Byes for UCD, AerLingus Jets, AerLingus1, WhiteEagles and DCU
Quarter Finals: March 10th - 16th
QTR1: Rebels 0 - 3Dublin
Scores:
23-25, 22-25, 17-25
QTR2: Santry 1 - 3 Newbridge Wildcats
Scores:
10-25, 14-25, 25-23, 17-25
QTR3: cbphoto.ie 0 - 3 AerLingus
Scores:
11-25, 22-25, 17-25
QTR4: Naas 0 - 3 UCD1
Scores:
12-25, 10-25, 13-25
QTR1: UCD 1 - 3 Trinity
Scores:
25-20, 23-25, 14-25, 23-25
QTR2: Cork 3 - 0 AerLingus Jets
Scores:
25-23, 26-24, 25-20
QTR3: cbphoto.ie Tigers 3 - 2 AerLingus1
Scores:
26-28, 25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 17-15
QTR4: WhiteEagles 0 - 3 DCU
Scores:
13-25, 17-25, 18-25
Semi Finals: March 31st and April 1st
SF1: Dublin 0 - 3 Newbridge Wildcats
Scores:
18-25, 18-25, 17-25
SF2: AerLingus 1 - 3 UCD1
Scores:
25-16, 13-25, 21-25, 23-25
SF1: Trinity 3 - 0 Cork
Scores:
25-19, 25-19, 25-16
SF2: cbphoto.ie 1 - 3 DCU
Scores:
18-25, 25-23, 16-25, 22-25
Finals: April 21st
Newbridge 1 - 3 UCD1
Scores:
25-27, 25-15, 25-20, 25-22
Trinity 0 - 3 DCU
Scores:
25-17, 25-15, 25-22
UCD have won back the women’s Association Cup by overcoming the Newbridge Wildcats 3-1. This was the final that everyone was waiting for, pitching the Wildcats, Premier League winners for the second year in a row, against UCD, who won the Association Cup twice in the last three years. Played in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, the match got of to a thriller, with the first set proving to be the most exciting of the match. After a nervous start and an injury scare to setter Lisa Moran, UCD maintained a 2-point lead ahead of their rivals throughout the set. Trailing 23-20, a timeout by favourites Newbridge however gave them an extra impetus and they survived 2 set points to snatch the set 27-25, with Sharon Lee squeezing a shot down the line to give them what seemed an unlikely win.
If losing a set that they thought was theirs disheartened UCD, they certainly didn’t show it thereafter. They stormed into a 21-11 lead in the next set with the serving of Alena Dvorakova causing chaos in the Newbridge serve-receive, while the reverse attacking from Lyndsey Condell and the strong back-court hitting from Noemi Kuncik also managed to pierce the Wildcats rear-guard and further-assisted the Belfield girls to a 25-15 set victory. Level at 1-1, the third set followed a similar pattern with UCD dominating at the net and it was only when Newbridge started a late rally did they put UCD under considerable pressure. Yet they could not find an answer to their opponents serve and had great difficulty getting their experienced attackers into the game, as hard as setter Dorotea Arcidiacono tried. UCD eventually closed out the set 25-20.
The fourth set started in a similar vein with UCD growing in confidence all the time, particularly in middle players Ruth Stafford and Patricia Somers who respectively found spaces in the Newbridge defence and quenched the Wildcats' attack with some powerful blocking. At 22-16, it should have been a canter to the finish line but Newbridge were not done yet and a spirited comeback with some excellent defence from Leanne Dignam closed the deficit to just 24-22, pressurizing a now-nervous looking UCD. However, a time out and a change of tactic by Coach Paul McKeever, in his 14th consecutive Cup Final, saw the equally-experienced wing attacker Noemi Kuncik cleverly finding a gap in the Newbridge defence; an eruption of UCD celebration followed with this famous victory. UCD 3-1 Newbridge (25-27, 25-15, 25-20, 25-22, MVP - Alena Dvorakova, UCD)Photos >>
In the men’s Association Cup Final, a great display of blocking, attack and defence saw the DCU men take the title with style. Cancelling our Trinity’s big threats in Per Plough and Hugh Nohilly was the increasingly-evident game plan from the off with DCU; within minutes of the first serve, the quick attack of Plough was stuffed blocked by Jakub Nowakorski for DCU. Both teams exchanged points to mid set until a timeout by CoachMary Lalor at 15-14 gave the DCU men the reminder they needed and they went on to win the first set with an impressive eight point margin 25-17.
With the DCU men growing in confidence, Trinity were up against it to stop the almost flawless attack of DCU’s now in-form Glenn Malone and Radoslaw Janora. The substitution of young left-hander Guillaume Dony gave the Trinity men another problem to deal with in attack. Despite having 5 kills in the set, Zedenik Vajnlich and Captain Joe O’Keefe were unable save the Trinity men. Determined blocking and the at-times unbelievable defence of the DCU men, with Radoslaw Janora almost sweeping the floor to turn over points kept the Northsiders ahead right through the second set and went on to take the set with an even greater winning margin 25-15.
The third set saw Trinity take a 4-1 lead but the excellent setting and attacking decisions by first year setter for DCU, Ivars Kerberis, brought the DCU men back into the game. Both teams traded points with substitutions on both sides. The rallies became longer as both teams fought for every point. The DCU men took a 22-15 lead with strong blocking from substitute Jakub Pergul, yet only to have it eroded by the by the strong serving run of Trinity’s Hugh Nohilly. However, another time out by Coach Mary Lalor ended the run and DCU went on to take the set and the match 25-22. Best for DCU were Ivars Kerberis, Glenn Malone and Radoslaw Janora, while Zedenik Vajnlich shone for Trinity. DCU 3-0 Trinity (25-17, 25-15, 25-22, MVP - Radoslaw Janora, DCU)Photos >>
UCD have won back the women’s Association Cup by overcoming the Newbridge Wildcats 3-1. This was the final that everyone was waiting for, pitching the Wildcats, Premier League winners for the second year in a row, against UCD, who won the Association Cup twice in the last three years. Played in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, the match got of to a thriller, with the first set proving to be the most exciting of the match. After a nervous start and an injury scare to setter Lisa Moran, UCD maintained a 2-point lead ahead of their rivals throughout the set. Trailing 23-20, a timeout by favourites Newbridge however gave them an extra impetus and they survived 2 set points to snatch the set 27-25, with Sharon Lee squeezing a shot down the line to give them what seemed an unlikely win.
If losing a set that they thought was theirs disheartened UCD, they certainly didn’t show it thereafter. They stormed into a 21-11 lead in the next set with the serving of Alena Dvorakova causing chaos in the Newbridge serve-receive, while the reverse attacking from Lyndsey Condell and the strong back-court hitting from Noemi Kuncik also managed to pierce the Wildcats rear-guard and further-assisted the Belfield girls to a 25-15 set victory. Level at 1-1, the third set followed a similar pattern with UCD dominating at the net and it was only when Newbridge started a late rally did they put UCD under considerable pressure. Yet they could not find an answer to their opponents serve and had great difficulty getting their experienced attackers into the game, as hard as setter Dorotea Arcidiacono tried. UCD eventually closed out the set 25-20.
The fourth set started in a similar vein with UCD growing in confidence all the time, particularly in middle players Ruth Stafford and Patricia Somers who respectively found spaces in the Newbridge defence and quenched the Wildcats' attack with some powerful blocking. At 22-16, it should have been a canter to the finish line but Newbridge were not done yet and a spirited comeback with some excellent defence from Leanne Dignam closed the deficit to just 24-22, pressurizing a now-nervous looking UCD. However, a time out and a change of tactic by Coach Paul McKeever, in his 14th consecutive Cup Final, saw the equally-experienced wing attacker Noemi Kuncik cleverly finding a gap in the Newbridge defence; an eruption of UCD celebration followed with this famous victory. UCD 3-1 Newbridge (25-27, 25-15, 25-20, 25-22, MVP - Alena Dvorakova, UCD) 
In the men’s Association Cup Final, a great display of blocking, attack and defence saw the DCU men take the title with style. Cancelling our Trinity’s big threats in Per Plough and Hugh Nohilly was the increasingly-evident game plan from the off with DCU; within minutes of the first serve, the quick attack of Plough was stuffed blocked by Jakub Nowakorski for DCU. Both teams exchanged points to mid set until a timeout by Coach Mary Lalor at 15-14 gave the DCU men the reminder they needed and they went on to win the first set with an impressive eight point margin 25-17.
With the DCU men growing in confidence, Trinity were up against it to stop the almost flawless attack of DCU’s now in-form Glenn Malone and Radoslaw Janora. The substitution of young left-hander Guillaume Dony gave the Trinity men another problem to deal with in attack. Despite having 5 kills in the set, Zedenik Vajnlich and Captain Joe O’Keefe were unable save the Trinity men. Determined blocking and the at-times unbelievable defence of the DCU men, with Radoslaw Janora almost sweeping the floor to turn over points kept the Northsiders ahead right through the second set and went on to take the set with an even greater winning margin 25-15.
The third set saw Trinity take a 4-1 lead but the excellent setting and attacking decisions by first year setter for DCU, Ivars Kerberis, brought the DCU men back into the game. Both teams traded points with substitutions on both sides. The rallies became longer as both teams fought for every point. The DCU men took a 22-15 lead with strong blocking from substitute Jakub Pergul, yet only to have it eroded by the by the strong serving run of Trinity’s Hugh Nohilly. However, another time out by Coach Mary Lalor ended the run and DCU went on to take the set and the match 25-22. Best for DCU were Ivars Kerberis, Glenn Malone and Radoslaw Janora, while Zedenik Vajnlich shone for Trinity. DCU 3-0 Trinity (25-17, 25-15, 25-22, MVP - Radoslaw Janora, DCU)