Intermediate Camogie with an International Twist

The Intermediate Camogie team traveled to Belfast on Wednesday for two games in their Division Two league, with high hopes of getting their Division Two knock out stages target back on track  after a heavy first round defeat to Queens.

The initial fixture was against hosts St. Mary’s who proved far too strong, winning out 3-6 to 0-3 in the finish. The game will be remembered not for the result but for the impact of DCU’s second half substitute, Momoko Odagawa. Momoko, a language student, is studying in Ireland for the year and has embedded herself into university life, joining a number of clubs and societies in DCU, including the Japanese society and the Camogie club. Momoko picked up a hurl for the first time only three weeks ago and in the intervening period, the hurl has been in the hammer position as she walks everywhere on campus. It is a great boost for the University to have Momoko (or ‘Momo’ as she was affectionately known) playing in a competitive fixture, considering the amount of effort that has gone into providing a platform for our International students to play GAA on campus, with the Cluichi Abu project and also the annual Nihon Gaels V Setanta Hurling exhibition game. Momoko made a contribution when she came on but was denied a first goal by a fine save by the St. Mary’s goalkeeper.

The second game seen DCU win a tight and tense affair with UCD, winning on a scoreline of 1-4 to 1-2. It was a great performance by the girls, who were mostly Freshers and everyone left O’Donovan Rossa GAC with a smile and new friends made. Momoko was certainly impressed by her first competitive outing, but has remarked that she need plenty more practice to make a greater impacting the games, which she feels she is capable of. She also expressed that she felt that the skill level of some of the girls was amazing and she battled gamely against powerful opposition. The next outing for the Intermediate Camogie girls will come in two weeks against DIT, with some hope of progression to the knockout stages still there.

UCD prove too strong for our Senior Hurlers

Senior Hurling League

UCD 4-12

DCU 0-20

Just like last week goals proved to be the difference between DCU hurlers getting the win and not. However, the home side did start well and lead 5-1 after 14 minutes of play Cathal Curran and Sean Gray among the scores for the home side but a three minute spell where Nicky English’s UCD side netted three times put the south Dublin University in control of the contest. It got worse for DCU before the interval as UCD netted fourth time in the opening half. Credit to DCU as they did knock over four points before the half time break to reduce the deficit at the break 4-5 – 0-9 at the break.

DCU needed to get off to good start at the start of the second and they did with two quick fire points best of which came from half back Killian Fitzgerald. UCD did reply with two points of their own as DCU tried to cut into the advantage from the visitors. But every time DCU would reduce the gap UCD would reply with point of their own DCU did have the score back within four points approaching the final 8 minutes of play but that was as close as got for the home side as that three minute spell in the opening half where UCD netted three times proved to be the deciding factor on whether or not DCU would grab their first win of this year’s campaign. Best on the night were Oisin O’Rouke and Ross King who were excellent in attack for the UCD. Next up for DCU is the short away trip to Drumcondra against St. Pat’s this Thursday

DCU New Jersey

We are delighted to unveil the New DCU jersey which will be worn by all our teams for the new season. It continues the relationship with our sponsors of our Football and Ladies Football which has been Bank of Ireland for a number of years now. Also in addition this year you can see on the back of our jersey’s which has the logo Please Talk which we feel is important to have for our students with the continued mental health among students.

We hope the new jersey can give us plenty of success during the year.

60×30 Intervarsities

Last weekend 12 Handballers from DCU undertook the journey from Dublin to Kilkenny to compete in the annual collegiate 60×30 championships. This was the most of any college attending the event. We had representatives in all grades.

Aishling O’Keeffe and Rachel Hogan lead the way in the Women’s Singles and Doubles competition. The pair defeated second seeded Ciana Ni Churraoin and Niamh Dunne of UL in the Open Doubles semi-final before facing off against Ciara Mahon and Lisa McKenna of TCD. The DCU pair showed no mercy in the opening game where they blitzed the TCD pair to win 21-0, however TCD regrouped for the second game and put up a valiant fight before Aishling and Rachel sealed the title 21-14 in the second game. This is the first Open title the club has won since Eoin Kennedy last won the 40×20 Open singles.
Aishling and Rachel contested the Women’s A singles final later that same day. Both played well with Rachel eventually prevailing 21-15, 21-8.
These two titles come on Rachel’s maiden intervarsity for the college.
Niamh Farrell represented DCU in the women’s B singles, this competition was run as a round robin where Niamh finished second, taking home silver for the college.

In the men’s competitions it fell to Chairperson and Secretary, Cian Ó Dálaigh and Ryan Traenor, to bring home the medals. Cian played 6 singles matches between Friday and Saturday to fight his way to the final of the men’s A singles on Sunday morning where he face Cian Counihan of ITT. Cian got off to a bad start going 8-2 down in the first game before rallying to take the title 21-10, 21-11. Ryan similarly had a rake of games to play before reaching the men’s B final where he defeated Martin Meagher 21-18,21-14 in a tight affair.

A big thanks to the committee members who helped organise accommodation for the competition, particularly Corey Fay, and of course the 12 members who travelled to represent their college: Mark Nally, Cian Ó Dálaigh, John Walsh, John Fitzgerald, Jamie Joyce, Ryan Traenor, Kyle Duff, Aishling O’Keeffe, Rachel Hogan, Niamh Farrell, Emer Nic Uidhir and Eimear Delaney.

Busy Week for our Teams on the playing pitches

The DCU Football Season got underway and was very successful day on Tuesday with four wins out of four our teams.

The Fresher A’s got their campaign off to flying start as they proved too strong for their opponents from DIT as DCU ran out comfortable winner’s o score line of 6-15- 1-11. The same opposition met in the C league as once again DCU proved too strong this time winning 1-25, 2-6 which was the first outing for Sigerson players; Simon McCoy and Conor McNally who have taken over as the C football management this year.

Meanwhile the junior team had an impressive victory over MU as they made it two wins from two to put themselves at the top of the Division 3 table with 3-14 – 1-10 victory down in Kildare.

Tuesday night also saw the O’Connor Cup team start their league campaign they had great start under new manager Stephen Maxwell as they proved too strong for the Queens woman as won 4-19 – 1-9, with a great performance from Emma Colgan.

Meanwhile on Wednesday the DCU Fresher A Hurlers made it two wins from two with very impressive victory over DIT on final score 3-24 – 0-7, with good performances from Sean Hickey, Cathal Doran and Ciaran Pender.

The two Camogie Teams were out last night and both teams just came short as firstly the division 1 team came up short against a very talented UUJ team as they won by seven points 1-14 – 1-7, Emer Reilly popping up with a number of good scores. While the second team also came up short against a strong Queens team.  Some great Fresher players are standing out with both teams at this early stage.

The Fresher B footballers made their first outing of the year against UUJ but the Belfast university proved too strong for Joe McBrearty side came up short by two points on final score 1-9 – 0-10.

Finally yesterday saw history as DC U entered a third team into the HEC Ladies league and regardless of the result DCU ensured plenty of game time for all the girls who made the trip to Belfield. Even though the result didn’t go the way of DCU they did manage to win the second half by 5 point margin but nevertheless UCD proved too strong and won the opening round of the league 5-9 – 2-6.

DCU off to slow start

Fitzgibbon Division 1 League

DIT 5-19

DCU 0-19

It was start of another year for the DCU Hurlers and they will feel this was a match of missed chances and will rue the sloppy goals but the management team will feel they can work on the mistakes made during the match but will take heart from scoring 19 points over the course of the hour.

DCU started the match brightly and got two opening scores of the match but the scores were soon level as DIT hit two frees to have the sides level for the first time in the match. DCU were soon back in front in front as Eoghan McHugh and Sean Gray had the visitors back in front. Point from DIT’s Jack Guiney reduced the gap back within a point but DCU went in front by two points when McHugh hit his second of the match but just as DCU were starting to dominate DIT took control of the first half with two first half goals first of which was scramble in the defence which found the back of the net and second minutes later was netted by Wexford’s Guiney. DCU to their credit responded before the break as they cut the gap back within four points before half time interval to leave score at the break 2-8- 0-10 in favour of the home side.

The home side got off to flying start at the start of the second half when DIT netted after ever present referee Tony Lambe awarded a penalty which was converted to put 7 points between the sides , two further points for DIT had now daylight between  the sides.       DCU to their credit never gave up during the second half and got some fines scores through Curran and Killian Fitzgerald. DCU concede two further goals but DCU will feel they have lot they work on for the next day against UCD.