Limerick 3-8 Dublin
1-11
How often does your goalkeeper finish as top scorer? That’s Faye McCarthy’s distinction after the
‘keeper bagged 1-5 from placed balls to keep her side well in the hunt to the final whistle. But Limerick’s livewire full-forward Dearbhla
Egan was a constant menace and netted three times off the hand to give her side
a narrow win.
Dublin were first off the mark when Aoife Walsh kicked a
neat point in the 2nd minute but Dearbhla Egan bagged a free from
the puck out to level. Another free –
this time from Kirsten Farrell restored Dublin’s lead but Limerick’s Róisín
O’Mara and Egan put the Munster side in front with a pair of points.
Faye McCarthy was operating in goals in place of the
unavailable Emma Loo and with her first placed ball she struck a magnificent
70m free between to posts in the 15th minute. Dublin’s shooting however was a bit wayward
and good opportunities were wasted as the wides tally mounted to 5 compared to
a solitary effort from Limerick.
Dearbhla Egan was the danger threat and following a lovely
dummy and point she caught a great ball in the 25th minute to palm
to the net.
An excellent score from Elaine Gallery in the 29th
minute following fine approach play by Danielle Powell was the home side’s
first from play and that was another difference between the teams. Limerick scored 3-4 from play to Dublin’s
0-4.
Dublin attacked the second half with determination with a
Kirsten Farrell free but once again Dearbhla Egan again demonstrated her
talents with a fine catch and run to hand pass to the net. However Dublin dominated the next 10 minutes with an
unanswered 1-4 – all bar a point from the stick of Faye McCarthy who gave an
exhibition of long range free taking. The goal came when she slightly mishit
her effort but it dipped in front of the ‘keeper to enter the net in the 45th
minute. Dublin were now in front 1-11 to
2-6.
Once again though they failed to build on that momentum and
scored only one more point in the remainder of the game – an Elaine Gallery
point. Whereas Dearbhla Egan put her
side back in front with her third palmed goal. The same player showed great awareness when she slipped a 45 to the
unmarked Laura Stack and she nailed the point.
Dublin fought to the finish but never looked like getting a
goal from play.
Limerick Scorers: Dearbhla Egan 3-5, Laura Stack, Róisín O’Mara and Lisa Leonard (0-1 each)
Dublin Scorers: Faye McCarthy 1-5, Kirsten Farrell 0-4,
Elaine Gallery 0-2 and Aoife Walsh 0-1
Referee Alan Doheny