Busy weekend of gaelic games action for DCU

Last weekend was a particularly successful one for DCU students across all gaelic games codes. In Ladies Football Mayo and Cork advance to an All Ireland semi final meeting, with DCU alumna Brid O'Sullivan scoring 2-1 for the Rebels in their defeat of Galway while current student Sarah Rowe hit 0-3 for Mayo in their win over Donegal.

On the Camogie field, it was disappointment for Dublin and their large cohort of past DCU students (Aisling Carolan, Miriam Twomey, Eimear McCarthy & Laura Twomey) and present (Aine Woods, Eva Marie Elliott & Hannah Hegarty) who were defeated by Kilkenny, led by DCU alumna Emma Kavanagh.

On the Hurling field it was a successful day in Thurles for six current DCU students with the Kilkenny Under 21 side who defeated Derry to reach this year's U21 Final and doubly sweet as both Darren Mullen & John Donnelly were named on the GAA.ie team of the week. Kilkenny will now meet a strong Limerick side in this year's final which includes DCU representative Conor McSweeney.

By all accounts, the most exciting game of last weekend was the clash of Mayo and Kerry in Croke Park, with Cillian O'Connor (alumnus) and Paddy Durkan (current student) to the fore on the scoring front for Mayo, while alumnus Peter Crowley was pivotal for Kerry.

This coming weekend sees a number of past and current DCU students in the Dublin senior football team to play Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final, including, among others, Jonny Cooper, Stephen Cluxton, Dean Rock and Philly McMahon. The Mayo and Kerry replay on Saturday afternoon is also sure to be heavily influenced by past and current DCU students.

On Saturday, Semple Stadium, Thurles plays host to a double header of Ladies football action with the intermediate clash of Meath and Tipperary including past and current DCU students (Niamh Lister, Meath, DCU alumna) and Tipperary scoring star Aishling Maloney (current student).

The senior semi final sees Dublin face Kerry, with DCU Alumni Siobhan Woods, Fiona Hudson, Sinead Finnegan and Deirdre Murphy flying the flag along with current students Lauren Magee and Leah Caffrey.