2012 winners UUJ will once again contest the Ashbourne Shield after losing their group stage matches to Waterford IT and NUI Galway. Their opponents in the Shield Final will be Cork queens UCC and UUJ can expect a tough encounter from the Munster college.
UUJ have lost a number of players from last year's panel but can still boast Derry star Karen Kielt amongst their ranks as well as recent bursary recipients Brona McIntyre and Aileen Martin. The Ulster side are under the stewardship of Aishling Jackson and Cathy Carey and the Antrim pair will have their homework done on a UCC side which includes Cork players Denise Cronin, the Mackey twins and Miriam Crowley as well as Waterford's Nicola Morrisey who has been in superb form throughout the year. UUJ have been hit by injuries to Paula Hughes, Laura Brennan and Aileen Martin and they will be hoping all three have recovered enough to take their place in the starting 15.
UCC will have been disappointed with their group matches after being beat by UCD and UL and will feel that they have a point to prove. UCC will start the match as favourites and their manager Shirley Maloney will have ensured that complacency has not set in. Retaining the title will be a tough ask for a young UUJ side and UCC should be crowned Ashbourne Shield winners in 2013.
Sunday 17th February 2013, North Campus, UL
12.30pm University of Ulster Jordanstown –v- University College Cork
Referee John Dolan (Clare)
Purcell Shield Preview
2012 Purcell Cup finalists QUB will compete in this year’s Purcell Shield final against Dublin side DIT. QUB have had a tough year so far and will be hoping to end the year in style with a victory over DIT. Both teams go into the match as unknown quantities. QUB will start the match as favourites but they will be pushed all the way by an experienced DIT team. QUB player and Derry panellist Shauneen Donaghy was recently rewarded with a Camogie Bursary and she will be hoping to push on from this success and drive her team to victory. The evergreen Sinead Cassidy was rewarded with an Intermediate Soaring Star and she will be hoping that she can continue with this form into the weekend.
Saturday 16th February, South Campus, UL
2.30pm Dublin Institute of Technology –v- Queens University Belfast
Referee John Dolan (Clare)
*Pictured Katrina Mackey in action in last year's Irish Daily Star League Final
