RAILWAY ADVANCE TO MEET CATHOLIC INSTITUTE IN IRISH SENIOR CUP FINAL

UCD 1 RAILWAY UNION 3

Wednesday April 3: In the second semi-final of the Women’s Irish Senior Cup at Belfield on Wednesday night, Railway and UCD were missing their international players meaning UCD being without Mikayla Power and Sarah McAuley and Railway Union were missing Sarah Hawkshaw, Katie Mullan, Michelle and Niamh Carey.
Both sides had chances. Railway Union had a few penalty corners but did not score. Then UCD forced three consecutive penalty corners but were unable to get a goal in the first ten minutes. UCD finished strongly with a short corner just before the end of the quarter. It was 0-0 going into 2nd quarter. UCD took the lead through Leah O’Shea in the 22nd minute. Railway forced a penalty corner which was blocked on the line by Erika Gallagher. A penalty stroke was awarded, and Lisa McCarthy converted it, 1-1. Towards the end of the quarter the ball ricocheted around the UCD circle Sarah Patton sent a short pass to Lily Lloyd who scored 2-1 Railway Union. It was still 2-1 at half-time.
The third quarter was scoreless, but UCD came closest to scoring when a cross whipped across the Railway Union goalmouth only requiring the faintest of touches to go in. As the game wore on Railway, bolstered by the return to action of the experienced Holly Jenkinson after her broken hand injury, created more chances to score although UCD did have an unsuccessful penalty corner attempt. Once Niamh Shaw converted her 56th minute Penalty corner for Railway Union there was no way back for the Students. Railway advance to the Women’s Irish Senior Cup final back in Belfield Water in early May against Catholic Institute.
UCD: – Erika Gallagher; Leah O’Shea,  Aine Naughton,  Katharine Egan, Anna Costello, Caoimhe Byrne, Ali Griffin,  Sophia Cole,  Emma Paul (C) , Anna McCarthy,  Lauren Johnston;
SUBS USED : Sydney Weir McErlean [ 8 mins] ; Lauren Moore [ 10 mins] ; Lucy Bell [ 27 mins]
RAILWAY UNION:- Emma Buckley; Orla Patton; Sarah Patton; Katie Fearon; Lisa McCarthy; Emma Smyth (C) ; Ailish Long; Orla Fox; Lily Lloyd; Jenny Long; Niamh Shaw;
SUBS USED:- Kate Dillon [ 6 mibs] Aebfhinn Burke [ 8 mins]; Saoirse Griffin [ 8 mins]; Clodagh Ferry [ 9 mins] ;Holly Jenkinson [ 9 mins]
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