Sunday, October 6: There were two major matchups in round 3 of the 2024 Girls Inter Provincial Series. Ulster hosted Leinster in Havelock Park, with both provinces unbeaten in the series. Meanwhile in Athlone, Munster and Connacht went head-to-head.
U16 Girls
Connacht 0 Munster 1
A win in their opening game against Leinster South and a draw with a shoot-out bonus point in round 2 against Leinster gave Munster a strong platform going into their third game of the Inter Provincial Series. Connacht looked to rebound from a tricky opening round against Leinster, and given they had no game in round 2 they had plenty of time to assess and adjust.
The game proved to be a neck and neck affair with little to separate the two sides. The opening half saw chances being created down either end of the pitch but no breakthrough to be made, with the teams entering the break locked at 0-0.
The deadlock was broken immediately by Munster at the beginning of the second half thanks to a smart finish from Munster’s Katya Shorten. Connacht threw everything they had back at Munster as they sought out a route back into the game, but it wasn’t to be, and Munster took home the points.
CONNACHT U16: Eadoin Burns (GK); Maeve Bates; Grace Brosnan; Amy Butler; Orla Costello; Aoife Harrison; Eleanor Troy (C); Olivia Hogan; Grace Kelly; Chloe Moffett; Mia Walsh.
SUBS USED: Chloe Fenton (GK); Eve Farragher [24 mins]; Mae Fenton [29 mins]; Ellen Holland [28 mins]; Juliette Reidy [21 mins]; Zoe Wright [14 mins]; Róisín Osborne [14 mins].
MUNSTER U16: Lily Burke (GK); Jenny Murphy; Freya Bateman; Caoilinn Lane; Rachel Sweetnam; Saoirse Gaffney; Lily May Kelleher (C), Michaela Jones; Eva Dullea; Katya Shorten; Catherine Scully.
SUBS USED: Tessa Dwyer (GK) [35 mins], Mary Barry [11 mins]; Sophia Meaney [7 mins]; Sarah Spain [9 mins], Ella O’Shaughnessy [ 7 mins]; Emma McDonald [6 mins], Gabrielle Morrissey [6 mins].
Ulster 1 Leinster 2
Both sides entered today’s game having recorded wins in the competition, with Ulster one win from one game, and Leinster having to settle for one win and one draw.
The opening half in Havelock Park played out in similar fashion to the game between Connacht and Munster, with both sides applying pressure but being cancelled out by the performances of the defensive units and goalkeepers.
But the game came alive in the second half when the home side, Ulster, opened the scoring from open play. Katie Leslie’s finish gave Ulster the lead after 43 minutes, a lead they held until the final quarter.
Leinster, however, fought their way back into the game when Isabelle Carroll-Breen scored just two minutes into the final quarter. They took the lead five minutes later in the 59th minute when Rosie Stafford got in on the act, a goal that would ultimately secure the win for Leinster.
ULSTER U16: Makayla Stevenson (GK), Charlotte Betts; Bonnie Connor-Boyd; Maggie Scott (C); Leah Callaghan; Alana Thornton; Brianna Gregg; Zara Hopkins; Katie Leslie; Hollie Givan; Sophie Tate
SUBS USED: Katie Dolan (GK) [18 mins]; Maisy Hannath [10 mins]; Cassie McMaw [9 mins]; Vanessa Monaghan [14 mins]; Ruby Caddoo [10 mins]; Lucy Megaw [11 mins]; Sophia Simmons [11 mins].
LEINSTER U16: Siobhan Emmerson (GK); Isabelle Mulcahy (C); Nicole Barry; Pippa Beatty; Lienkies De Klerk; Emily Sexton; Laura Keogh; Olivia Lacy; Alannah Sheridan; Emilia Walsh; Daisy Ovington.
SUBS USED: Laylah Fitzpatrick (GK); Isabelle Carroll-Breen [8 mins]; Ella Tosh [9 mins]; Rosie Stafford [7 mins]; Georgia May Agnew [8 mins]; Ella Galligan [6 mins]; Emma Holmes [9 mins].
U18 Girls
Connacht 0 Munster 3
Both Connacht and Munster were yet to record a victory in the series so far but had proven they were more than up for the fight having both put in valiant performances in their games to date.
Yet another close first half saw the sides enter the break on level terms, but Munster eventually managed to break the exceptionally resolute Connacht defense with a quick trio of goals in the final quarter. Munster’s Katie Twomey grabbed the first after 55 minutes, and Saoirse Cunningham doubled the lead just a minute later. The victory was secured with 10 minutes still on the clock when Sally Murray found the net, giving Munster their first win.
CONNACHT U18: Emma Considine (GK); Caoimhe Kelly; Allanah Moran; Aoife Purtill; K. Stuart Trainor (C); Mai Given; Éabha Daffy; Rise Flynn; Sophie Beatty (C); Aifric Mannion; Mia O’Donnell.
SUBS USED: Rosie Symonds (GK) [36 mins], Eve Kavanagh [18 mins]; Róisín Shaughnessy [10 mins]; Robyn Flannery [8 mins]; Chloe Anderson [14 mins]; Emma Jane Costello [18 mins]; Aoibhin Deasy [14 mins].
MUNSTER U18: Hilary Willis (GK); Sofie Moloney; Amy Noonan (C); Kate Collins; Ruby Lehane; Katie Twomey; Alex Dale; Jessica Grace; Rachel Somers (C); Zara Byrne; Sally Murray.
SUBS USED: Siun Dolan (GK) [35 mins]; Saoirse Cunningham [8 mins]; Kyah Kelly [8 mins]; Emma McAuliffe [11 mins]; Elizabeth Scully [18 mins]; Alicia Reddan [18 mins]; Emily Brink [11 mins].
Ulster 0 Leinster 4
It was anyone’s guess who might come out on top between Leinster and Munster, given both sides had made strong starts to the 2024 Interpro Series. But what was certain was that today’s winners would be taking a significant step towards a place in the final.
Leinster proved the stronger of the two sides, building a quarter-by-quarter lead that saw them cruise to a 0-4 victory in Havelock Park. Hollai Quin opened the scoring after 15 minutes. Just minutes before half time she got her second, to double Leinster’s lead. Lauryn Barry extended the lead in the 39th minute before Isobel Field put the icing on the cake in the 54th minute to seal a Leinster victory.
ULSTER U18: Anna Wilson (GK); Emily Adamson; Isla Allen; Joni Cunningham; Leah Galbraith; Katie Herron; Ruby Johnston; Rebekah Lennon; Emma McEntee; Erin Pim; Scarlett Taylor (C).
SUBS USED: Lucy McCaffrey (GK) [35 mins]; Nieve Caldwell [12 mins]; Evie Duncan [18 mins]; Evie Girvan [12 mins]; Anna McRoberts [12 mins]; Evie Thompson [18 mins]; Lara Wilson [12 mins].
LEINSTER U18: Flourish Olufemi Ojo (GK); Eva Doyle; Hollai Quinn; Amber Mealia; Julie Potter Cogan; Mollie Lennon; Sarah Byrne (C); Abbie O’Connor; Isobel Field; Kate Byrnes; Lauryn Barry.
SUBS USED: Lucy McGoldrick (GK)[35 mins]; Daisy Costell [7 mins]; Holly Farrell [6 mins]; Lucy Fox [9 mins]; Yana Yoakley [11 mins]; Sophie Maxwell [6 mins]; Amelia Ryan [7 mins].