Having been dumped out of the competition amid much controversy in 2023, few could have envisaged that University of Limerick would go on to avenge their Ashbourne Cup dream’s to complete a fairy-tale win in the tournament this year.
Overcoming Technological University Dublin on a score-line of 6-11 to 1-12 in the final, which took place at the University of Galway yesterday, the victory marks UL’s 11th overall triumph in the third level competition.
University of Limerick. Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup CHAMPIONS 🏆 🏆#FirstClassRivals@ElectricIreland @UL @ul_gaa pic.twitter.com/WUdh9SFHy4
— The Camogie Association (@OfficialCamogie) February 11, 2024
Eimear McGrath and Mairead O’Brien starred with two goals each, in a match which no doubt would have carried even more weight than your average final for UL given the extraordinary circumstances which saw them eliminated from the same competition last year.
There, they were scheduled to play University College Cork in the semi finals of the competition, when just days before they were notified of their expulsion due to some confusion around score difference, and what was needed for them to progress.
Setting the course of justice right – UL avenge their Ashbourne Cup dream
Having finished on the same points as both Dublin City University and TUD, and having read the Camogie Association’s official tables, they deemed they needed to score exactly 34 points against Maynooth in their last group game to move on to the next stage.
In 2023, UL Camogie were informed that they needed to beat Maynooth University by 33 points in the Ashbourne Cup to progress and beat them by 34. They were still knocked out
In 2024, they defeated TU Dublin 6-11 to 1-12 in the Ashbourne Cup Final
What a team 👏
📷 UL GAA pic.twitter.com/rw7og63xeN
— Gaelic Statsman (@gaelicstatsman) February 11, 2024
Remarkably they did so, to the very point, yet DCU eventually progressed in their place after an appeal to the Mandatory Transfers, Hearings & Disciplinary Committee on the basis of a referee’s report at one of their games.
The UL panel and management released a statement at the time that expressed how they felt they were “kept in the dark” in what they described as a “farcical situation” in which “natural justice has not been served.”
Thankfully, following yesterday’s success, in some ways it now has.
Managed by former Limerick camogie manager Declan Nash, goals from Rachael Walsh and Alannah O’Sullivan ensured they got off to a good start, while McGrath and O’Brien finished up with 2-3 and 2-1 respectively.
UL have been crowned Champions in the Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup 🏆🏆 #FirstClassRivals @ElectricIreland pic.twitter.com/7a5W6DBq6D
— The Camogie Association (@OfficialCamogie) February 11, 2024