Fitz Hurlers top group following hard earned draw

The Fitzgibbon Cup hurlers ensured they topped their group in the league, following a hard earned draw with UCD in Belfield on Thursday evening. There was never much between the sides as the score was locked at 0-8 a piece at half time and still nothing could separate the sides at full time with a scoreline of 1-15 to 1-15.

UCD opened the better of the two teams as they took advantage of the prevailing wind and went two points up before Patrick Curran and Killian Doyle helped level things soon after. It was tit for tat over the remaining part of the half with the pick of the DCU scores coming from Paul Kelly. The DCU management would have been happy with the half time scoreline and the performances of some of younger players like Aaron Murphy & Jason Byrne. They would have expected to push on with the wind in the second half but the game proved to be much closer.

DCU looked like like they could pull away on several occasions with fine scores from Liam Fahey and Joe O’Connor. DCU will be pleased with the impact they had off the bench with Mick Heeney and Daniel Staunton making telling contributions. While it was another sub Rian McBride who notched what looked to be the pivotal score as he got a fine goal as the clock ticked down, but UCD again replied with a goal almost immediately.

An exchange of points concluded the game and was enough to ensure that DCU topped the group on five points from a possible six available, setting up a home quarter final against IT Carlow in two weeks.

Home victory for DCU against Athlone IT

After last week’s thrilling draw with Sligo IT, The DCU Dochas Eireann Sigerson Cup team played with great resilience against Athlone IT to gain a home victory. This was DCU Dochas Eireann’s third outing in the Senior Football Division One League which was held at the DCU Sports grounds.                              A win in this final group game was needed for DCU to ensure their progression in the league.

It was a physical start to the game with both sides showing dominance in the early stages. Despite the blistering pace there was no score with eleven minutes down. Mark Plunkett played a pivotal role, before Donie Smith took a free to register the first score of the game. The sweepers worked effectively for Athlone taking great control with frees, this put Athlone into the lead with the scores 0-3 to 0-1 at the nineteen minute mark. There was a good response from DCU with scores coming from David Mannix, Hugh Mc Fadden and James Mealiff. Both teams were level before Athlone gained a point advantage, which put them into the lead on 0-5 to 0-4 just before half time.

DCU came back with great determination in the second half, with Roscommon’s Donie Smith scoring the first point. DCU looked the stronger of the sides with a strong emphasis of attacking at pace in the second half. Storming runs by Caolan Mc Gonagle and Kevin Feely, followed by excellent points from Barry Kerr and Niall Murphy played an integral role in DCU’s dominance. Athlone persevered and got a penalty in the closing minutes, as DCU ran out 0-13 to 1-6 winners. All in all, it was an effective and confidence boosting performance for DCU going forward in the league, as they secured their spot in the Quarter finals.

Fresher Hurlers continue good form in Carlow

The DCU Dóchas Éireann Fresher A Hurlers made it two wins out of two on Tuesday evening in Carlow as they performed well in recording a 4-27 to 2-11 victory.

The DCU side had the better of the first half exchanges and got a number of good team goals finished off by Conor Hearne, John Donnelly and Donal Burke. While the point scoring of Conor Hearne and Edmund Delaney allowed a considerable gap to develop as the half time scoreboard registered 4-13 to 0-8.

The DCU management will be pleased with the manner of the second half performance as Darren Byrne and Brian Crowdle made telling contributions, while the introduction of Connal Flood and John Curran also helped to strengthen the team. An efficiency to the performance was evident as a number of players registered fine scores including Oisin Lanigan & Oisin Foley.

DCU will now face UCD in their final group game, with the aim of topping the group and gaining a semi final berth against Munster opposition, however nothing will be easy against the south Dublin outfit.

DIT eye for goal proves vital in Camogie league

It was a bizarre opening to the Ashbourne Camogie sides league campaign, as they conceded a number of early goals in the game, which left them with a major uphill battle.

DIT scrambled their first goal over the line within the opening minute of the game and this was soon followed by another quick fire goal which left DCU two goals behind before they got on the scoreboard with fine points by Mary O’Connell and Laura Dempsey. DCU then got their own goal with a fine individual goal from Christine Lyng. The goal fest didn’t stop as DIT managed to register four more goals in a five minute spell mid way through the half, as they got that figure up to six. Two frees by Caoimhe McCrossan helped DCU narrow the gap before half time but the scoreboard read 6-5 to 1-5 at half time.

DCU came out fighting in the second half and were led by a number of strong displays by Caoimhe McCrossan, Ciara Phelan and Laura Greene in the middle third. The free taking of Caoimhe McCrossan and a number of good long distance scores and they reduced the gap to five points but DIT managed to claim the final two scores of the match, as the game finished 3-13 to 7-8.

DCU Dóchas Éireann now face a tough trek to Belfast to play UUJ next week with the winner progressing to the league quarter final.

 

Giles Footballers record second win

The DCU Dóchas Éireann Giles Cup Ladies footballers made it two wins from two in the Division Two league last night as they dispatched Trinity on a scoreline of 5-17 to 2-7. This was a second victory on the bounce for this team, after they beat Athlone IT last week. The result sees the team qualify for the semi finals, with a game to spare as Sligo IT travel to DCU in two weeks time.

The DCU side opened the game at a blistering pace as Westmeath’s Nicky Feery exerted a strong influence on the game with her direct running which resulted in a number of early scores for DCU. A strong emphasis on attacking at pace was evident from the start as storming runs forward from Caoimhe O’Fearghail, Aoife Norris and Shauna Kendrick played a part in DCU’s dominance of the game. Shaunagh Brady also played a pivotal role from her full forward berth as her link play was crucial in opening up the Trinity defense on a number of occasions.

DCU entered the second half with a comfortable lead but the management team will be more than pleased with the contributions of the subs who entered the fray, as Caroline Nee landed two second half goals as DCU drove on to a 5-17 to 2-7 victory.

The victory is all the more impressive considering DCU Dóchas Éireann played at Division three level last year, while Trinity played at Division One, all bodes well for the year ahead.

Sligo Stalemate in Ryan Cup

The DCU Dóchas Éireann Sigerson Cup team played out a thrilling draw with Sligo IT in their second outing in the Senior Football Division One league last night. This was the teams second away outing, following a strong performance and victory against Maynooth University last week.

It proved tougher again this week as Sligo proved dogged and resilient and pounced for goals at pivotal stages of the game. The scores were finely poised at three points a piece after eight minutes before Sligo recorded their first goal of the game. This was followed by a good DCU response with scores coming from Cian Mulligan, David Mannix, Donie Smith & Shane Carthy to let DCU lead 0-8 to 1-3 at the twenty minute mark before a second Sligo goal allowed them to establish a lead which they would maintain until half time as the sides retreated to the dressing room on a scoreline of 2-6 to 0-11.

DCU started the second half the stronger of the sides and managed to establish a four point lead, 0-17 to 2-07, with two fine scores coming from Dessie Ward. Sligo managed to register their third goal of the game as a tense closing few minutes ensued. But it looked like DCU were after doing enough for the win when James Mealiff (Monaghan) kicked a fine good point, however Sligo managed to draw level in the dying seconds.

This leaves DCU with a final group game against Athlone IT, which they will need a victory to ensure progression to the knockout stages of the League. The league this year is piloting ‘The Mark’ and has led to the execution of some fine fielding in the opening two games.

DCU Dóchas Éireann win battle of the DCU’s in Fitzgibbon Hurling League

DCU Dóchas Éireann had too much for the DCU St. Patrick’s campus team, as they faced off in St. Clare’s on Wednesday evening under lights, as the score finished 4-19 to 0-11. 

Jason Byrne registered three scores to start the game off, before a clinical Eoghan Conroy pounced on a mistake and scored the games opening goal. The St. Patrick’s campus team didn’t lie down and registered the next few scores from the sticks of Billy Ryan and Sean Morrissey but DCU managed to gain control over the encounter then with scores from AJ Murphy and Liam Fahey. The game was was still in the melting pot at half time, as DCU Dóchas Éireann held a six point lead. 

The second half was one way traffic as DCU Dóchas Éireann managed to register three goals, with the first coming from a fine individual goal from Joe O’Connor, before late goals from Jason Byrne and Eoghan Conroy put the icing on the cake.

The victory sees  DCU Dóchas Éireann guarantee a Quarter Final spot in the league, with top spot in the group at stake when the team travel to Belfield next Thursday evening. 

Fresher B Hurlers make it two from two

The Fresher B Hurlers continued their winning ways with a comprehensive victory over DIT in St.Clare’s on Thursday evening. It was a performance that was built on work rate and commitment as many players stood up and gave the management plenty to think about as the substitute also all mad an impact.

DCU attacked the game from the off with a solid defensive platform in Ben King and Eoin O’Sullivan making sure to snuff out several DIT attacks but it was from the midfield up where DCU Dóchas Éireann really clicked with Daniel Murphy contributing massively from both play and placed balls, while the Kilkenny duo of James Mullally  and Brian Crowdle worked tirelessly around the middle third and registered a number of scores between them. DCU were further aided on the scoreboard with solid contributions from Eoin Cooney and Shane Byrne.

It was well finished goals late on by Rory Kerins and Seanie Germine that but a gloss on the scoreline as DCU ran out winners on a scoreline of 4-24 to 1-12, leaving the team top of the table with the visit of UCD to come in the last group game for Martin Rabbitte’s crew.

 

Fitzgibbon Hurlers get off to a solid start

The DCU Dóchas Éireann Fitzgibbon hurlers didn’t have it all their own away as a strong Ulster University team traveled to Dublin for the opening round of the league. The game was a tense and cagey affair with little separating the teams for the majority of the game. The initial stages were close and it was the free takers from both sides who registered white flags , before Killian Doyle landed a fine goal for DCU, which helped open up a five point lead (1-4 to 0-2) but this was short lived as the Ulster men rattled off the next six points, proving to be resilient opponents. The sides finished level at half time on a scoreline of 1-6 to 0-9. 

The second half started off in much the same manner as the teams traded points but a number of DCU backs stepped up to the plate and led the charge going forward. The efforts of Foley, Delaney, Fahey and O’Dea were raised and this allowed DCU a platform going forward but some errant shooting didn’t help. It was the 52nd minute with a point between the sides before the pivotal score was struck, as Eoghan McHugh latched onto a neatly weighted pass and he rocketed to the top corner and DCU managed to kick on from there with closing points from the lively AJ Murphy and Paul Kelly.

Nick Weir’s charges will face the visit of DCU St. Patrick’s campus next week which is sure to be a tight affair.

 

 

DCU Dóchas Éireann students success in All-Ireland Handball Finals

The All Ireland 60×30 Doubles Championships were contested over the weekends of the 24th of September & 1st of October. Across all grades DCU had three students in the finals this year.

First to step up to the mark was Aishling O’Keeffe in the women’s Senior doubles on Saturday 24th of September. Aishling played with her long time partner and Senior singles Runner-Up Catriona Casey against Limerick’s Martina McMahon and Katie McCarthy who had won this years Senior and Junior singles titles respectively. After a tense opening Aishling and Catriona showed their class and went on to seal their third consecutive title on a scoreline of 21-12,21-4.

After narrowly missing out on a promotion to the Senior ranks in the Intermediate singles final two weeks prior Rachel Hogan made sure not to slip up in the doubles fixture in Abbeylara on the 1st of October. Along with partner Claire Love, Rachel stormed through the first game without conceding a score to their opposition from Roscommon. This first game victory set the tone for the second where Rachel and Claire ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 21-0,21-12. Aishling will undoubtedly face stern opposition in Rachel when she aims to retain her doubles title next year.

Cian Ó Dálaigh would go on to seal the triple for DCU as he and partner Robert Farrelly defeated a strong Sligo pairing 21-9,21-6 the same day in Crossakiel. Cian and Rob played 7 matches on their path to the title and only dropped one game in sealing the title.

All three players will be in action in the 60×30 intervarsities from the 14th-16th of October and will be looking to defend the Ladies Open doubles and Men’s A singles titles which they brought home in last years event. Congratulations and best of luck in the future to all three players.