Ursuline win Hockey Senior A Cup quarter final

On Wednesday, the Senior A's travelled to Bandon to compete in the Senior A Cup Quarter Final and were delighted to come home with a 5-2 win. It was a very competitive game played with great spirit throughout. They did well to stay focussed and fight back when a Bandon goal after six minutes saw them on the back foot early on in the game.

Lucy Kavanagh was on hand for the equaliser from a well-worked short corner, and Miah Bourke made sure the Ursuline got in front shortly afterwards to see Thurles 2-1 at the end of the first quarter. Miah, a member of the Munster U16 squad, picked up a rebound at the edge of the circle to place it in the far corner off the post. Her Munster teammate, Aoife Kavanagh, pushed the Ursuline further ahead with a counter-attack up the middle to make it 3-1.

Bandon pushed back with a goal from a very fast break up the centre and a cool finish to the bottom corner to add their second tally of the day. However, the Ursuline had come to win, and two minutes after the second Bandon goal Munster U18 Kate Ryan showed her commanding presence with a score from a cracking strike from the right edge of the circle. She followed this with a second goal a few minutes later, showing her great skill, cutting infield and unleashing a rocket of a reverse strike to make it Ursuline 5 Bandon 2 at full time.

A great team effort by everyone with plenty of heart, determination and strength on display. 

The Minor B team travelled to Bandon on Wednesday, 19 January, in the company of the Senior As, and they too were delighted to beat their West Cork opponents. The final score in this game was Ursuline 2 Bandon 1 with goals courtesy of Alana Spillane and Sophie Quirke. 

 The Junior As were in action last week and secured their place in the Cup Semi-Final with an excellent win away to Laurel Hill Secondary School. Aoife Kavanagh continued to blaze a trail with four goals in total added to Rosie O’Grady’s two and one apiece for Abigail Hourigan Powell, and Isobel Larkin meant a decisive victory for this team that continue to go from strength to strength. 

 The Junior Bs had a great league win against Laurel Hill Secondary School. They worked hard all over the pitch, with Izzy Carr and Margaret McGrath taking control of mid-field. The forwards were ruthless in attack, with Sarah Quinlan scoring a hat-trick and Grace Brophy, Anna O’Donoghue and Kate Fahey getting their names on the score sheet too. 

Finally, the Minor As continued the Ursuline run of good fortune in Limerick when they beat Laurel Hill 7-0. Their Munster League game started well, with goals coming thick and fast from the opening five minutes on. Well done to scorers Lilly Kavanagh (2), Chloe Hourigan (2), Grace Ford (1), Kate Walsh (2) and to the whole team on a very polished performance.