Loreto Coleraine and St Catherine’s Armagh claim Colleges titles

Fr Davies’ Cup final :

Loreto Coleraine 3-7 St Pius X Magherafelt 1-4

Loreto Coleraine bridged a 10 year gap to collect their second Fr Davies’ Cup in Ballymena on Saturday.

A goal from Clodagh Connolly following a defensive error put Loreto into a 1-2 to 0-1 lead and they had the experience in key areas of the pitch to control the game and edge their way to the title.

Eilís McNamee, Megan Kerr and Claire Tracey were superb at the back with the latter surging forward during the second half and contributing the pass that set up the score of the game from Kirstin Ingram.

Both midfielders Roseanna McAleese and Cristin O’Kane worked hard while there was danger up front from Clodagh Connolly, with Nicole O’Neill accurate from frees.

St Pius X didn’t have the same number of players who constantly lifted their game.  Many were there for short bursts with Sarah Cassidy and Caoimhe Glass the two that played consistently well.

After that 8th minute goal from Clodagh Connolly, Aimee Devlin hit back with a free, but Loreto contained the scoring threat and added points in the 18th and 28th minutes for a 1-4 to 0-2 interval lead.

A fine goal within 90 seconds following a surging run by Sinead Conlon should have heralded a revival from St Pius X, but they couldn’t add to it and Loreto added points before a free from Nicole fell short in the 40th minute and Connolly kicked her second goal in a goalmouth scramble.

From then until the finish, Loreto were not going to let it slip and Kirsten Ingram finished a superb move for the last score, their third goal, seven minutes from time.

Loreto : Bronagh McKinney, Clare Rafferty, Eilís McNamee, Catherine McNicholl, Cliodhna McIlvenna, Megan Kerr, Clare Tracey, Roseanna McAleese, Cristin O’Kane capt, Kirstin Ingram 1-1, Jessica Hickinson, Nicole O’Neill 0-5 frees, Shannon McWilliams, Clodagh Connolly 2-1, Therese Corrigan.

St Pius X : Lauren Donnelly, Shannon McCrystal, Ciara McNabb, Leona Brown, Catrina Diamond, Sarah Cassidy, Caoimhe Glass capt., Maggie Hagan, Sinead Conlon 1-0, Emer Stinson, Aimee Devlin 0-3, 0-2 frees, Laura Wilson, Eimear McElwee, Brigid McMullan, Niamh McGuckin 0-1.

Subs : Aoife McNabb for E McElwee (27), Aimee Browne for E Stinson (46).

Referee : Julie O’Neill (Armagh).  

Senior Medallion Shield final :

St Catherine’s Armagh 7-5 Assumption Ballynahinch 4-5

St Catherine’s Armagh have won their first ever Ulster Colleges’ title by collecting the Medallion Shield title just seven days after losing the Junior title to neighbours St Patrick’s Keady.

They had a number of excellent performances – the likes of goalie Aoife McGaffin, captain Eimear Hayes – but Joanne Mullan really stood out over the hour.

There had to be some sympathy for Assumption who finished runners-up for the second year in a row and still await their first title. But they didn’t really get going on the day and the goals before the break really deflated them.

The Down side got off to a decent start with a goal from Colleen Clarke giving them a 1-2 to 1-1 lead after Joanne Mullen had opened the scoring with anArmaghgoal.

That was basically how the game stayed until the 10 minutes before half-time when St Catherine’s scored three goals to lead by 4-1 to 1-3.  Joanne Mullan scored one direct from a free and this was sandwiched between two from Ciarai Devlin.

St Catherine’s pressed home their advantage on the re-start adding three more goals (from Ursula McParland, Eimear O’Kane and Siodhna Woods) before disaster struck with midfielder Shannon Kelly being red-carded.

That visibly lifted Assumption and they tagged on goals from Megan Doherty, Aimee McAleenan and Colleen Clarke to close the gap significantly.

However St Catherine’s star of the game Joanne Mullan stopped the rot with two points and they held out for victory.

St Catherine’s : Aoife McGaffin, Cathy Moen, Aine Donnelly, Celine Cauldwell, Louise Mackle, Eimear Hayes capt., Caitlin McParland, Shannon Kelly 0-1, Eimear O’Kane 1-0, Joanne Mullen 2-3, Ursula McParland 1-0, Eimear Mullen, Aoife McKenna, Ciarrai Devlin 2-0, Siodhna Woods 1-1.

Subs : Ciara Rath for C Moen, Ellie Donnelly for C Rath.

Assumption : Olivia Fay, Claren Owens, Cara McMullan capt., Ashlene Connolly, Maeve Kelly, Grace Gallagher, Catherine Hamilton, Aoife Keown, Aimee McAleenan 1-4, Ciara Gibson, Rebecca Johnston, Colleen Clarke 2-1, Tiarna Dorrian, Meghan Doherty 1-0, Saoirse O’Hanlon.

Subs : Sinead Sweeney for O Fay, Ellen Finnegan for M Doherty, Sophie Clarke for T Dorrian.

Referee : Joe Baldwin (An Ríocht)

Seamas McAleenan- taken from Irish News