Railway Union And UL Bohemian Set For Another Aviva Stadium Showdown

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This is a match-up that has become one of the most compelling rivalries in Irish Women’s rugby, and the 2024/25 title decider will shine a deserved spotlight on some of the star performers from the current campaign.

Two real powerhouses of the domestic game, the Red Robins from Limerick will come in search of a record 15th Energia All-Ireland League crown, a year on from lifting the trophy for the first time since 2018.

Meanwhile, Railway Union, the unbeaten table toppers, are contesting their fifth consecutive All-Ireland League final. They are targeting title win number three as they seek to add to their growing legacy.

While Railway were left heartbroken at the end of last season’s final, a similar feeling to when Blackrock College shattered their dreams of a three-in-a-row in December 2022, the current squad has looked a different beast.

Last year’s disappointment has sparked a relentless pursuit of excellence. The Dubliners surged through the regular season with a perfect 18 wins from 18, and powered past Old Belvedere, winning a hotly-contested semi-final 37-24 to book a return trip to the Aviva.

In his first season as Railway’s head coach, Mike South has built a formidable playing group that blends youth and experience with ruthless efficiency. At the heart of their unbeaten run is their incredible attacking firepower.

Former Ireland prop Lindsay Peat has been in barnstorming form at number 8, bagging 23 tries in a remarkable campaign. Still a key player and now also scrum and defence coach, Peat’s leadership and physical presence continues to inspire the club’s next generation.

One of those emerging talents is Caoimhe McCormack (pictured below) who has exploded onto the senior stage in her debut season. An elusive runner from full-back, the 18-year-old from Castlepollard has scored 14 tries and also kicks well. She has been playing with a maturity beyond her years.

Railway’s strength, however, lies not only in their individuals but in their depth. The likes of Poppy Garvey, the McDermott sisters, Aoife and Sonia, Leah Tarpey, player-coach Ailsa Hughes, Molly Boyne, and captain Niamh Byrne ensure that they have quality up front and behind the scrum.

Byrne, who has lifted the league trophy twice before and also endured the sting of those final defeats, knows exactly what this stage demands and how big a threat their opponents will pose on Sunday afternoon.

“I think anytime we play Bohs, it is always a toss-up. It’s always competitive. It’s always an exciting match to watch hopefully,” said the Ireland-capped centre.

“I think it will be a very close game, and I’m hoping that the depth we’ve kind of built in our squad this year will stand to us. I think we’ve had a strong year.

“At the beginning, we set out our goals, and we said we’d love to do top four, we’d love to get a home semi, and so we’re slowly ticking them off.

“But now of course, all eyes are on Sunday. It’s going to be a lot of work to do, big week ahead of us, but it’s exciting. It’s building, and we will be ready to go on Sunday.”

This is the second successive year that the Women’s Division decider is being played at the Aviva Stadium as part of a finals double header with the Men’s equivalent. Byrne acknowledges that playing at the national stadium brings a unique atmosphere and pressure with it.

“I wish the nerves disappeared, but it’s very hard not to feel them! It’s the Aviva, it’s where we go to see internationals.

“It’s not something you get to experience every week, so there will be nerves, but also a lot of excitement and focus,” she added.

While Railway might come into this game as favourites based on their unbeaten form, standing in their way are defending champions UL Bohemian, a team built on tradition and success, and striving for silverware once more under Fiona Hayes.

Steered by former Ireland international Hayes, Bohs bring with them a potent mix of match-winning nous and youthful flair, including Kate Flannery (21) and Chisom Ugwueru (22) who were crucial to last year’s final win.

The Red Robins, driven on up front by captain Chloe Pearse and second rows Claire Bennett and Sarah Garrett, may have fallen twice to Railway this season – by a single point at Annacotty in round two, and by seven in Dublin last month – but finals rugby often tells a different story.

The Limerick outfit brought huge support with them to the capital last April, and recorded an unforgettable 48-38 victory after an electric contest. This time around, they return with that same hunger to bring the title back to Shannonside.

Fleet-footed winger Ugwueru is once again peaking at just the right time. She scored a hat-trick in their round 18 triumph over Blackrock, and dotted down during last week’s semi-final against the same opposition to continue her rich vein of form.

UL’s back-line is packed with dangerous threats. Ennis native Aoife Corey has had a standout season, vice-captaining Munster and featuring for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge, and she is now set to make her Ireland debut at full-back against Scotland on Saturday.

Corey scored two tries during the 2024 final, one just before half-time to give Bohs the lead, and another late on to seal the result. While her international call-up will see her miss the rematch, she is expecting another titanic battle on Sunday.

“Last year it was very much tit for tat (between ourselves and Railway),” she recalled. “It was over and back, you couldn’t tell who was going to win.

“Railway have been brilliant all season, but we won it last year. It’s hard to predict who will come out on top, but it’ll be a great game.”

Hayes has been there and done it, both on the pitch and from the touchline. She knows what it takes to prepare a team for the high-stakes cauldron of finals rugby. Corey agrees that the opportunity to make history again as back-to-back winners is spurring them on.

“I think it will be really special, it’s really exciting as well. It’s nice that we’ve already had it last year and that we know what we’re coming into and even the excitement of it all, and knowing the Aviva and the grounds and the stadium and everything, which is great.

“I think we want to make history. We want to do two in-a-row, and I think no better place than the Aviva, with a great group of girls.

“The cohesion we have in the team at the moment has been brilliant, and yeah, hopefully we’ll be able to get over the line again.”

This heavyweight encounter is filled with stories, redemption, revenge, ambition, and legacy. Two teams with nothing left to prove, but everything to play for.

If last year’s final showed us anything, it is that this rivalry brings the best out of both sides. And with rugby fans descending on the Aviva Stadium once again, all signs point to another classic in the making.

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