Two Galway teams competed in the Irish Water Polo Senior cup finals for the first time last weekend at the UL Arena Pool.

Tribes WPC was participating in their first Women’s Senior final, while Corrib WPC were participating in their fourth men’s final, a competition they last won in 2018. Unfortunately, the results did not go the way of either team: Tribes WPC lost 13-12 on penalties to St Vincent’s, which completed the double, as the Dublin club side were 14-9 winners over Corrib WPC in the men’s final.

Tribes came into the cup quietly confident having had a strong league season, topping the league table before this competition began, and their first game against Drogheda WPC opened with a strong first quarter.

Opening goals from Laura Casserly, Rachel Corcoran, Iona McDonnell, and Alanah Balcoe helped the Galway side race into a 4-1 lead. Drogheda struck back with three unanswered goals because of two exclusions and a penalty conceded by Tribes, and after a tight opening half, Tribes led 7-5 at the break.

It took Tribes no time at all to find their rhythm in the second-half, however, and quickly opened a commanding lead 13-6 by the end of the third quarter, with two goals from Niamh Connery, one each from Aoife Bundschu and Sophie Moran. Four further goals from the powerful hole-forward, Casserly, saw Tribes finish the game 15-7 winners.

They took on North Dublin in their second group game, knowing a win would see them qualify for a semi-final spot, and Tribes raced into a commanding lead once again, ending the first quarter 4-0 ahead.

Tribes asserted their dominance adding five more goals, before goalkeeper Lana Awaja scored a stunning goal, launching a throw from her own five-metre line, the ball sailing over Catherine Noorlandt’s head in the North Dublin goal and into the net on the buzzer to loud cheers from the packed gallery as Tribes led 9-3 at half-time.

The second half saw Tribes add to their tally with goals from Aishling Walsh and Oliwia Smialek and six in total from Casserly to end the game 14-4 and set-up a semi-final against Diamonds WPC from Belfast, which was a repeat of last year’s semi-final in Bangor which Diamonds won convincingly.

Tribes need not have any fears this time around, having beaten their opponents twice in league fixtures this season, and they opened the scoring through Niamh Connery. They held the lead until an exclusion saw them concede in the last minute of the quarter, but Oliwia Smialek regained the lead in the second with an opportunist goal.

Diamonds, however, again scored off an exclusion to level before Tribes took charge adding two more from Ashling Walsh and Casserly to lead at half time 4-2; and the Belfast side’s resistance was broken in the second half as Tribes exerted pressure on the wings and forced five exclusions and goals from Walsh, Moran, Casserly and McDonnell to lead 8-3 at the end of the third.

A further five goals with Lily Crudden and Lydia McNicholas contributing saw the game end 13-5 to Tribes and a place in the final for the first time.

The final was a repeat of the league game against the same opposition and at the same venue a week earlier, which St Vincent’s won on penalties.

The first quarter was a nervous affair for both teams, with neither side finding the breakthrough, before Bundschu broke the deadlock with a well taken goal from an acute angle on the right.

Casserly and Connery added to the lead, but St. Vincents responded with goals from Cliona Colvin and Keri Noonan to leave the score tied 3-3 at half time. Connery and Casserly again struck in the second-half to build a two-goal cushion, St Vincent’s replied, Casserly scored twice, and St Vincent’s called a time out to halt the gallop of the Tribes onslaught.

Pictured: The Tribes Water Polo Club squad which was beaten in the final of the Irish Water Polo Senior Cup at the UL Arena Pool last weekend. Back row, from left: Teresa Moran (manager), Alice Corcoran, Aoife Bundschu, Sophie Moran, Rachel Corcoran, Maebh Crudden, Sarah Bradley, Alannah Blacoe, and Goran Sablic (head coach). Front: Mariusz Smialek (assistant coach), Iona McDonnell, Niamh Connery, Lily Crudden, Lana Awaja, Laura Casserly (MVP), Oliwia Smialek, Aishlin Walsh, and Lydis McNicholas. Photo: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo.