Limerick keep Bandon at bay

Women’s Div 1 Limerick 3 (Ciara Hayes, Lorraine McGowan, Gill Quigley) Bandon 2 (Vicky Burns, Ciara McCarthy) Bandon’s short corner unit misfired as Limerick soaked up the pressure before claiming a memorable smash-and-grab victory. John Dennis’ side hit the front against the run of play as Vicky Burns converted from the top of the circle off a short, with Ciara Hayes bundling the ball home to equalise.

Bandon worked their trademark short corner deflection with Burns disguise sweeping for Ciara McCarthy to convert with the last play of the first half, setting the tone for a dominant second period. Eight more shorts went a begging for Bandon before Lorraine McGowan’s strike from yet another set-piece levelled it, preceding the winner five minutes from time, which came off a rehearsed set play at a free-in that Gill Quigley got the decisive touch to. Ashton 1 (Michelle Barry) Fermoy 1 (Jess Ottman) Fermoy’s remarkable resurgence continues as they hit Ashton with a last-gasp sucker punch to make it seven points from the last nine. That’s quite a record for a squad that looked destined for a relegation battle after losing their first seven games, but Mark Egner has turned things around bit by bit. They’re not mathematically safe yet but with a 10-point lead over UL and the students having to play title-chasing duo UCC and Institute in the next two of their final four games, it looks likely Fermoy will avoid relegation at the first attempt. Ashton led the way for the most part but found Fermoy’s short corner defence up to the task. They eventually scored when Emma Harrington raided the baseline and played the ’90’ ball for Michelle Barry to prod home. But in winning just their second corner in the final seconds of the game, Fermoy brought everyone up and it paid off when Jess Ottman bashed home the equaliser. Cork C of I 1 (Jane Quinlivan) Catholic Institute 2 (Steph Hall 2, Elaine Bromell, Eimear Cregan, Naomi Carroll, Katie Campbell) Catholic Institute sent out a chilling warning to Quins and UCC that they’re not ready to give up their title just yet with an emphatic win at Garryduff. C of I have proven a tough nut to crack for everybody this season, especially at home, but they had no answer to a powerful attacking performance from Insta, with all of their marquee forwards finding the net. They’ve now hit 31 goals in four games to return to the highs of last season, and their visits to Harlequin Park and the Mardyke next month have the air of title deciders about them.

UL 0 Cork Harlequins 3 (Orlagh Cotter, Yvonne O’Byrne, Niamh O’Donnell) Inspirational midfielder Rachel McSharry helped Quins stop the rot as the leaders kept their five-point advantage over Insta intact with victory over an improving UL. Quins now have a break from league action as they gear up for a potentially seismic clash with Institute at home on March 9. Munster Senior Plate semi-finals Bandon 0 UL 2 (Laura Peters, Sorcha Carey) The cups have been UL’s salvation this season and that trend continued as they left their league woes behind them to record a deserved victory in west Cork. Laura Peters, against her former club, picked up a rebound off Claire Hayes’ pads at short corner time to put them one up in the first half. The clincher arrived in similar fashion 15 minutes from time, this time Sorcha Carey doing the necessary after Steph Peters’ initial shot had been well saved. It completed a miserable weekend for Bandon, who again had the lion’s share of possession but struggled to create meaningful chances. Ashton 4 (Michelle Barry, Karen Stokes, Emma Harrington, Sarah Clune) Limerick 1 (Sinead O’Regan) Ashton broke their recent trend of draws to comfortably put away a tired Limerick side shorn a couple of regulars. Michelle Barry, Karen Stokes and Sarah Clune all got clinical touches as Ashton were forced to work the ball around Anne Marie Byrne, who saved almost everything that came at her directly. Emma Harrington’s was the pick of the bunch as the Ashton skipper burned off two Limerick defenders before finishing with aplomb on her backhand from a tight angle. Irish Junior Cup quarter-final Ashton 1 (Sinead White) Railway Union 0 Ashton pulled off one of the biggest shocks in recent Irish Junior Cup years when they dug deep to see off a fancied Railway Union side on Saturday. The light blues ran down the majority of Railway’s corners while the Dubliners also put one gilt-edged chance wide as Malcolm Coombes’ side played four in midfield and played on the break, with Jennifer Levis among those to shine. The winner came a couple of minutes into the second half when Ashton turned over Railway on the left and Alice Smith dinked her way along the baseline before flipping the ball over the keeper for Sinead White to tap in. They’ll be awaiting today’s draw with baited breath, with Lisnagarvey, Pembroke Wanderers and Hermes the other sides in the drum.