Shoot-out heartache as U18s lose grip on title

ULSTER were denied a second successive Under-18 inter-provincial title in heartbreaking circumstances in Dublin yesterday as Leinster took the trophy in dramatic fashion.

Robbie McMinn’s girls were leading 1-0 with just nine seconds left and looking likely to retain the silverware only for the hosts to score a last-gasp equaliser and then win the subsequent penalty shoot-out.

The Ulster Under-16s also finished second but in more satisfying circumstances as a goal from Portadown College’s Lucy Craig gave them a decisive 1-0 win over Munster yesterday after a 1-0 defeat to Leinster had ended their title hopes on Saturday.

In the U18 decider, Banbridge Academy’s Ellen Reid put Ulster ahead but Sarah McAuley hit the equaliser from the last play of the match from a penalty corner to force the shoot-out.

That, like the game itself, turned out to be a nerve-jangling affair as it went to sudden death, Leinster eventually prevailing on a 3-2 scoreline after seven rounds of one-on-ones.

On Saturday, Ulster made it three wins from three starts as they defeated South East 1-0 with a second half goal scored by Ballyclare High’s Niamh McIvor after beating Connacht 5-0 and Munster 3-1 on Friday.

Meanwhile, at domestic level, Ballymoney are the early pacesetters after a hard-fought 3-2 win over Dungannon at the Royal School left them with maximum points from two games.

Former Ireland striker Nikki Parke was the hat-trick heroine for the visitors, who led twice in the first half only to be pegged back on both occasions.

Goals from sisters Jill and Karen Elliott saw Dungannon draw level at the break, before Parke struck the winner from a penalty corner. Ballymoney midfielder Aine Kearney said: “We want to be in the mix at the top of the table when it comes to the business end of the season.

“Last season, we started really strongly and won our first nine or 10 games in a row but we failed to maintain the run.”

In the only other top flight game, Lisnagarvey defeated the other newly-promoted side Ballymena 4-2 to seal their first points of the campaign.

Three of Garvey’s new recruits got among the goals as Irish international Robyn Chambers, who played with Belfast Harlequins last season, was joined on the scoresheet by Kerry McIlwaine and Dawn Axon with Rachel Houston also on target.

Ballymena, who had opened with a 3-0 loss to Ballymoney, replied through Becky Reynolds and Kirsten Young.

In the Senior Cup, there were wins for Club KV, Castle, North Down and Raphoe.

Under-18 inter-provincials (Three Rock Rovers): Friday: South East 1 Leinster 2; Ulster 5 (M Dougan 2, H Dougan, J Hood, O Mullan) Connacht 0; Munster 1 Ulster 3 (N Benallal, O Mullan, E Reid)

Saturday: Leinster 2 Munster 0; South East 1 Connacht 0; South East 0 Ulster 1 (N McIvor); Leinster 5 Connacht 1

Sunday: South East 0 Munster 2; Leinster 1 Ulster 1 (E Reid) (Leinster won shootout).

Under-16 inter-provincials (Three Rock Rovers): Friday: Leinster 3 Connacht 0; South East 0 Ulster 0 (Ulster won shootout); Munster 0 Leinster 3

Saturday: Ulster 2 (L Craig, E Dawson) Connacht 0; South East 1 Munster 3; Lein- On the mark: Robyn Chambers scored in Lisnagarvey’s win

ster 1 Ulster 0; South East 1 Connacht 0 Sunday: Connacht 1 Munster 3; South East 0 Leinster 4; Ulster 1 (L Craig) Munster 0. Ulster Premier: Ballymena 2 (B Reynolds, K Young) Lisnagarvey 4 (D Axon, R Houston, K McIlwaine, R Chambers); Ballymomey 3 (N Parke 3) Dungannon 2 (K Elliott, J Elliott); Senior Cup: Pool A: Club KV 2 (C Houston 2, J Orr) Priorians 1 (E Allen); North Down 4 (K Sinclair, R Lucas, S Lewis, L Brown) Coleraine 0; Pool B: Castle 2 (N Winters, E McMaw) Armagh 0; Portadown 0 Raphoe 2 (W Patterson 2)