is the first time that the tournament will be hosted in Northern Ireland and there is a strong possibility of a first winner from the North as the hosts Ulster University will look to lift the Kelly Cup in Seaview on Wednesday evening.
It has been a mixed season for Ulster, having looked a dominant force by reaching the Kelly Cup Semi-Finals and CUFL Women’s Premier Division Final with a 100% record last season. However, it was at this stage where the wheels began to come off and they were defeated 2-0 by University College Cork. UCC stand opposite them again and it will be a small revenge for UU if they can maximise the use of home advantage and send Cork crashing out.
Thirteen days on from their CUFL Premier Division Final clash, IT Carlow and Maynooth University will meet again to decide who will face the winners of Ulster University and UCC in Wednesday’s Kelly Cup Final. It is currently 2-0 to Maynooth based on the matches between both sides so far this season. In the game in Athlone, IT Carlow finished the stronger team and were left to rue the many opportunities they wasted against James O’Callaghan’s side. If they can find the clinical edge in today’s game, the possibility is strong that they will have the opportunity to retain the cup they won last year with a last-minute extra time goal against UCC.
In the Lydon Cup, Waterford IT will take on University of Limerick, and Letterkenny IT will face NUI Galway. Waterford will be hoping to use their Premier Division status to their advantage against UL in the hope they can round off a below-par season with silverware. During parts of the season, Letterkenny IT appeared to be the team to beat before their young-side were put to the sword by the experience of both IT Carlow and UCC in League and Cup. They will hope to round off their season with another Intervarsity success at Galway’s expense who will be feared with the likes of Senior International Aislinn Meaney and U19s Sadhbh Doyle among their ranks.
In the O’Regan Cup, Mary Immaculate College will hope to pull off a giant-killing when they face IT Sligo in their semi-final today. The winners of the tie will face TU Dublin Blanchardstown on Wednesday morning.
Fixtures
Tuesday 12th March
All games hosted at Ulster University Jordanstown Campus
RUSTLERS WSCAI Kelly Cup Semi-Finals
University College Cork v Ulster University, 3.30pm
IT Carlow v Maynooth University, 3.30pm
RUSTLERS WSCAI Lydon Cup Semi-Finals
Waterford IT v University of Limerick, 3.30pm
NUI Galway v Letterkenny IT, 3.30pm
RUSTLERS WSCAI O’Regan Cup Semi-Final
IT Sligo v Mary Immaculate College, 12.30pm