NUI Galway claim Plate with facile win over UUJ outfit

UU Jordanstown 3-6

NUI Galway captured camogie league honours on Tuesday evening with a comfortable win over UU Jordans- town at the home of DIT in Grangegorman.

They defeated Carlow IT before Christmas to reach the league final, the the silverware will give the side a much-needed boost ahead of their meeting with DCU in the Ashbourne Cup next week. NUIG have been drawn in Group 1 with CIT, UCC, and DCU, and opened their campaign with a 7-27 to 0-1 hammering at the hands of UCC.

The omens did not look positive for the Galway college as UUJ goaled with their first attack as  goalkeeper Rebecca Keating was given no chance with a close-range shot. The game's top scorer Chloe Morey was quickly into action to settle the nerves of NUI Galway players with two well-taken points and the sides were level after seven minutes as Emma Helebert struck for the equaliser.

Morey went on a scoring spree as NUI Galway hit three points in as many minutes to surge two clear (0-6 to 1-1) after 10 minutes before Morey, after good build-up work by Sinead Treacy, made no mistake for her side’s first goal and added a second moments later. UUJ struck straight back for their second goal to leave NUI Galway 2-6 to 2-1 clear after 13 minutes.

After an initial difficult opening quarter coping with the pace of UUJ forwards, the NUI Galway defence – led by Orla Cunningham and Sorcha Ni Frighil – got the upper hand. At the other end, Morey completed her hat-trick, and also landed two more points, as NUI Galway took control to lead 3-9 to 2-2 at half-time.

UUJ started the second half with renewed vigour and hit three consecutive points, before Nikki Kaiser opened the NUI Galway account in the second-half with a wel-taken point. They soon stretched their lead to 10 points (3-12 to 2-5), but UUJ weren’t about to roll over, and they hit a third goal to reduce the arrears.

However, any hope of a comeback by the Ulster side was soon dashed as Kaiser hit her first, and her side’s fourth, goal to restore the double-digit lead.

Emma Helebert, Sarah Redmond, Clodagh Quirke, and Cunningham were now dominating the centre area of the field for NUI Galway, and Kaiser wrapped up the win with her second goal of the game.

NUI Galway: R Keating; U Brown, S Ni Frighil, L McLoughlin; O Cunningham, C Quirke, T McCarthy; C Hanley (0-1), N Kaiser (2-1); S Treacy (0-1), E Helebert (0-3), T McNally; H Dolan, C Morey (3-10, 0-4f), S Redmond.

Subs: G Dolan, E Hayes, E Reid, V Faye-Wyatt, R O’Neill, S Daly.