McGilp plays captain's role with late strike

HOCKEY/Leinster Schools' Senior Cup, semi-finals, St Andrew's 1 Muckross Park 0:Back in 2003 St Andrew's won the Leinster Senior Cup for the first time in the school's history and since then winning has proven to be a difficult habit to break.

Next month they will be seeking their fourth Senior Cup in just five years, having come through yesterday's semi-final against Muckross Park, with captain Caitriona McGilp scoring the game's only goal in the second period of extra-time.

When they met at the same stage of the competition a year ago St Andrew's prevailed 5-3.

But this time around it was the defences that were on top, with neither goalkeeper seriously troubled.

St Andrew's were, though, the greater attacking force throughout the game, winning eight short corners to Muckross Park's two, with Rachel Burke, one of five survivors from the starting line-up that won last year's final, creating the most dangerous of her team's openings from the wing.

Chloe Watkins, the 14-year-old who was named recently in the Ireland under-18 squad, and McGilp formed an impressive midfield unit with Burke, but Anna O'Flanagan and Orla O'Kane were no less imposing for Muckross.

After Muckross had denied St Andrew's from their eighth short corner - Watkins's shot saved by Aoife Lambert - penalty strokes loomed.

But a swift counterattack, with just four minutes remaining, saw Burke square the ball for the unmarked McGilp, and she fired home into the bottom left corner to secure her school's place in yet another final.

ST ANDREW'S:E Clarke, G Pinder, L Willis, N Atcheler, L Mullane, Chloe Watkins, C McGilp, R Burke, G Lane, E Carson, L O'Duffy. Subs: Courtney Watkins, S O'Conaill, J Doran, T Ellis, S Woodroofe.

MUCKROSS PARK:A Lambert, R O'Reilly, A Heuston, L Costello, E Tunney, D Doherty, A O'Flanagan, O O'Kane, K McKenna, E Queenan, A Bowe. Subs: E Ward, J Clarke, L Dineen, A Corcoran, S O'Reilly.

Umpires:A O'Connor and D Acheson.