Disappointing as it was, yesterday's defeat by Loreto in the semi-finals of the Leinster Senior Cup at Grange Road could not put a damper on Hermes' celebrations at the weekend after they won the Leinster League Senior A title for the first time in 25 years. Saturday's 0-0 draw with Old Alexandra at Belfield gave Hermes the point they needed to secure the title, which they only once previously won when they shared it with Pembroke Wanderers in 1973.
"It feels like the weight of the world has been lifted from our shoulders," said an exhausted Hermes captain Jenny Burke, after a nerve-wracking match in which Old Alexandra forced a flurry of late short corners. Defeat would almost certainly have set up a league decider against defending champions Muckross, a situation Hermes were determined to avoid, but fine goalkeeping by Sarah Hilliard and resolute defending, in particular by Sinead McDonnell, Roly Burke and Helen Kilroy, kept Alex scoreless.
"There's been so much pressure the last couple of months, with everyone saying `you have it, you have it'. We knew we hadn't it won because it's never over till it's over. That was real grit today, Alex played very well and made it very hard for us. I feel really ungrateful that I'm not jumping around but we're all just shattered, the pressure was incredible," added Burke.
"I'm absolutely delighted,["] said Hermes coach Roy Horsfield, who appeared just as shattered by the match as his captain. "They worked so hard for this all season, the whole squad, and they've really earned it. I'm thrilled for them."
A first-half goal by Burke in yesterday's Leinster Cup semi-final looked set to make it a perfect weekend for the club but Aoife Pomeroy equalised for Loreto and Caitriona O'Kelly scored the winner, 20 minutes from the end, when she converted a cross from Elaine Goddard after a superb run up the right by the winger. In the day's first semi-final, Hermes' second team kept Muckross scoreless until the second half when goals from Trish McHugh, Cara Weldrick and Kathy Johnston put the holders into the final.
Meanwhile in Munster it was a calamitous weekend for UCC who lost both their league matches and now look certain to lose their title to Harlequins.
