KINSALE Hockey Club’s U18 girls’ team finished off a dream season on a high note.
Having already won the Munster Division 2 U18 Girls League, winning 16 out of their 18 league matches, they went in search of the double when they played Limerick HC in the Munster Division 2 Cup final at the Garryduff Sports Complex on Saturday.
Kinsale delivered in style, winning 5-1 to complete the double. Remarkably, this success was achieved despite not having a home training pitch.
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The opening goal came when Millie O’Dowd and Zoe Murphy worked the ball down the right sideline, leading to a fine shot from Alice Connaughton that was saved by the Limerick goalkeeper. Tessa Camilleri reacted quickest, slapping the rebound high into the net.
As the first quarter drew to a close, Limerick responded with a long ball downfield, which found their forward, who finished well past the Kinsale goalkeeper. 1-1.
Kinsale regained the lead in the second quarter through an excellent individual effort from Charlotte Collins, who blocked down a high ball, skilfully carried it on her stick, and calmly rounded the goalkeeper to score.
Early in the third quarter, Kinsale extended their advantage. Cora Hennessy Buttimer took a quick free outside the circle and slipped the ball to captain Lucy Foster, who made no mistake in scoring. The fourth goal followed from a well-worked short corner, where Eliana Hosford’s initial shot was saved, but Millie O’Dowd reacted sharply to strike the ball into the Limerick goal.
As the game moved into the fourth quarter, tired legs and the heat began to take their toll, and chances became more limited. Kinsale sealed the victory with their fifth goal in the closing stages, when Emily Bertoletti set up Clodagh Kelly, who powered her shot from the edge of the circle into the net.
Special credit must go to the Kinsale defence, with Lara McGinn, Kate Stembridge, Sophie O’Brien, Dalia Kemp, Chantelle Hennessy Buttimer, and goalkeeper Izzey Colbert all playing key roles in limiting Limerick to just one goal.
At the final whistle, there were jubilant scenes as the Kinsale players, their coach Rob Jenkins, club chairperson Antoinette Cooney, Donna O’Driscoll of Hegarty Horgan Solicitors, and loyal supporters celebrated a historic first Munster Cup triumph, following previous final disappointments for the club which was founded only in 2012.
