Orla Benson Cup Final: Tir na nOg no Match for Shamrocks

Boston Shamrocks 5-13 Tir na nOg 1-4



The Boston ladies teams play each year for the Orla Benson Cup. The cup is named in memory of a young girl from county Kerry who, like so many thousands of students before and since, had spent the summer in Boston.  Orla was murdered in a playground in Allston having spent the night out with friends just before she was due to return to Ireland. This year is the 15th anniversary of her death.

The Boston Shamrocks did not give Tir na nOg
much space on Sunday.

The game itself did not come close to living up to the excitement generated by ladies finals of years past. After a one sided first 20 minutes the Shamrocks had established a 7 point lead. Tir na nOg got on the scoreboard with a Sinead Bannon free followed by a point from Emer Power. Tir na nOg could not cope with Shamrocks center forward Catriona Treanor who registered some beautifully taken points. The Shamrocks combined well on several occasions, Cathy McEleaney finished one good move, Shannon Guarge another, and Nicola Hust popped a free over the bar. Tir na nOg had a couple of wides and struck the post high on one occasion, and had these chances been taken the half-time deficit would have been much closer than the 0-7 to 0-2 in the Shamrocks favour.


After Guare and Treasa Doherty extended the Shamrocks lead, Michelle Walsh goaled for Tir na nOg. Walsh won the break from a hop ball on the 21 and fired home to reduce the deficit to four points and there was hope for the Brighton side. Unfortunately for them, the remainder of the game featured 5 Shamrocks goals as the Shamrocks shelled their opponents into submission. Ciara Murphy, Guare, Hurst, and two from Doherty near the end of the game made sure Tir na nOg would not be harboring any comeback notions. Bannon and Michelle Walsh did manage late consolation scores for the Brighton side. Shamrocks captain, Stacy O’Dowd, graciously accepted the cup and put things in perspective by reminding everybody present of the purpose of playing for the trophy, and called for a moment of silence to be observed in memory of Orla Benson.



Shamrocks: N. Hayward, N. Nugent, J. O’Connell, S. O’Dowd, A. McDonnell, N. Hurst, T. Doherty, E. Burns, C. McEleaney, T. Doherty, C. Treanor, S. Guare, G. Bailey, B. Kelly, C. Murphy. Tir na nOg: C. Kelly, E. Kelly, L. Brick, L. Gilmore, J. Davoren, T. Moran, B. Matti, A. Creegan, N. Daly, N. O’Neill, C. Hanley, S. Moran, E. Power, M. Walsh, S. Bannon.


By Rory O'Donnell