Institute escape to victory

Ashton 1 (Michelle Barry) Catholic Institute 2 (Naomi Carroll, Eimear Cregan) Ashton came within three minutes of ending Institute’s 15th-month 100% record at a tie full of intrigue at Ursulines Blackrock on Saturday.

Forced to surrender home advantage due to a flooded pitch, Ashton brought all their resolve with them as goalkeeper Niamh Stockil and centre-back Ciara O’Connell led a sterling defensive effort to restrict Insta to snapshots in a scoreless first half. Munster U16 rising star Michelle Barry got a just reward for a superb performance in midfield when she forced home in a goalmouth scramble, the shock strike coming after Insta had gone to sleep when conceding a free on the dotted line. But the champions showed all their experience to come roaring back. Standout forward Naomi Carroll re-directed Eimear Cregan’s shot to the net with 15 minutes to go, setting up a grandstand finale. And Katie Campbell raided the baseline before pulling back for Cregan to fire a 67th-minute winner. It was all the tougher on Ashton given confusion over the availability of Munster U18 players had seen them leave starlets Kate Harvey and Shauna Fagan out of their line-up, only to find out other clubs had fielded their representative players. UCC 4 (Miriam Crowley 2, Olivia Roycroft 2) Cork C of I 0 Irish international Miriam Crowley’s return to the skull and crossbones after a year with Hermes lit up this tie as UCC made a real statement of intent. The absence of injured skipper Aine Curran mattered little to College as Olivia Roycroft put them in front from a corner before Crowley doubled the advantage before half-time. It left a game C of I side, bang in form so far this season, unable to get a foothold and Ireland U21 schemer Roycroft whizzed home a reverse to all but kill the tie as a contest. Crowley then scored an absolute peach, picking the ball up 40 metres out and dinking past a series of would-be tacklers before rifling a half-volley into the bottom corner.

On this evidence, the title race looks set to be a three-way fight, though College’s mettle will really be tested when they take on Institute and Quins. Cork Harlequins 8 (Lesley Ann Daunt 3, Cliodhna Sargent 2, Louise Mills, Yvonne O’Byrne, own goal) Limerick 0 Having hit eight past Fermoy in week one, Quins repeated the dose against the other promoted side to make it an all-too-easy four wins from four. Farmer’s Cross was never likely to be a major target for points for Limerick and it proved thus as Lesley Ann Daunt bagged a treble and Cliodhna Sargent bagged another couple, while Louise Mills nabbed her first senior goal for the club. Sargent’s ongoing availability is likely to be dependent on the wishes of the new Irish coach, whenever he or she is confirmed, but the teak-tough defender has certainly proven her worth to her club in recent weeks.