News
WSCAI Inter Provincial Tournament 2006
Sligo IT, Sligo – 31st March & 1st April
Leinster successfully retained the WSCAI Interprovincial tournament hosted by Sligo IT last weekend. Despite the poor weather conditions and a large number of absentees, Leinster progressed through the competition unbeaten with only the concession of two late goals against Munster depriving the eventual winners of a deserved 100% record.
Friday 31st March @ 3pm
Leinster 1 (Kathleen O'Farrell) Connacht 0
Connacht started brightly and capitalised on some hesitancy in the Leinster defence to create a few chances in the opening 45 minutes the best of which was a great cross from the left hand side which arrived at the foot of a Connacht striker six yards out, her side footed effort went inches wide of the near post.
Leinster turned on the style in the second period, and their persistence paid off when after a few efforts were blocked by a combination of good defending and excellent goalkeeping the ball arrived at the feet of substitute Kathleen O’Farrell who let fly.
Leinster never looked like losing from that point on, and solid play meant that the first blood would be heading to Leinster.
Saturday 1st April @ 11am
Leinster 3 (Wendy McGlone, Bronagh Sheridan, Angie Callaghan) Munster 3
Munster got off to the best possible start when one of their strikers latched onto a loose ball in the Leinster box very early in the game. Leinster proceeded to have the lions share of possession but just lacked the killer punch required to draw level. Carla Moran had the best opportunity to score for Leinster but her effort was aimed straight at the Munster keeper.
The second half was a completely different story, Wendy McGlone pounced on a loose pass in the Munster defence to blast her effort into the roof of the net from 20 yards to level the scores after ten minutes of the second period. Minutes later a Leinster corner wasn't dealt with by the Munster defence and Bronagh Sheridan pounced to scramble home a rare goal. Angie Callaghan looked to have sealed the three points for the Leinster side with thirty minutes left on the clock when she added the third. But with four minutes left Munster had decided that they wanted a piece of the action.
Two long balls over the top saw two goal chances, and more importantly two goals for the southerners to rescue a point they scarcely deserved, but fair play. Leinster missed enough chances to win the game three times over, and when Munsters opportunities came they ensured that they would enter the final round on top of the table, albeit on goal difference.
Saturday 1st April @ 3pm
Leinster 8 (Rachel Jenkins (2), Ailish Kelly (2), Carla Moran, Angie Callaghan, Bronagh Sheridan, Wendy McGlone) Ulster 1
Ulster whose interest had ended in the competition after their initial two defeats to Munster and Connacht, were to be the final opponents for a Leinster side requiring a shed load of goals to ensure the title would be returning to Leinster this season. An attacking formation saw Leinster open a two goal lead early in the first half and they continued their good form to hold a 4-0 lead at the break. With Munster 2-1 at the interval a goal for Munster or Ulster in their respective games would have given the initiative back to Munster.
There was to be no let up for the northerners, when Leinster managed to add four more goals, while Ulster did manage a consolation strike to ensure that they did manage to score in each game of the competition.
Leinster Squad
Goalkeepers: Linda Meehan (NUI Maynooth & Peamount United), Orla Tuite (DCU), Bronagh Sheridan (DCU), Aoiffe Magner (UCD), Aisling Toolan (Trinity College & Peamount United), Melissa Haughton (Inchicore & Markievicz Celtic), Sam Kenny (UCD), Sandra Mulhall (DIT & UCD), Rachel Jenkins (DIT & UCD), Bebhinn Nutty (Trinity College & Stella Maris), Muirinn Nutty (Trinity College & Stella Maris), Eimear O'Herlihy (UCD), Wendy McGlone (DCU & Templeogue), Stacy McGlone (NUI Maynooth & Templeogue), Carla Moran (DCU & Raheny United), Kathleen O'Farrell (UCD & Raheny United), Angie Callaghan (UCD) & Ailish Kelly (DIT & Stella Maris)
Results
Leinster 1 Connacht 0
Ulster 2 Munster 4
Leinster 3 Munster 3
Ulster 1 Connacht 4
Leinster 8 Ulster 1
Connacht 4 Munster 2
WSCAI Inter Provincials P W D L F A Pts
Leinster 3 2 1 0 12 4 7
Connacht 3 2 0 1 8 4 6
Munster 3 1 1 1 9 9 4
Ulster 3 0 0 3 4 16 0
For further questions please contact:
Breifne Earley at (086) 8218854 or breifne@beamsystems.ie
