Sublime Mackin helps UUJ to maiden Giles Cup win

GOURMET FOOD PARLOUR GILES CUP FINAL

Ulster University Jordanstown 2-17

Waterford IT 1-9

By DECLAN ROONEY at Grangegorman

Aimee Mackin kicked 2-11 for her side as Ulster University Jordanstown were unstoppable on their way to a maiden Gourmet Food Parlour Giles Cup final win at Grangegorman.

Last year’s Lynch Cup champions made the most of the strong wind in the first-half to build an insurmountable lead, and despite Chloe Fennell’s goal and yellow cards for Naomh Barr and Joanne Barrett in the second-half, they were far too strong for WIT.

Right from the start UUJ showed their hand when Mackin pointed after 30 seconds, but WIT levelled matters a minute later when Fennell converted a free.

Mackin continued the brisk start with a stunning point off her left from the left wing, and after Grainne Rafferty worked well in the build up Mackin added her third point, while her fourth from play soon followed as UUJ led 0-4 to 0-1 after 11 minutes.

WIT manager David Power would have been thrilled with his side’s fight when Aleisha Cullen’s effort was tipped over the bar, but Tiarna Grimes soon cancelled it out before Mackin claimed her first goal in the 14^th minute.

The Armagh attacker was untouchable in that first-half and she added three unanswered points to put her side 1-8 to 0-2 to the good, and despite another Fennell free, the scores kept mounting for UUJ.

Rafferty kicked a good score on the turn either side of Mackin points and just before half-time the talented centre-forward bagged her second goal when Chloe McCafferty’s shot was kept out by Aoife McAuliffe only for Mackin to fist to the net.

That goal put her side 2-11 to 0-3 head at half-time and Mackin took a hefty blow of the post in scoring, but she recovered and finished the game and got her side off the mark after the restart.

Aoibhinn Henderson stretched their advantage out to 16 points before Mackin added another score, but WIT managed to lift themselves for a big surge in the final quarter. Shauna Dunphy and Emma Murray kicked points for the Waterford side and after Barr hauled down Katie Murray, she received a yellow card and Fennell found the bottom corner with the penalty, with corner-back Claragh Connor deputising in goals.

Fennell then kicked a free to cut the deficit to 2-15 to 1-6 and two more quick points saw WIT finish with their heads held high, but the damage was done by Mackin in the first half.

Scorers – UUJ: A Mackin 2-11 (3f), T Grimes 0-2, G Rafferty 0-2, A Henderson 0-1, S Byrne 0-1.

WIT: C Fennell 1-5 (1-0pen, 5f), A Cullen 0-1, S Dunphy 0-1, E Murray 0-1, S Quirke 0-1.

UUJ: N Barr (Tyrone); S Stevenson (Tyrone), M Morris (Tyrone), C Connor (Derry); E Brennan (Tyrone), B Mackin (Armagh), B McLaughlin (Donegal); M Mallon (Tyrone), T Grimes (Armagh); A Henderson (Armagh), A Mackin (Armagh), A Laverty (Derry); C McCafferty (Tyrone), G Rafferty (Tyrone), J Barrett (Tyrone).

Subs: S Byrne (Tyrone) for Laverty (52).

WIT: A McAuliffe (Wexford); D Hennessy (Tipperary), L Quirke (Cork), R Hogan (Waterford); S Quirke (Tipperary), E Murray (Waterford), M Quill (Wexford); A Loughnane (Tipperary), N Moore (Wexford); C Fennell (Waterford), A Cullen (Wexford), A Dunphy (Waterford); S Dunphy (Waterford), K Murray (Waterford), F Marranin (Clare).

Subs: M Byrne (Offaly) for Cullen (42), Noelle O’Mahony (Cork) for Loughnane (52), A O’Donnell (Tipperary) for Quirke (60), E Manning (Dublin) for Dunphy (60).

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).