Football

Jordanstown have hopes fixed on returning with Lynch Cup

ULSTER UNIVERSITY, Jordanstown have been missing from O’Connor Cup finals weekend for the past couple of years and, although they might not be competing in the main event, they have their eyes set on the Lynch Cup and returning from Kerry with silverware.

The action gets underway this afternoon in the second semi-final where they face Dublin Institute of Technology for a place in tomorrow’s decider against either Waterford Institute of Technology or University of Limerick’s second string side.

Although never certain in these type of competitions, the feeling is that the winners of the UUJ/DIT semi-final will be favourites to become the outright winners.

Lining out for UUJ’s opponents, DIT, is former Cavan star Bronagh Sheridan and if UUJ can keep her and fellow Cavan native Niamh Halton reasonably quiet, who knows.

Ten years ago, Sheridan won her first Lynch Cup medal with DCU, before winning the ultimate prize, an O’Connor Cup medal in her final year there. O’Connor Cup weekend always holds a special place for any ladies footballer and lining out, and captaining, DIT now, where she is studying Clinical Management is just as special.

“The weekend is hugely special, after a senior All-Ireland, it is the most exciting fixture in the calendar in my opinion. You have the next generation of stars coming through, supremely fit, fast and competitive,” she said.

“We're massively looking forward to heading down to Tralee; it was one of our goals from the beginning of the year to make the weekend so its great to be in this position. We're chomping at the bit now for the semi final on Friday.”

UUJ manager Sean O’Kane said everyone is looking forward to the weekend and although under no pressure or any expectation they are not going to make up the numbers.

“Some girls are in their last year at uni and this is their first experience of an O’Connor Cup weekend and we are delighted to be part of it. Some might be surprised that we have got this far but the girls have progressed massively since the start of the year and fingers crossed you just never know what will happen on the day,” said the Glenelly man who is also involved with Micheal Naughton and the Donegal senior ladies team

UUJ have to plan without the injured Catherine Marley and a couple of others who are missing because of placement but as O’Kane says, that is the benefit of having of a panel. Key for UUJ will be the likes of Donegal’s Blathnaid McLaughlin as well as Tyrone’s Edel O’Kane, Emma Mulgrew, Cavan’s Racheal Jordan and Derry’s Sinead Comer if they are to progress to Saturday’s final.

“We are under no pressure and will go and enjoy ourselves. Beating UCD seconds to qualify for the semis was a big achievement and it has given the team a big confidence boost and belief in themselves. It was our aim at the start of the year to make the O’Connor Cup Finals weekend and we are there.”

In the Giles Cup, there are six players from Ulster involved in today’s semi-finals. Donegal trio Hannah Gallagher, Aine Coll and Caroline Sharkey and Monaghan’s Ailbhe Boyle will line out for St Pat’s Drumcondra in their semi against Carlow IT, which features Cavan duo Amie Lynch and Laura Clarke.

UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK'S Donegal captain Kate Keaney knows how lucky she is to be part of an O’Connor Cup weekend, even it is her fifth.

For the Sports and Exercise Science student, however, it could be her last as this is her final year and she is hoping it ends on a winning note as they vie for a third consecutive title, last done by DCU in 2011.

UL face Dublin City University in the second of the semi-finals this afternoon with University College Cork taking on University College Dublin in the first semi for a place in tomorrow’s final. UCC look to be the team in form with all 15 starting players either current Cork players or having played with Cork’s under 21s. UCD are managed by former Monaghan contingent Peter Clarke, Pat Ring and Angie McNally and have Monaghan’s Ciara McDermott and Donegal duo Deirdre Foley and Roisin Curran lining out for them. DCU have Cavan’s Aisling Sheridan as well as another Ulster player in Donegal’s Kaneshia McKinney. However, UL are seasoned campaigners and although there has been a massive turnover in players from last season to this - 17 in all - the experience of those who remain, like Keaney, could be crucial.

Getting to this stage, every remaining team believes they have what it takes to win the O’Connor Cup and for Keaney UL’s biggest challengers are the next team they face and they are not looking beyond DCU, who are the reigning league champions and who defeated UL by five points in the league semi-final.

“All four teams want to get their hands on the O'Connor Cup,” said Keaney. “It all comes down to who wants it more on the day. We have very much a different squad from the previous two years, so we are a very new team.

“We have a tough semi-final so that’s all we are focusing on at the minute. Our biggest challengers are the next team we play which is DCU, that’s all we are worried about, and we will see how that match goes but we are really looking forward to. The weekend will be a massive step up in levels, the pace will be ferocious and we will have to be at our best tomorrow against DCU. I am really looking forward to the weekend now in Tralee, it is always a great weekend full of craic, with great memories created.”

PPS All-Ireland Junior A Championship final: St Ronan’s College, Lurgan (Armagh) v Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise (Laois) (Saturday, Oliver Plunkett Park, Drogheda, 1.30pm)

INSIDE the school walls of St Ronan’s College in Lurgan, the place is buzzing; there is an All-Ireland final approaching.

On the football pitch, where the U16 girls have been training three times a week, even coming in over Halloween and Christmas holidays, the buzz is one of determination and drive to get over the last hurdle they face tomorrow afternoon in Drogheda against Scoil Chriost Ri of Portlaoise.

Twelve months ago the backbone of this St Ronan’s side suffered the heartache of losing an All-Ireland final. That day St Michael’s Lurgan, which along with St Paul's Junior High School and St Mary's High School amalgamated into the new St Ronan’s College last September, narrowly lost out to John the Baptist Limerick in the Junior B decider.

“A lot of this team have progressed along together over the last three years,” said manager and teacher Mairead McAuley. “The team has lost players as they moved up but it has been added to as well and this group of girls have put in a lot of hard work since the start of the year. We have three fantastic feeder clubs here in Lurgan in Sarsfields, Clann na nGael and Clann Eireann and their hard work has helped us along the way too.”

Ulster has a decent track level in this competition with the provincial winners now appearing in 10 of the last 11 finals. Just last year, Loreto Omagh carried Ulster hope’s of back-to-back wins following St Ciaran’s Ballygawley in 2014 but it was not to be.

McAuley, a County Antrim Moneyglass native admits that at the beginning of the school year the expectations that the senior under 20 squad would have a good year but it has been the junior team who have been surpassing all expectations.

“To be honest, the under 16s have floated along. They lost their second game of the year by two points and at that stage we didn’t know if we would even get out of the group stages. The Ulster semi-final we won by a lucky goal and in the final we won narrowly too.”

That Ulster final was against Loreto Cavan and was the proverbial game of two halves thanks to a gale force wind. Cavan had the upper hand at half-time and led 4.2 to 1.1 but just as their opposition had dictated the first half, St Ronan’s dictated the second half outscoring the Cavan side 3-6 to 1-0 to win by two points, 4-7 to 5.2.

“To have got to where we are now was not expected but these girls have put in the hard work, training three times a week, have exceptional skill levels and have shown a great determination and drive never to give up.

“Those involved last year with St Michael’s in the B final were disappointed to have lost and that hurt has carried many of them through to where we are now.”

Since the semi-final win over Loreto Fermoy the team have been enjoying the build up to the final over the last two weeks. They have been treated like idols, particularly among the Year 8 students in the school and with supporters buses ready to depart the school gates tomorrow morning you can be assured there will be a lot of vocal support behind the Armagh girls. But just as she has done before every game this season, McAuley’s final words to her players will be to make memories.

“The whole squad last year were devastated to lose, but as I tell them, it is not about winning medals, it is about the memories you make along the road and things like getting to an All-Ireland final is what you look back on. To get here we have made some outstanding memories whether you win or lose.”

FIXTURES


Friday, March 11


O’Connor Cup semi-finals: UCC v UCD (John Mitchel's pitch one, 12.30pm); UL v DCU (John Mitchel's pitch one, 3.30pm); Lynch Cup semi-finals: WIT v UL2 (IT Tralee, 12pm), DIT v UUJ (IT Tralee, 3pm); Giles Cup semi-finals: CIT v St Pat’s, Drumcondra (John Mitchel's pitch two, 11.30am), IT Carlow v MICL (John Mitchel's pitch two, 2.30pm)

Saturday, March 12


O’Connor Cup final (John Mitchel's pitch one, 3pm with deferred coverage on TG4);Giles Cup final (IT Tralee, 1pm); Lynch Cup final (IT Tralee, 11am)