Lurgan College claimed their third Kate Russell All-Ireland Schoolgirls title in four years as they completed the two-day competition with a perfect four wins from four, seeing off the challenges of Crescent Comprehensive and St Andrew’s.
The opening game proved decisive as they came from a goal down to see off Munster champions Crescent 3-2. The Limerick girls went on to stun St Andrew’s 4-3 later in the day and followed that up with thrashings of Connacht’s Salerno (4-0) and Kilkenny College (6-0) to rack up a sizeable goal difference and give themselves a shot at the title.
But they needed Lurgan to slip up against St Andrew’s, and Kathryn Edgar’s sweet reverse-stick strike in the eighth minute of their decisive clash proved vital. Andrew’s dominated for long periods but Lurgan hung on to claim the title.
For Crescent – winners of four of the last five Munster crowns – the silver medals nonetheless represented a successful outing with skipper Clodagh Moloney, Aebhfinn Bourke, Jenny Clein, Clodagh Coffey and Megan Mawhinney among those to save their best hockey of the season for the highest school stage.
Kate Russell All-Ireland Schoolgirl’s Championships
Day one: Crescent 2 (C Leahy, C Moloney) Lurgan 3 (K Edgar, H Grieve, T McIlwaine); Kilkenny 5 (C Holmes 2, K Geoghegan, S Eager, E Duncan) Salerno 0; St Andrew’s 3 (S Campbell 2, T Temperley) Crescent 4 (M Mawhinney, A Bourke, J Clein, C Moloney); Lurgan 4 (J Morrow 2, H Grieve, S Hamilton) Kilkenny 0; St Andrew’s 5 (S McCready, R Merrey, S Brooks, K Bernsden, S Campbell) Salerno 0
Day two: Crescent College 4 (C Leahy, C Moloney, C Coffey, M Mawhinney) Salerno 0; St Andrew’s 2 (R Merrey, S Campbell) Kilkenny 1 (K Geoghegan); Salerno 0 Lurgan 4 (T McIlwaine, S Bann, J Costley, J Morrow); Crescent 6 (M Barrett 2, A Bourke 2, M Mawhinney, own goal) Kilkenny 0; Lurgan 1 (K Edgar) St Andrews 1
Standings: 1. Lurgan 12pts (+10) 2. Crescent 9pts (+10) 3. St Andrew’s 6pts (+4) 4. Kilkenny 3pts (-6) 5. Salerno 0pts (-18)
But they needed Lurgan to slip up against St Andrew’s, and Kathryn Edgar’s sweet reverse-stick strike in the eighth minute of their decisive clash proved vital. Andrew’s dominated for long periods but Lurgan hung on to claim the title.
For Crescent – winners of four of the last five Munster crowns – the silver medals nonetheless represented a successful outing with skipper Clodagh Moloney, Aebhfinn Bourke, Jenny Clein, Clodagh Coffey and Megan Mawhinney among those to save their best hockey of the season for the highest school stage.
Kate Russell All-Ireland Schoolgirl’s Championships
Day one: Crescent 2 (C Leahy, C Moloney) Lurgan 3 (K Edgar, H Grieve, T McIlwaine); Kilkenny 5 (C Holmes 2, K Geoghegan, S Eager, E Duncan) Salerno 0; St Andrew’s 3 (S Campbell 2, T Temperley) Crescent 4 (M Mawhinney, A Bourke, J Clein, C Moloney); Lurgan 4 (J Morrow 2, H Grieve, S Hamilton) Kilkenny 0; St Andrew’s 5 (S McCready, R Merrey, S Brooks, K Bernsden, S Campbell) Salerno 0
Day two: Crescent College 4 (C Leahy, C Moloney, C Coffey, M Mawhinney) Salerno 0; St Andrew’s 2 (R Merrey, S Campbell) Kilkenny 1 (K Geoghegan); Salerno 0 Lurgan 4 (T McIlwaine, S Bann, J Costley, J Morrow); Crescent 6 (M Barrett 2, A Bourke 2, M Mawhinney, own goal) Kilkenny 0; Lurgan 1 (K Edgar) St Andrews 1
Standings: 1. Lurgan 12pts (+10) 2. Crescent 9pts (+10) 3. St Andrew’s 6pts (+4) 4. Kilkenny 3pts (-6) 5. Salerno 0pts (-18)