Gannon and Finnegan help propel TUD to Purcell Cup

LOCAL players were key for TU Dublin as they stormed to the Purcell Cup following a 0-12 to 0-8 win over NUIG Galway in blustery conditions at WIT on Saturday.

NUIG opted to play with the wind in the first half and it served them well as they swiftly pushed into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead.

TUD, who struggled with the elements, were, nevertheless, bolstered by the excellent Faughs Celtic player Kerrie Finnegan in attack.

Finnegan, who plays with the Dublin senior camogie team and is a 2020 UPMC All-Star, was in fine form and opened her account on the day with a sublime effort on the turn.

Shortly after, Galway’s Hannah Scott intercepted a poor puck-out, but goalkeeper and Irish softball international, Rebecca Atkinson, of Good Counsel GAA Club, saved the point-blank shot.

Yet, after some nice points from Teagan Canning and Tiffany Fitzgerald, NUIG went in at the break 0-5 to 0-4 ahead.

Still, TU Dublin were relentless throughout the entire second half, turning the screw in every aspect to get over the line.

Upon the restart, the Dublin side restored parity after some excellent inter-play was capped off with a superb strike between the post by St Jude’s centre-back Niamh Gannon who embodied the fighting spirit of TUD on the day.

On one occasion, with TU Dublin four-points ahead, Gannon dispossessed Fitzgerald inside her own 21-metre line before bursting forward and getting on the end of the move to blast the sliotar over from distance.

While the Galway university attempted a resurgence, it was the Bill McCormack-managed TUD who came out on top from this clash after putting in an epic second-half display.

Claire Gannon of St Jude’s was part of the match-day panel alongside Thomas Davis’ Georgia Plowman, Sadhbh Duffy (St Patrick’s Palmerstown) and Ballyboden St Enda’s trio Katie McDonald, Eimear O’Leary, and Ally Ramsden.