Dominant display sees ATU claim Ashling Murphy Cup

Queen’s UB 3-4

By Darren Kelly in Bekan

ATU Galway made the perfect start for the county’s third level colleges on Saturday as they were crowned Ashling Murphy Cup camogie champions thanks to an 11-point win over Queens University Belfast.

Goals from captain Ava Lynskey and Abbey Massey inside the opening six minutes set the tone for Aoife Lynskey’s charges, who raced into a 2-4 to 0-0 advantage before Queen’s opened their account.

The game was played on the Air Dome’s all-weather surface, minus the roof that was victim to Storm Eowyn’s rage, but it still served up an entertaining tie: within 60 seconds of the start, Katie Kilcreast’s long delivery was won by Lynskey who struck the opening goal.

ATU continued with Neasa Daly setting up Massey for a point; and the latter was on hand again on six minutes taking Lynskey’s pass for a second green flag. Two Aoibhe Joyce points and one from Lynskey from a tight left angle put 10 between them.

Queen’s hadn’t settled but got back into proceedings when Gracie Grehan converted their first goal on 10 minutes. The Meath full-forward added another three-pointer two minutes after, but five points was as close as the Ulster side got.

Lynskey added another white flag in between the two Queen’s goals before registering another on 13 minutes with Daly and Ciara Burke providing the assists. Joyce’s third score made it 2-7 to 2-0 on the quarter hour.

She assisted Massey for another point on 18 minutes but that was cancelled by Lauren Devlin; and when Burke got her name on the scoreboard for ATU, Susan Shannon and Niamh McGrath reduced arrears to six points approaching the interval.

But the blue and yellow regained the initiative before half-time as a Joyce double left them 2-11 to 2-3 clear. Upon the restart, another Joyce effort put nine between them.

Any hopes of Queen’s using the wind to save this contest was ended on 35 minutes with ATU Galway’s third goal. Kilcreast, Daly and Joyce all played a part before Lynskey finished to the net, and she added another point, thanks to Maria Mahony, four minutes later making it 3-13 to 2-3.

The game finished with the teams sharing the next four scores. A McGrath free and Grehan’s third goal completed Queen’s total; Lynskey and a Joyce free secured ATU the title.

ATU Galway: K Kilcreast; A Mulry, C Fogarty, M Mahony; C O’Sullivan, E Fitzgerald, A Gannon; A Massey (1-2), A Joyce (0-7, 0-5f); N Daly, A Lynskey (2-5), C Burke (0-1); N Mahony, E O’Keeffe, A Black.

Pictured: ATU Galway captain Ava Lynskey with the cup after her side's victory in the Ashling Murphy Cup final. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.