WOMEN'S HOCKEY IRISH SENIOR CUP:JUST THREE years since their last win, an overhauled UCD side claimed their third Irish Senior Cup title courtesy of Anna O'Flanagan's cool finish five minutes from time.
Indeed, it came in a manic 65th minute, only 23 seconds separating Loreto’s Niamh Small deflecting an effort onto a College post before UCD forged the vital counterattack.
Chloe Watkins broke clear to lay on the perfect pass for Irish international team-mate O’Flanagan to chip over Louisa Healy, as UCD secured the third trophy of an incredible campaign.
UCD started in flying form as Nicola Gray swept the first corner of the game left of the Loreto goal where Niamh Atcheler waited gleefully to push home.
But Hannah Matthews got a brilliant touch to Nikki Symmons’s snapshot to make it 1-1 at half-time.
Nicci Daly finished off a superb interchange with Cathy McKean to put Loreto ahead before the students got back on terms in the 49th minute when Rachel O’Reilly poked home in a goalmouth melee.
The tense finale reached a climax when Watkins’ astute pass was weighted superbly for O’Flanagan to seal the victory.
UCD 3 (N Atcherler, R O’Reilly, A O’Flanagan) Loreto 2 (H Matthews, N Daly)
UCD: S Davis, S Greene, R O'Reilly, N Gray, L Wilson, C Watkins, B Flannery, N Atcheler, A O'Flanagan, D Duke, D Gorman Subs: L Ewart, C Hill, K Collins-Smyth, N Farrell, J Deacon
LORETO: L Healy, A Meeke, N Daly, S McGirr, N Symmons, C McKean, R Keegan, L Colvin, N Small, S Clarke, H Matthews Subs: N Keegan, S Barnwell, O O'Shea, H Mulcahy, J McGirr Umpires: M Flahive, C Metchette
