Irish Rugby | #EnergiaAIL Women’s Division: Round 6 Review

UL Bohemian captain Chloe Pearse had the biggest say in Saturday’s top of the table clash as Galwegians’ winning run came to an end with a 36-24 defeat on UL’s 4G pitch.

Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division: Round 6 Results Round-Up

Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division: Round 6 Highlights

Both teams contributed handsomely to what was a 10-try thriller, UL Bohs passing their stiffest test of their title defence so far, while Galwegians, who lost this corresponding fixture by 33 points last January, showed the progress they have made.

Pearse pocketed a hat-trick inside the opening 25 minutes, as Bohs calmly dealt with the concession of a penalty try, and yellow cards for Lucia Linn and Emma Dunican, to lead 26-14 at half-time.

Niamh Murphy and Linn were the first-half’s other try scorers, and an equally entertaining closing 40 minutes saw Connacht starlet Jemima Adams Verling cross twice to cancel out efforts from Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and Caitríona Finn.

‘Wegians’ best try of the evening was centre Murphy’s seventh of the season. She brilliantly burst onto Síofra Hession’s short pass, outside the UL 22, to race over to the right of the posts.

The Red Robins were at their free-flowing best when eager replacement Jane Clohessy had a thunderous carry through midfield, Alana McInerney evaded a couple of defenders out to the right, and Aoibhe O’Flynn fed Finn to finish off in the corner.

Number 8 Pearse was excellent for Sarah Quin’s charges, whose sixth straight Energia All-Ireland League win gives them a three-point lead at the summit. ‘Wegians are tucked behind them in second following an impressive sixth try-scoring bonus point of the season.

Meanwhile, Ennis added Cooke to their list of Energia All-Ireland League scalps as Aoibhín Donnelly’s fantastic four-try haul inspired a 22-19 bonus point victory at Drumbiggle Road.

More known as a League of Ireland footballer, Donnelly recently returned to rugby having played at underage level, and showed she is a quick learner, crossing after 12 and 25 minutes to give Ennis a 12-0 half-time lead.

Donnelly and Katie Gilmour traded tries, either side of Ilse van Staden’s sin-binning, but the former Ireland international returned to cross twice late on and give Cooke a battling bonus point.

The visitors had the deficit down to five points at one stage, but Donnelly’s excellent 75th-minute effort – from a Lyndsay Clarke cross-field kick – earned Ennis their third win in six matches since getting promoted.

Railway Union’s third win on the trot keeps them just behind the top four, as they emerged as convincing 48-7 winners of their Leinster derby encounter with Wicklow.

Recent Leinster debutant Heidi Lyons bookended the first half with tries as Railway Union went into the break with a 22-7 lead. Roisin Stone’s snappily-taken 28th-minute score had given Wicklow a timely boost.

However, Sana Govender’s charges replied through Claire Boles and Lyons, and they scored eight tries in all, with captain Niamh Byrne, Molly Boyne, Ava Usanova, and the returning Aimee Clarke also crossing.

During a productive spell around the hour mark, teenager Usanova, set free by the influential Chloé Ponthus from halfway, beat two defenders with a slick finish to the right of the posts.

A seventh try soon followed, winger Clarke showing her strength and speed on a superb 50-metre run-in from the left. A snappy blindside break from Boles doubled her tally with 12 minutes remaining.

Wicklow missed the stardust of Ireland dual international Vicky Elmes Kinlan under the Park Avenue floodlights, but they had some strong individual performances from Stone, Ciara Short, and Dannii Masters.

Elsewhere, Old Belvedere registered their third win a row, putting a big score up against Ballincollig in a game that was moved to Bective Rangers FC.

Ireland Sevens international Robyn O’Connor impressed again, tearing through for four tries on the all-weather pitch as Fiona Hayes’ side put ‘Collig to the sword for an eventual 65-7 scoreline.

Australian centre Brooke Gilroy crossed for a 14th-minute opener out wide, Amy Larn did likewise and Lisa Callan touched down from a maul, before O’Connor pushed the margin out to 31 points by half-time.

The Wexford youngster sealed the bonus point with a peach of a score from just inside the ‘Belvo half. She shrugged off two initial tackles, rolled out of another one, jinked her way into space and accelerated clear of her chasers.

O’Connor began the second half with another swashbuckling solo try, and Katie Corrigan got in on the act before Ballincollig’s attack clicked, the ball being worked wide for Brighid Twohig to go over in the right corner.

However, that was as good as it got for the Cork outfit. Callan and Corrigan both completed their braces, O’Connor was unstoppable from 75 metres out, and replacement Naoise Smyth crashed over late on, via a tap penalty.

Blackrock College had eight different try scorers as they dished out a 60-5 defeat to Tullow. The match had to be switched from Stradbrook to the Blackrock College school’s 4G surface, but it was very much business as usual for Niall Neville’s side.

Maggie Boylan’s jinking run paved the way for Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair to open the scoring after barely a minute. They were 31 points to the good by the interval, with Lauren Farrell McCabe, Sam Brackett, Abby Moyles, and Maeve Óg O’Leary all contributing tries.

Playmaker Moyles finished with 13 points as she split the posts with four conversions. Continuing her rich vein of form, Waterford native Boylan burst over for a brace to take her tally for the season so far to nine tries.

Winger Andi Murphy also crossed the whitewash twice, her first effort coming just after Tullow had lost out-half Hilary Fitzgerald to the sin bin. Replacement Nikki Gibson powered through two tackles for ‘Rock’s penultimate try.

It was a tough day at the office for Tullow, whose only score came from an interception just outside their own 22. In the 66th minute, Chloe Farrell snapped up an O’Leary pass and showed bags of pace to make it over the line, ahead of the chasing Kate Farrell McCabe.

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail, and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.