St Vincents Complete Cup Double
St. Vincents Water Polo Club have completed a unique double with both their Women’s and Men’s Team winning the 2025 Irish Senior Cups at UL Sport Arena in Limerick.
Vincents women claimed the cup after an epic battle with Galway’s Tribes WPC, only penalties separating the sides in the end.
A nervous start from both teams saw the first quarter end with no goals 0-0.
It was then Tribes, competing in their first Irish Senior Cup Final, who got the first scores of the game, Aoife Bundschu and Laura Casserly hitting the back of the net to go two goals up. It did not take long for Vincents to hit back though with a goal from Aine Hennessey. Tribes made it 3-1 with Niamh Connery scoring, but Keri Noonan and Cliona Colvin levelled the game to 3-3 at half time.
Tribes led the third quarter 7-8, goals coming from Connery, and four from Casserly while St. Vincents held their nerve with Lucy Kelly scoring two and one each from Aoife Hennessy and Mairead Baker.
A thrilling fourth quarter saw the teams go goal for goal, Tribes’ Casserly levelling the game with 39 seconds on the clock to secure the draw at 10-10.
The winner was eventually decided by penalties with St. Vincents bringing home the Cup with a 13-12 win.
Casserly was deservedly awarded tournament MVP and was joined on the team of the tournament by team-mates Aisling Walsh and Lana Awaja, St. Vincents Aoife Hennessy, Cliona Colvin and Ciara Williams, and Diamonds Ellen Loane.
There were further celebrations for the St. Vincents club when the Men’s team secured a hat-trick of Cup wins dating back to 2023 by beating Galway’s Corrib WPC 14-9.
Vincent’s took a first quarter lead of 4-1 that was never relinquished, despite a hard-fought battle from Corrib who got as close as 11-9 at the start of the fourth quarter.
St Vincent’s Matthew Hynes was tournament MVP and was named in the team of the tournament with team-mates Conor Johnston, Garrett Johnston and Fionn Byrne, Corrib’s Daniel Bartusz, Ciaran Walshe, and Cathal Brugha’s Adrian Hanna.
Women’s Team of the tournament:
1 Lana Awaja (Tribes WPC)
2 Aisling Walsh (Tribes WPC)
3 Ellen Loane (Diamonds WPC)
4 Aoife Hennessy (St Vincents WPC)
5 Cliona Colvin (St Vincents WPC)
6 Laura Casserly (Tribes WPC)
7 Ciara Williams (St Vincents WPC)
Women’s Bert O’Brien MVP of the tournament:
Laura Casserly (Tribes WPC)
Men’s Team of the tournament:
1 Daniel Bartusz (Corrib WPC)
2 Conor Johnston (St Vincents WPC)
3 Ciaran Walshe (Corrib WPC)
4 Adrian Hanna (Cathal Brugha)
5 Garrett Johnston (St Vincents WPC)
6 Matthew Hynes (St Vincents WPC)
7 Fionn Byrne (St Vincents WPC)
Men’s Shane Moraghan MVP of the tournament:
Matthew Hynes (St Vincents WPC)
Young Player of the Year was also awarded at the end of the competition to Fionn Byrne (St Vincents WPC)
A big thank you to all our LEN referees, delegates & table officials, President of Ireland Water Polo Adrian Hanna who was in attendance for the presentations of medals and in particular to Tournament Directors, Eamon Caulfield, Kirstie Stevenson and Damian Ball for organising and running the tournament over the weekend.
Officials
LEN referees and Delegates appointed for the tournament:
Maria Daskalopoulou (GRE)
Sander Gransjean (NED)
Soma Kovacs (HUN)
Lukasz Krol (POL)
Connor Jukes (GBR)
Declan McKerr (IRE)
Steve O’Brien (IRE)
Tad Detko (GBR)
Also thank you to our pool providers in UL as well as their staff who were very obliging in making hours available over the weekend and providing assistance when needed.
Information, Match Sheets & Results:
Results – Saturday 10th May 2025
Women
Semi Final 1 St Vincents WPC 12 v 4 Drogheda WPC
Semi Final 2 Tribes WPC 14 v 5 Diamonds WPC
Final St Vincents WPC 13 v 12 Tribes WPC
Men
Semi Final 1 St Vincents WPC 11 v 2 Drogheda WPC
Semi Final 2 Cathal Brugha 7 v 10 Corrib WPC
Final St Vincents WPC 14 v 9 Corrib WPC
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