TU Dublin 0-12

DCU Dóchas Éireann 2-4 

By Daire Walsh

Ciara Smyth delivered a player of the match display at the DCU Sportsgrounds on Saturday as TU Dublin made history by claiming their first AIG O’Connor Cup title with a nail-biting win over the four-in-a-row chasing DCU Dóchas Éireann.

Buoyed by their extra-time victory against UCC in the penultimate phase of the competition, TU Dublin stormed into this game with considerable aplomb. After influential Meath footballer Smyth kicked an early point from a free, captain Angela McGuigan, Kilkerrin-Clonberne star Niamh Divilly and Caoimhe Cregg also raised white flags to move their side four clear inside the opening 10 minutes.

DCU originally struggled to settle into the game, but came roaring into life when Roscommon’s Aisling Hanly palmed a diagonal ball to the net in the 11th minute. The title holders were back on level terms when Hanly kicked a superb point at a tight angle, but TU Dublin regained the lead when Smyth chipped in with a fine solo score of her own.

DCU’s Caoimhe Kilmurray and Smyth went on to trade points, before Hanly fired home her second goal on 25 minutes after she was released by team captain Ruth Sargent. While this had DCU in front for the first time in the action, Smyth (free) and TUD full-forward Neala Byrne split the posts in consecutive style to leave the sides inseparable (2-2 to 0-8) at the interval.

It was difficult to predict at this juncture who was going to come out on top of this encounter, but it was TU Dublin that once again managed to build momentum on the resumption.

Following a hard-earned score from midfielder Eadaoin Crowe, inside forward Katie Murphy came up with a two-point salvo to edge TUD into a 0-11 to 2-2 cushion on the stroke of 40 minutes.

An excellent rearguard spearheaded by the likes of Divilly, Sherin El Masry and Ashling Nyhan were largely keeping the DCU attack at bay, but the defending champions reduced the gap to the bare minimum with points from Aoife Cullen and Kilmurray either side of the third-quarter mark.

This raised the stakes ahead of a tension-filled finale and although there were opportunities at either end, Neala Byrne’s point off a sweeping counter attack three minutes into time added on helped TU Dublin to squeeze over the line for a magnificent breakthrough triumph.

Scorers -  TU Dublin: C Smyth 0-4 (3f), N Byrne, K Murphy 0-2 each, N Divilly, E Crowe, C Cregg, A McGuigan 0-1 each.

DCU Dóchas Éireann: A Hanly 2-1, C Kilmurray 0-2, A Cullen 0-1.

TU DUBLIN: N Byrne; S El Masry, G Gavin, A Nyhan; S Daly, N Divilly, D Egan; E Crowe, C Smyth; C Cregg, A McGuigan, A King; A Byrne, N Byrne, K Murphy. Subs: E O’Dell for Daly (44), A Lambert for A Byrne (64).

DCU DÓCHAS ÉIREANN: R Murray; A McGrath, A Temple Asokuh, N Donlon; S Reynolds, R Sargent, C Durkan; H McGinnis, A Cullen; C Kilmurray, F McLaughlin, N Crowley; A Hanly, K Doe, N Flanagan. Subs: N Hannon for Doe (43), E Gallagher for Flanagan (49), S Gallagher for Durkan (59).

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).

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