DCU Claim SSI Tier 2 Cup Title With Stunning Seven-Try Performance
DCU 43 – 0 University of Galway
Wednesday March 4 2026
SSI Women's Tier 2 Final
DCU Sports Campus (St. Clares)
DCU Women saved their best performance of the season to overwhelm University of Galway 43–0 in glorious spring sunshine at St. Clare's to claim the Student Sport Ireland Tier 2 title in emphatic fashion. Seven tries, four conversions, and a defensive pride capped a season of resilience, growth, and collective determination - all delivered in front of a jubilant home crowd on a beautiful afternoon on the DCU Sports Campus.
From the first whistle, DCU's intent was unmistakable. The hosts tore into the contest with a ferocity and focus that the visitors simply could not match. Kara Mulcahy - outstanding once again - set the tone on both sides of the ball, producing a commanding defensive display before powering over for the game's opening try. It was a score that encapsulated everything this DCU squad has come to represent: courage, physicality, and an unrelenting will to compete.
Heidi Lyons then took control of proceedings with a masterclass in attacking play. Operating as a genuine triple threat - with a kicking game that pinned UG deep, a passing range that unlocked space for those around her, and a running game that defenders simply could not read - Lyons orchestrated DCU's attack to an exceptional level. She crossed for two tries of her own and converted four across the afternoon, finishing the final as the standout performer in a team brimming with quality.
In the midfield, Cara Martin and Molly Whately formed a devastating centre partnership that gave UG nightmares all day. Martin's direct, physical running complemented Whately's blend of power and subtlety, and together they consistently broke the gainline and created opportunities for those outside them. Whately capped her display with a well-taken try, while Martin also found the whitewash in a performance that underlined the depth of talent in this DCU backline.
Up front, the pack laid the foundation for everything that followed. Saoirse Guinan continued her impressive try-scoring run with another powerful finish, carrying with real venom throughout. Orla Wafer and Roisín Ridge were equally influential, offering go-forward ball that kept UG on the back foot and ensured DCU dominated the collisions. Their combined efforts at the breakdown and in the tight gave Lyons and the backline the platform and quick ball they needed to attack with determination and certainty.
Lucy Egan, ever alert at scrumhalf, added her name to the scoresheet with a trademark darting finish, bringing her pace and anticipation to bear once again in a Cup season where she has been a constant threat from the back.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with DCU's intensity never wavering and their accuracy in attack far sharper than in earlier rounds of the competition. UG, to their credit, never stopped competing, but were simply overwhelmed by a DCU performance that married physicality with precision across all eighty minutes.
The scenes at the final whistle told the full story. Players, coaches, and the wider squad poured onto the pitch at St. Clares, revelling in a victory that was the culmination of a season defined by long journeys, depleted squads, and setbacks overcome through sheer force of character. For a group that Head Coach Ian Devery described earlier in the campaign as "very young," this was a title richly deserved.
Final Score: DCU 43 – 0 University of Galway
DCU Try Scorers: Heidi Lyons (2), Kara Mulcahy, Lucy Egan, Cara Martin, Molly Whately, Saoirse Guinan
DCU Conversions: Heidi Lyons (4)
Picture credits: Kyran O’Brien @kobpix
