O'CONNOR CUP
HEC O'Connor Cup Final
DCU Dóchas Éireann 2-16
UCC 2-14
(after extra-time)
DCU Dóchas Éireann retained their
O'Connor Cup title after a hard-fought
win over UCC at MTU Cork to claim the
crown for the sixth time.
It took extra time to separate the sides
with little or nothing between them for
long stretches of play in an epic decider
before DCU DÉ pushed to claim the crown
against a UCC side bidding for their first
title since 2012
DCU DÉ enjoyed a brilliant start but
UCC hauled them back as the final ebbed
and flowed.
The game was only 20 seconds old
when DCU DÉ had their first score when
Chloe Darby pointed. From the restart,
and still in the first minute, they had their
second. They won the ball back and Kate
Kenny found the back of the net for a
perfect start for the holders.
Leah Hallinan got UCC off the mark
and two frees from Ellie Jack for the
Cork side made it 1-2 to 0-3 with just six
minutes played.
Emma Duggan, Kenny and Emma
Morrissey stretched DCU DÉ's lead again
before Abigail Ring pulled a point back
for UCC.
Ciara Banville was on target for the
title holders, before UCC were thrown a
lifeline.
Ave Fennessy played the ball to
Kellyann Hogan and she found the net to
make it 1-6 to 1-4.
But DCU DÉ weren't going to give up
their title easily and they broke straight
down the pitch for Duggan to score a
superb point.
Just before half time Darby was on
target again to see DCU DÉ four points
up at the break as they led by 1-8 to 1-4.
Ring pointed for UCC and with 33
DCU Dóchas Éireann
retain O'Connor Cup after
epic decider
58 | PEIL ANNUAL 2024 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie
