HOCKEY/Leinster Schools' Senior Cup, semi-finals, Alexandra College 2 Wesley College 0:Alexandra College avenged their 2-1 defeat in December's Premier League semi-finals when they beat Wesley College 2-0 at Grange Road yesterday, putting them through to next month's final against the holders, St Andrew's.
Alexandra won this competition in 2005, for the first time since 1978, and their hopes of reaching another final were boosted as early as the third minute yesterday when they took the lead through Alana McArdle, who converted the first short corner of the game.
Wesley goalkeeper Stella Davis twice denied Alexandra a second goal soon after, but her school then battled their way into the game, winning four short corners before the break.
Maeve Galvin came close to equalising from Wesley's fifth corner two minutes into the second half, her shot going just wide of the left post.
But, again, Alexandra almost doubled their lead through the exceptional Nicola Evans, a member of the 2005 winning team, who fired just wide from another corner.
It was Beibhinn Delaney, part of a superbly disciplined Alexandra defence, that gave her team some breathing space nine minutes into the second half, turning home the ball after the initial short corner strike had been saved.
Wesley fought gamely but couldn't find a way back into the semi-final, so Alexandra v Andrew's it will be.
ALEXANDRA COLLEGE:O Lyons-McKenna, H O'Donnell, A Coyle, B Delaney, M Duffy, C Coakley, K O'Byrne, A McArdle, L Dockrell, N Evans, A Ward. Subs: A Freyne, A McCarthy, S Roche, C Scanlon, C McDermott.
WESLEY COLLEGE:S Davis, J Fair, S Lyons, L Pelow, E Stafford, M Galvin, R Scott, K Willis, S Veitch, H Treacy, N Douglas. Subs: S Taylor, L White, A Walker, E Honner, A Jones.
Umpires:C Metchette and D McCarthy
Leinster Senior Cup (at Grange Road) - Semi-finals:St Andrew's 1 (C McGilp), Muckross Park 0, after extra time. Alexandra College 2 (A McArdle, B Delaney), Wesley College 0.
Final at Grange Road, Thursday, March 1st (2.30).
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