SCHOOLGIRLS' HOCKEY/Leinster Senior Cup final: The players of St Andrews proved at Grange Road yesterday that they're an indomitable bunch.
A year ago their school was one minute away from reaching its first Leinster Senior Cup final, only for Mount Anville to equalise and go on to win 3-2 in extra time, having trailed 2-0. "There's always next year" was the only solace any one could offer an inconsolable Andrews team. "Next year", though, was yesterday, when 10 of the same squad helped beat King's Hospital 3-0 in the final to put their school's name on the senior cup for the first time.
Suzi Murray was one of the 10 and she well and truly put the despair of that Mount Anville defeat behind her by scoring a superb second half hat-trick to give St Andrews, coached by Mandy Hollwey and Irish goalkeeper Nikki King, victory. Two of the goals came in the last four minutes, though, perhaps putting an unkind gloss on the margin of Kings Hospital's defeat. The Palmerstown school, which was seeking its first triumph in the competition since 1975, can, however, take inspiration from Andrews' persistence.
King's Hospital began the game more brightly, winning a short corner in the first minute, but Andrews soon found their feet and dominated much of the remainder of the final. The Flinn twins, Roisín and Fyona, were a constant menace on the right, while captain Rebecca Coll controlled the centre of midfield from start to finish. It was Andrews' gifted forward Heather Irvine, though, who had the most significant impact on the game, helping create two of the goals and a host of other chances for her school.
Irvine forged the first opening of the game, putting Murray through after just three minutes, but the winger's effort drifted just left of the post. In the 18th minute Coll's pass put Murray clear again but this time her attempt went just wide of the right post. She must have thought it wasn't going to be her day. She was wrong.
The first goal of the game came nine minutes into the second half, with Murray finishing a quite magnificent counter-attack. In a sweeping move Fyona Flinn broke from midfield, before passing to Irvine on the right wing - her inch-perfect cross was met by Murray, first time, to break the deadlock.
Kings Hospital responded valiantly, with midfielders Louisa Johnston and Emily Bradshaw leading the rally, and forced three short corners in quick succession, with Fodhla Treacy's effort from the third smartly saved by Bairbre Luke. With four minutes to go Andrews effectively sealed their richly deserved victory, when Irvine and Roisín Flinn combined to set up Murray again. And, a minute from time, Murray completed her hat-trick, tapping home another Roisín Flinn cross from the right. Andrews' motto after yesteday? If at first you don't succeed ...
KING'S HOSPITAL: P Smithwick, A Murphy, H Jones, J Leyden, A Bennett, L Johnston, E Bradshaw, R Greene, F Treacy (capt), N Hill, H Hastings. Subs: A Johnston, E Cooke, F MacAuley, B Moran, L Sothern.
ST ANDREWS: B Luke, K Horner, K O'Grady, K Neligan, N Doyle, R Griffith, R Coll (capt), F Flinn, S Murray, R Flinn, H Irvine. Subs: A Black, A Morris, K Stewart, S Mawhinney, K Langstein.
Umpires: A Murray and C Metchette.
