Kingsway retain netball shield

Kingsway rounded off an encouraging campaign by retaining the subsidary shield courtesy of a deserved 48-43 victory over Holywood in an enthralling final.

Unbeaten in 2012, Laura Montgomery’s girls proudly flew the flag for Lisburn in overcoming the loss of their most experienced player, Kathy Ardis, to injury two days before the match.

But the coach’s daughter, former Northern Ireland Under 19 captain Sarah Montgomery who is currently at university in England, defied knee problems to answer the call as an emergency defender and the team of young guns rose to the occasion.

After a flying start, Kingsway were pegged back to only lead 12-11 at the first interval but had stretched their lead to 23-18 at half-time and were eight ahead going into the final quarter.

But with the youngsters who had given everything starting to tire, NI assistant coach Montgomery turned to the experience of Leeann McWilliams, currently team manager for the national side, as a substitute.

Although Holywood threw everything at trying to turn the scoreline round in that last period and edged it 15-12, Kingsway had done enough to lift the trophy for the second year running.

Larkfield cup final hopes dashed

Larkfield’s hopes of finishing an ultimately disappointing season on a high were dashed when new Premier League champions Graduates beat them 55-50 in last Saturday’s NI Cup final at Lisburn Racquets.

A repeat of last year’s decider, the domestic showpiece offered Denise Prue’s side the opportunity to avenge that defeat and put behind them the memories of a league campaign which promised much but fell away badly.

Unbeaten league leaders at Christmas, Larkfield ultimately ended up third and also came up short in the Cup final but not before providing an exceptionally strong Graduates team with a challenge worthy of the occasion.

After a slightly hesitant start, Larkfield’s confidence came flooding back as captain Caroline O’Hanlon and star shooter Kyla Bowman combined brilliantly to fire them into a 14-12 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

But unlike opponents in previous rounds, Grads’ all-international line-up had the wherewithal to respond powerfully and turned the contest in their favour during an ominous second quarter.

In outscoring Larkfield 18-9 they went in seven ahead at the break and increased that lead slightly during the third quarter before a decisive surge at the start of the last period.

From 12 goals down, the local ladies registered 10 of the game’s final 13 scores but that only served to reduce the eventual margin of defeat and wasn’t of much consolation to the 2010 double winners.

They did emerge with heads held high though after finally finding some of the form which had deserted them in the frustrating first few months of 2012.

Tyrone gaelic star Neamh Woods, sidelined since Christmas by a hip problem which will require an operation, has been a big loss defensively and English-based exile Michelle Drayne has, naturally enough, not been available for many matches.

Injury, illness and work commitments have proved additionally disruptive and not being able to field a settled team was a major factor in Larkfield’s league challenge fading away but Prue’s side showed in the Cup final why they are a team to be feared.

Vice-captain Eimear Wright, centre Drayne and wing attack Laura Mason worked tirelessly to stem the tide against an impressively efficient Graduates side packed with experienced internationals and supply possession to O’Hanlon and Bowman.

Goalkeeper Deborah McCarthy battled hard against the energetic Grads shooters and schoolgirl Jenna Bowman, the NI Under 21 vice-captain, got a run out at goal defence for the final quarter.

It was an emotional farewell for former Northern Ireland captain Ciara Brunton, who joined Larkfield last summer from Belfast Ladies but has had her influence curtailed by a broken finger and her commitments as a jet-setting international lawyer.

Playing her last match before moving to Abu Dhabi, the result wasn’t how the Australian-born Omagh woman would have wanted to sign off but she will have warm memories of her time at Larkfield.