Laois LGFA to have strong representation at Ladies HEC Football Championships this week

This week sees the conclusion of the Yoplait Ladies Higher Education Championship Finals. 

The semi finals and finals are still held in a weekend format like the Sigerson & Fitzgibbon competitions used to be. ATU Mayo are hosting the finals this year, with the flagship games being held indoors in the Air Dome in the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan. 

In the O'Connor Cup, the senior competition. Erone Fitzpatrick (Park-Ratheinska), will Vice Captain University of Limerick against Queens University Belfast in the semi final on Friday March 10. UL qualified straight to a semi final after beating UCC at home and Mary I away in their group. Queens had to come through a Quarter final where they beat University of Galway. Limerick's side includes members of the Kilkerrin Clonberne All-Ireland club champions, such as Nicola & Louise Ward and Ailsih Morrissey. 

The other semi-final will be between DCU and TU Dublin. Stephen Duff is the only Laois involvement in the DCU side as manager, he also manages Portlaoise Ladies Senior team. Peter Clarke who manages DCU with Stephen was also involved in Portlaoise last season when they won the league & championship. DCU would have high calibre players such as Emma Duggan from Meath, Kate Kenny from Offaly as well as players from over 12 different counties. They beat UCD & UG to qualify straight to a semi final. DCU beat UL in the league final in December. UL have won the last 2 O'Connor Cup's, while DCU won previous to that in 2018.

In the second competition, the Giles Cup. DCU 2 will play Ulster University on Friday March 10. Kelly O'Neil from Graiguecullen & Sarah Larkin from Timahoe are both involved in this team. They lost in the Division 2 league final back in December to MTU Kerry (Formerly Tralee IT) with both girls starting that game. They beat UL2 & Trinity to qualify straight to a semi final. The other semi final will see Maynooth University face off against MTU Kerry. Maynooth's team features four Laois ladies with Rachel Fitzgerald, Jennifer Murphy, Aoife Gallagher and Heather Bennett all listed on the programme.

All-Ireland winner with Laois, Orla Hennessy from Timahoe lines out at number 11 in the Moynihan Cup for ATU Sligo. Emer Cawley from Graiguecullen will play for DCU in the Lynch Cup semi-final versus ATU Donegal. The other semi-final will have Emily Lacey from St Joseph's playing at half-forward for UCC.

The first finals are due to take place on International Women's Day, Wednesday March 8, where the HEC Cup, Lagan Cup and Donaghy Cup finals are due to be played. Laois' Sarah Tuohy and Emma Hickey are down to start for DCU in the HEC Cup. Ballyroan's Ellen Donoghue will start corner back for University of Galway in the Lagan Cup while Tory Byrne from Portlaoise is named on the panel for TUS Midwest as they face UL in the Donaghy Cup. 

See full schedule of games below:

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— Ladies HEC (@LadiesHEC) March 5, 2023