DCU Dóchas Éireann  3-14 University of Limerick 1-13 

Kate Kenny kicked 1-10 as DCU won the Yoplait O’Connor Cup for the first time since 2018. 

The Offaly dual star was named player-of-the-match, which means that she has now won that award in All-Ireland club camogie and ladies football finals, as well as this top level college's football final. Talk about a player for the big stage. The St Rynagh's hurler and Naomh Ciaran footballer was named at wing forward earlier this week on the Ashbourne Cup camogie team of the year and will in due course be named on the O'Connor Cup team of the year. In 2018, she was named the Offaly camogie and ladies footballer of the year - she was 16 years of age. She scored 1-10 on Saturday, 1-4 from play in a tally that marginally beats her 1-9 (1-5 from play) in last year's All-Ireland intermediate camogie final. Who said dual players were done? [caption id="attachment_284967" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Kate Kenny of DCU Dóchas Éireann is presented with the Player of the Match award by Ladies HEC chairperson Daniel Caldwell after her side's victory in the 2023 Yoplait Ladies HEC O’Connor Cup Final match between DCU Dóchas Éireann and University of Limerick at University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan, Mayo. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile[/caption]

UL were in hot pursuit of a third O'Connor Cup triumph in a row but Kenny said no at the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome.

The North Dublin college got off to the best possible start when Kenny's long range effort deceived the UL keeper and flew straight into the net after 25 seconds. She tagged on two further frees to leave UL scoreless, shellshocked and 1-3 to no score down after five minutes.

The teams traded scores before DCU went into the break leading by a point, 1-8 to 1-7 the half time score.

Kenny took over in the second half, however, as she inspired DCU to their fifth ever title at this grade. She was ably assisted by Mayo's Tara Needham - who was competing against her sister Ciara, and Ciara Banville - both of whom scored goals for Peter Clarke's side.

Scorers – DCU: K Kenny 1-10 (0-6f), T Needham 1-1, C Banville 1-0, C Darby, L Fox, O Nevin 0-1 each. 

UL S O’Shea 0-6 (5f), A Hurley 1-0, D Beirne 0-2, N Ward, C Needham, E Fitzpatrick, S Cunney, A O’Rourke 0-1 each

DCU: R Murray, C Dunne, L Lenehan, C Charters, R Ennis, R Sargeant, O Nevin, A R Kennedy, C Darby, C Lohan, M Reilly, C Finnegan, T Needham, K Kenny, L Fox. Subs: C Banville for Finnegan (24), E Morrissey for Fox (35), J Duffy for Darby (40), A Rattigan for Needham (52), A Farrell for Reilly (54).

UL: M Bolger, D Kiniry, L Spillane, S Ní Chonaill, A Molloy, N Ward, E O’Shea, C Needham, A Reidy, N O’Connor, D Beirne, E Fitzpatrick, A Hurley, S O’Shea, A O’Rourke. Subs: Z Fay for Spillane (17), A Sexton for Hurley (ht), S Cunney for O’Rourke (41), C Murray for Reidy (48), E Murphy for O’Connor (49). 

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).