DCU 5 – 13
UCC 1 – 12
Mike Hurley
At St. Clare’s
DCU Ladies made it two league victories on the trot when treating southern opponents UCC to a masterclass in finishing at St. Clare’s on Tuesday last.
The Cork University exploded from the traps with Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh dispatching two early points as the visitors dominated the opening exchanges. Then, in an almost a carbon copy of their last outing, DCU grabbed a goal completely against the run of play with Monaghan’s Ellen McCarron supplying the finish.
It proved a crucial score in breaking UCC’s early stranglehold and providing the home side with the necessary impetus to take the game to their opponents which they duly did.
Peter Clarke’s charges never looked back and quickly added two points through McCarron. Half back Laura McEnaney tore up the field subsequently, before offloading possession to Lyndsey Davey. The Dublin sharpshooter was barrelled over in the box and the referee was in no doubt in pointing straight to the spot with Davey converting the spot kick herself.
McCarron wasn’t finished pulling the strings from full forward, splitting the posts twice more before turning provider for Lyndsey Peat, who drove into the visitor’s danger zone and pilfered an unstoppable effort to net handing DCU a twelve point initiative at the break.
UCC desperately required a positive start to the second period and they duly obliged with Kerry star Ni Mhuircheartaigh taking advantage of a poor kickout to rattle the net.
Cork’s resurgence ended as quickly as it had started however, as Caitriona Foley collected a long punt, spun her marker and finished with deadly accuracy. The prolific corner-forward has made a habit of delivering sucker punches and this major was her fifth in two games.
To their credit, the visitors refused to drop the heads and Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh – their sole attacking threat over the hour – kept the scoreboard ticking over with three points in quick succession, all placed ball efforts.
Indeed, Ni Mhuircheartaigh was desperately unlucky moments later when she ghosted through the DCU defence only for her final effort to thunder off the crossbar. The Rebel County continued to pile on the pressure and only a last ditch block from Laura McEnaney denied Ciara O’Sullivan a goal from close range.
Ellen McCarron, in a neat inter-changer with Foley, rounded off a magnificent performance with her speculative effort finding the top right corner of the goal, bringing her personal tally for the afternoon to 1-7.
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