WATCH: Limerick camogie star inspires UCC to first Ashbourne Cup success for 23 years

TEMPLEGLANTINE and Limerick camogie star Sarah O'Brien struck a superb 2-2 from play in a Player of the Match display as UCC claimed the Ashbourne Cup for the first time in 23 years when overcoming UCD in the final at DCUs Grounds on Sunday.

Exciting forward O'Brien was superb for the Skull and Crossbones, settling the pre-match favourites into the game by winning a free for the opening point and following up with a score from play, then wrapping up a stellar all-round showing with two late goals to put real distance between the sides on the scoreboard.

That immediate initial impression forced the UCD management to pull their talisman, Kilkenny’s Grace Walsh, back into the full-back line to try and curtail the Limerick star.

READ NEXT: Limerick players in Ireland Club XV matchday squad to face Scotland Clubs side on Friday

While the battle between these two players was a real clash of the titans, Walsh’s influence further outfield was sorely missed by the Dublin students.

With their nerves eased by that fast start, Niamh McNabola kept the pressure on with a point, O'Brien moved over to the left corner to add another score and AFLW-bound Cork dual star, Aoife Healy drove through the defence to set up a Sophie Pembroke point, making it 0-5 to no score after 10 minutes.

@TempleglantineC and @LimCamogie forward Sarah O'Brien was on fire for @ucc_gaa in the Ashbourne Cup Final, hitting 2-02 on her way to picking up Player of the Match, helping UCC win their first Ashbourne Cup since 2003 ⚪ pic.twitter.com/b6wrKP7xNF

— The Camogie Association (@OfficialCamogie) February 10, 2026

There were 23 minutes on the clock by the time UCD finally got off the mark, Ciara Curtin neatly poaching the sliotar and whipping it through the posts off her left after an Amy Carey free was batted clear of the UCC goalmouth.

A score of real class from UCC, set up by O’Brien and slotted through the uprights from a tight angle from Abby Walsh, made it 0-9 to 0-1 at the interval.

UCC added the first four points of the second half as well and while UCD then settled into the game with points from Carey, Curtin and Emma Moran, there was still time for a final flourish from O’Brien.

Her first goal came after she pounced on a break and drove through a gap to finish low underneath Robyn Conlon, her second rifled to the roof of the net when she cut through from the left corner and recovered well after her first attempt was hooked, the last act in a comprehensive win.

SCORERS UCC: Sarah O’Brien 2-2, Sophie Pembrook 0-4 (0-2 frees), Niamh MacNabola, Leah Hallihan 0-2 each, Amy McCarthy, Abby Walsh, Orlaith Cremin, Aoife Healy, Grace Moloney 0-1 each. UCD: Emma Moran 0-3 (0-2 frees), Ciara Curtin 0-2, Amy Carey (free), Caoimhe French 0-1 each.

UCC: Kate McCarthy; Maedhbh de Burca, Claire Kingston, Katie Garry Murphy; Amy McCarthy, Abby Walsh, Orlaith Cremin; Avril Cashman, Niamh MacNabola; Sophie Pembrook, Aoife Healy, Leah Hallihan; Sarah O’Brien, Cliona Dooley, Meave Murphy. Subs: Eimear Duignan for Pembrook (52 mins), Ciara O’Riordan for Hallihan (56 mins), Grace Moloney for MacNabola (58 mins), Miriam Murphy for de Burca (59 mins), Anna Fahie for Garry Murphy (60 + 1 mins).

UCD: Robyn Conlon; Angela Carroll, Emily Adderly, Katie Byrne; Katie Ryan, Niamh Phelan, Grace Walsh; Alannah McNulty, Caoimhe French; Sarah Kehoe, Sibeal Cherry, Ciara Curtin; Ciara Shelly, Emma Moran, Amy Carey. Subs: Laoise Nolan for Ryan (35 mins), Allison Fitzgerald for Carey (39 mins), Aisling O’Sullivan for Kehoe (50 mins), Milly Hughes for Curtin (58 mins).

REFEREE: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).