourne player of the tournament.

Representing the black and amber charge for the defeated finalists were Elaine O'Shea at full-back, with Therese Muldowney and Lucinda Gahan starting in attack. UCC held firm in their 0-10 to 0-9 semi-final victory over UCD with the Dublin University featuring Leanne Fennelly and Kate McDonald in the half-back line. University of Limerick who lost out narrowly to UCC in the quarter-finals landed the Ashbourne Shield with a 1-10 to 1-4 victory over Cork IT, with the victors featuring three of last years All-Ireland minor winning team in defence. Edel Frisby, Alison Walsh and Karen Duggan were instrumental for the victors.

The Purcell cup final was also a low scoring affair as Dublin IT and their Tralee counterparts battling for honours. The Dublin college landed the spoils on a 1-5 to 0-5 scoreline start with Conahy native but Dicksboro club member Noelle Corrigan the match winning heroine inside 30 seconds. Making a whirlwind start, an initial shot goalwards was parried by the Tralee goalkeeper, but operating at full-forward Corrigan displayed quick predatory instinct to kick the sliothar to an empty net.

That golden start proved decisive as the Dublin college held fort afterwards. However, there was consolation for Tralee IT as inter-county senior Edwina Keane was named at centre-back on the Purcell Cup allstar selection. Catherine Walsh(Thomastown) was one of only two players to register on the scoring sheet in the Purcell shield final for Maynooth as she registered a point for play, but they were unsuccessful losing out 1-8 to 0-8 to Queens University of Belfast.