Leinster take Interprovincial Crown

All
roads led to St Lomans Mullingar at the weekend
as all four Provinces battled it out for 2005
Interprovincial crown and the Mick Talbot Cup.
In the end it was to be title number eight for
the Leinster girls and with it end Munster’s aim
for a third successive title.

The action kicked off on Saturday as each side
played each other over 40 minute games. The conditions
were terrible with a gale force wind throughout
not making it ideal for good football. Despite
this all four sides put on some very exciting
displays but in the end it was both Munster and
Leinster that progressed unbeaten and into the
cup final.

This of course left Ulster and Connacht into the
Shield decider. The weather conditions to greet
the sides on Sunday morning were much better as
the sun came out and with it we were treated to
two very good finals. Ulster 1-13 Connacht 2-07
Ulster recovered from losing all three games on
Saturday to take their 2nd Shield back home with
a cracking second half display. The girls from
the West were slow off the blocks as a Victoria
Mallet goal set Ulster on their way after 10 minutes.
However helped by goals from Christina Heffernan
and Niamh Fahy (penalty) Connacht deservedly led
at the interval by 2-05 to 1-02.

It was to be a different story after the resumption
as Ulster showed the football they were capable
of but did not show the previous day. They rallied
themselves and came out to completely dominate
the second period and hold Connacht to just two
points with a great defensive display. While at
the other end the kicked some wonder scores from
players like Nadine Doherty, Michaela Downey and
Caroline O’Hanlon.
Scorers:
Ulster: Michaela Downey 0-04, Victoria
Mallet 1-00, Nadine Doherty, Niamh Kindlon, Caroline
O’Hanlon 0-02 each, Shauna O’Hagan, Aisling Tierney,
Alma O’Donnell 0-01 each
Connacht: Christina Heffernan 1-01, Cora
Staunton 0-03, Niamh Fahy 1-00, Patricia Gleeson,
Caroline Conway, Annette Clarke 0-01 each

Leinster 1-11 Munster 2-06

A scoring spree from both Mary Nevin and Simone
Gilabert earned Leinster their first Interprovincial
crown since 1998 at a sun drenched St Lomans on
Sunday. Both sides had played out a draw in the
Saturdays meeting and again it looked we could
well be in for much of the same in a very evenly
and exciting decider. Kildare’s Gilabert rattled
over two early points to settle the eventual winners
down. The response was quick at the other end
as Kacey O’ Driscoll pointed and Deirdre O’ Reilly
hit the net.

Gilabert hit back with a goal at the other end
but back came Aisling O’Connor with Munster second
goal soon after. With the game swinging from one
end to the other it was no surprise they went
in at the break level at Munster 2-04 Leinster
1-07.

The second period was to see both defences on
top as they cancelled each other out. Valerie
Mulcahy edged Munster in front but that was to
be the only point for some time of a very low
scoring second half. Both sides missed some glorious
chances and Mulcahy also brought the best out
of Cliona O’ Connor in the Leinster goal. Finally
a wonder point from Eadaoine Lenihan levelled
matters with Leinster first score of the half.

Mary Nevin and Niamh Briggs exchanged points before
a brace from Nevin in the closing minutes took
the title to Leinster and stop a three in a row
for Munster.

Scorers:
Leinster: Simone Gilabert 1-04, Mary Nevin
0-06, Eadaoine Lenihan 0-01
Munster: Aisling O’Connor 1-01, Deirdre
O’Reilly 1-00, Kacey O’Driscoll 0-02, Juliette
Murphy, Valerie Mulcahy, Niamh Briggs 0-01 each

Alan Gunn (PR Committee)