Hockey: Leinster Schoolgirls Senior League semi-finals: Mount Anville and Loreto Abbey Dalkey will meet in the final of the Esat Digifone Leinster League final in a fortnight's time after both schools won their semi-finals 3-0 at Grange Road yesterday, beating Wesley College and Loreto Beaufort respectively.
Mount Anville, the defending champions, had much the better of their game but a valiant defensive display by Wesley, for whom left-back Liz Cope excelled, denied them a breakthrough until seven minutes into the second half. An alert Sandra Blennerhassett slotted home from a narrow angle.
Wesley goalkeeper Saoirse O'Donovan kept her team in the game with a fine save from Carol McGowan but Mount Anville secured their win five minutes from time with a superb goal, created by McGowan and converted by captain Gillian Davy. Dearbhla McGuinness made it 3-0 three minutes later with a fine shot from the right of the circle.
Dalkey now have the chance to avenge their semi-final defeat on strokes by Mount Anville last year after securing their place in the decider. Two first-half goals from Beth Maguire gave them the upper hand over Beaufort, with Sorcha Ryan and Kate Dillon their outstanding players, but it wasn't until six minutes from time that Kate Dillon increased the margin from the tightest of angles.
MOUNT ANVILLE: G Young, A McCabe, S Blennerhassett, K Quigley, L Banahan, K Fitzgerald, C Quinlan, C McGowan, C Sexton, G Davy, S Geoghegan. Subs: R McGrath, R Copeland, K O'Donnell, D McGuinness.
WESLEY COLLEGE: S O'Donovan, K Mellon, J Whyte, J Smythe, L Cope, L McCoy, G Quigley, Z Heggie, V Caplin, L King, W Honor. Subs: K Symme, A Adams, B Corry, L Dungan.
LORETO ABBEY DALKEY: L Kennedy, P Grehan, M Spillane, K Morrissey, S Ryan, E Smyth, K Dillon, J Walsh, E Willis, F McCormick, B Maguire. Subs: F Healy, M Hughes, R A Kilty, K Touhy.
LORETO BEAUFORT: L Reeves, C Kavanagh, K Judge, E Hughes, A Holden, L Hendrick, S Lovett, E Naughton, M Hynes, E Smith, D Kelly. Subs: C Hopkins, L O'Dwyer, I Horan, C Church, A O'Connell.
