Saturday, March 14, 2009

Women's Interpros: Day Two

Leinster 4 (Roisin Flinn, Cathy McKean, Nikki Symmons, Nikki Keegan) Connacht 0
Leinster added a comfortable win over Connacht to last night's draw with Ulster to maintain their interprovincial title charge. They dominated proceedings against the Western province, taking the lead early on through Roisin Flinn's deflection at short corner time.

Emma Smyth - who worked well in tandem with Nikki Symmons in midfield - instigated the second to set up Cathy McKean's deflection that made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute. In between times, Louisa Healy managed to keep the score down amid a Leinster siege.

Connacht's chance to get back in the game saw Audrey McCormack beat Kate Dillon for pace, round Emma Grey but her cross was unlucky to find a Leinster foot rather than the waiting Sinead Walsh.

And the blues pulled away in the second period. Smyth again produced a piercing run, reaching the backline. Her pull-back scrambled its way to Symmons who hammered home from the D's edge. And Nikki Keegan completed the tally when she got the last touch in another goal-mouth melee, prompted by Niamh Small's run.

Munster 2 (Julia O'Halloran, Aine Connery) Ulster 3 (Nicki Parke, Diane Topley, Shirley McCay)
The Northern province moved level at the top of the group with Leinster after they scored goals at vital times to beat a spirited Munster performance.

Julia O'Halloran snapped up a rebound for 1-0 early on before Nicki Parke turned home Ulster's first corner. And Diane Topley made it 2-1 just before half-time, set up by Rachel Mulligan.

Ulster moved further ahead when Shirley McCay battered in a corner only to be pegged back by a top-class Aine Connery effort. She combined well with Julia O'Halloran before beating two players and dinking past Helen Stevenson.

Stevenson showed great reactions soon after to deny O'Halloran a late leveller, meaning Ulster and Leinster top the group with goal-difference possibly being a decisive factor should both win on Sunday.

*For more of Eoin Tyrell's pictures from Munster vs Ulster, click here

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

were any pics taken of the mens matches?

Anonymous said...

were any pics taken of the mens matches?

Stephen Findlater said...

I don't have any to hand, unfortunately.