#EnergiaAIL Women’s Division: Round 12 Previews

Galwegians full-back Sophie Cullen is pictured in action against Blackrock's Maggie Boylan during the teams' November encounter in the Energia All-Ireland League ©INPHO/James Lawlor
Round 12 in the Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division has some crunch clashes to look forward to. Galwegians are aiming to topple another top four team in Blackrock College, while only two points separate Ballincollig and Cooke in the table as they meet in Belfast.
ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION – ROUND 12:
Saturday, January 25
Kick-off 5pm unless stated –
COOKE (9th) v BALLINCOLLIG (8th), Shaw’s Bridge
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Cooke: LWLLLLLLLL; Ballincollig: LDWLLLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Cooke: Points: Amanda Morton 22; Tries: Stacey Sloan 3; Ballincollig: Points: Emma Connolly, Niamh Crotty 25 each; Tries: Niamh Crotty 5
Preview: This is Cooke and Ballincollig’s first meeting this season, following two postponements of their fixture in Cork in both November and earlier this month. ‘Collig won 24-14 on their last visit to Belfast, with current captain Michelle O’Driscoll scoring two of their four tries that day.
Helen Brosnan’s side are hoping to end a winless run which stretches back to October. Alix Cunneen and Anna Kavanagh come off the bench to start in the back row, Kate O’Sullivan joins O’Driscoll in the centre, Eve Prendergast switches to scrum half, and Fia Whelan is selected at full-back.
With some of the division’s leading teams to come in the next few rounds, Cooke really need to get something out of this game. Ulster duo Stacey Sloan and Paige Smyth played together in midfield last Saturday, and it will be interesting to see how they develop as a centre pairing.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 7, 2023: Cooke 14 Ballincollig 24, Shaw’s Bridge; Saturday, February 17, 2024: Ballincollig 36 Cooke 10, Tanner Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Ballincollig to win
GALWEGIANS (6th) v BLACKROCK COLLEGE (3rd), Crowley Park
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Galwegians: WLWWLLLLLLW; Blackrock College: LWLWWWWWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Galwegians: Points: Sarah Purcell 36; Tries: Emily Foley 7; Blackrock College: Points: Maggie Boylan 60; Tries: Maggie Boylan 12
Preview: Galwegians will be gunning for another top four scalp tomorrow after getting the better of in-form Old Belvedere last weekend. Emily Foley chipped in with her seventh try of the campaign during the 17-10 victory, as the 18-year-old winger continues to make rapid progress.
Third-placed Blackrock College will need no reminding that they lost 14-10 at Crowley Park last March. Their Australian scrum half Casey Jackson said: “Galwegians just thrive at home, so knowing that, we have to go into this weekend and put our best foot forward, and deal with whatever conditions are thrown at us.”
Tess Proos, Ann-Marie Rooney, and Hannah O’Connor are the Dubliners’ three personnel changes, with the vastly-experienced O’Connor captaining the team from number 8. Munster’s Maggie Boylan bagged a brace of tries against Tullow to take her season’s haul to 12.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 2, 2024: Galwegians 14 Blackrock College 10, Crowley Park; Saturday, November 23, 2024: Blackrock College 47 Galwegians 5, Stradbrook
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Blackrock College to win
OLD BELVEDERE (4th) v SUTTONIANS (7th), Ollie Campbell Park
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Belvedere: LLLWWWWWWWL; Suttonians: WDLLWWLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Belvedere: Points: Megan Edwards 75; Tries: Megan Edwards 15; Suttonians: Points: Lauren Farrell McCabe 34; Tries: Lauren Farrell McCabe 5
Preview: Old Belvedere and Suttonians endured two contrasting defeats during the last round. Galwegians were that bit quicker out of the traps as Belvedere’s seven-match winning streak was ended out west, while Sutts ended up losing by 50 points at home to title holders UL Bohemian.
Colin Keogh’s charges, down in eighth position, need to keep picking up points. Sutts have a four-point advantage over the side nearest them, but both Ballincollig and Cooke have a game in hand. Captain Meabh O’Brien and her centre partner Lauren Farrell McCabe will need to lead by example.
‘Belvo, who have the Wolfhounds’ Jade Gaffney back at scrum half, will be fired up to produce a big performance as this fixture is part of a Men’s and Women’s AIL double header at Ollie Campbell Park. Winger Megan Edwards continues to set the pace at the top of the try-scoring charts, adding her 15th of the season in Galway.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, March 2, 2024: Suttonians 12 Old Belvedere 39, JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds; Saturday, November 23, 2024: Suttonians 18 Old Belvedere 41, JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win
TULLOW (10th) v UL BOHEMIAN (2nd), Blackgates
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Tullow: LLLLLLLLLLL; UL Bohemian: WLWWWWWWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Tullow: Points: Grace Kelly 20; Tries: Grace Kelly 4; UL Bohemian: Points: Chisom Ugwueru 50; Tries: Chisom Ugwueru 10
Preview: The reigning champions pay their first ever visit to Tullow. With the Clovers’ trip to Glasgow postponed, Kate Flannery, Caitríona Finn, and Jane Clohessy will start for UL Bohemian tomorrow afternoon. Stephanie Nunan captains from midfield in the absence of Chloe Pearse.
The rearranged contest before Christmas ended in a runaway triumph for Bohs, although Catherine Dempsey and Hilary Fitzgerald did force their way over for a try each. Tullow cannot look too far ahead, but their March ties against Ballincollig and Cooke are looking increasingly crucial.
UL full-back Aoife Corey, who starred with a five-try tally against Suttonians last week, said: “We’ve started off 2025 well and want to keep playing as we need to go on. After a couple of good wins in this block of fixtures, we want another one this weekend and to bring home five points.”
Recent League Meetings – Tuesday, December 17, 2024: UL Bohemian 109 Tullow 12, UL 4G pitch
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UL Bohemian to win
WICKLOW (5th) v RAILWAY UNION (1st), Ashtown Lane
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Wicklow: WWWLLLLWWWW; Railway Union: WWWWWWWWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Wicklow: Points: Beth Roberts 51; Tries: Naoise O’Reilly, Roisin Stone 8 each; Railway Union: Points: Amanda Berta 83; Tries: Lindsay Peat 13
Preview: Wicklow may have won away to Cooke and Ballincollig to maintain their push for a top four place, but they are now entering an unforgiving run of matches, playing the four teams directly above them. It all begins with the visit of unbeaten leaders Railway Union tomorrow.
Wicklow’s fleet-footed full-back Naoise O’Reilly helped herself to five tries against ‘Collig, showing what she can do if afforded any space. But Railway Union have their own scoring stars in Amanda Berta and Lindsay Peat who have already racked up 83 points and 13 tries respectively.
In addition to that, Railway’s miserly defence continues to impressive. Incredibly, across the opening 11 rounds, Mike South’s side have only conceded an average of five points per match. The only teams to score 10 or more points against them have been UL Bohs, Blackrock, and Suttonians.
Recent League Meetings – Friday, March 15, 2024: Railway Union 72 Wicklow 12, Park Avenue; Saturday, November 23, 2024: Railway Union 43 Wicklow 5, Park Avenue
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Railway Union to win
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