Clovers Reign In Edinburgh Rain To Set Up Home Semi-Final

The Clovers completed the double over Edinburgh, winning 43-26 at Hive Stadium to make certain of a top-two finish and home advantage at the semi-final stage of the Celtic Challenge.

CELTIC CHALLENGE – ROUND 9:

Saturday, February 28 –

EDINBURGH RUGBY 26 CLOVERS 43, Hive Stadium
Scorers: Edinburgh Rugby: Tries: Cat Moody, Bethan Mathieson, Scarlett Haddow, Adelle Ferrie; Cons: Nicole Marlow 3
Clovers: Tries: Béibhinn Parsons, Beth Buttimer 2, Ruth Campbell, Eilís Cahill, Anna McGann, Aoibheann McGrath; Cons: Síofra Hession 2, Kate Flannery 2
HT: Edinburgh Rugby 12 Clovers 29

Following up on last week’s 31-7 win over the Scottish side in Galway, a seventh victory in a row means Denis Fogarty’s Clovers can now look forward to a home semi-final at Dexcom Stadium over the weekend of March 20-22.

Lively runner Lucia Linn was the player-of-the-match, standing out in the first half in particular, while her centre partner, Ireland international Enya Breen, played the opening 40 minutes on her return from injury.

Beth Buttimer added to her try from round 8 with a well-taken first-half brace, as the second-placed Clovers, who had fallen behind to Cat Moody’s third-minute effort, built a 29-12 half-time lead.

Béibhinn Parsons, with an intercept score, captain Ruth Campbell, and Eilís Cahill also crossed the whitewash for the visitors. Wrapping up the result, replacement Anna McGann and young lock Aoibheann McGrath both scored during the final quarter.

There are some areas for Fogarty’s charges to tidy up ahead of Sunday week’s derby against the Wolfhounds at the UCD Bowl. They were outscrummaged by Edinburgh, and their defence gave way for two late consolation tries from Scarlett Haddow and Adelle Ferrie.

The Clovers welcomed back former captain Breen for her first appearance of the season, with Connacht’s Ella Burns also slotting in at loosehead prop, and seven players were promoted from last week’s bench, including half-backs Síofra Hession and Katie Whelan.

Edinburgh started strongly, using their maul and scrum to good effect. Number 8 Moody charged off the back of a five-metre scrum to claim the opening try, getting past Whelan’s initial tackle. Nicole Marlow also converted neatly.

However, Parsons responded straight from the restart, rushing up to intercept an Emily Love pass and dart over from 15 metres out. Hession’s right boot made it seven points apiece.

With the ever-industrious Campbell and the fit-again Breen becoming more prominent, the Clovers began to make more inroads. Although an attack broke down, Buttimer swooped on a long Love pass, off an Edinburgh lineout, to put her team ahead in the 12th minute.

The Scots fell further behind seven minutes later, losing a lineout to Campbell before front rowers Burns and Cahill both drove up close. The skipper grasped her opportunity to muscle her way over from a ruck, extending the lead to 19-7.

Edinburgh hit back in swift fashion, though, as their backs launched a thrilling raid down the left wing. Hannah Walker did really well to slip through along the touchline, feeding the ball back inside for teenager Bethan Mathieson to mark her debut with a pacy finish.

A penetrating run from Linn, not her first of the afternoon, quickly put the Clovers back on the front foot. Their forwards took over, tapping a five-metre penalty before the pressure led to powerful tighthead Cahill driving over to make it 24-12.

After absorbing some Edinburgh pressure, again from a set-piece platform, Fogarty’s side broke back downfield through Parsons’ searing pace. A few minutes later, Breen ended a long spell in possession for the Scots with another interception.

Just before the interval, good passing out to the left had Faith Oviawe charging into the Edinburgh 22. The Clovers held onto the momentum, Breen and Buttimer both getting over the gainline before the latter got back on her feet to regather the ball and crash over from five metres out.

Into the second half, Edinburgh were the early aggressors but unable to capitalise on a Lisa Brown break. The newly-introduced Kate Flannery forced a turnover penalty, and when the Scottish outfit got back within try-scoring range, their handling let them down.

McGann’s thumping tackle on Hannah Ramsay alllowed replacement Annakate Cournane in to win a penalty at the breakdown. The Clovers soon got their attack firing again, with Cahill coming around the corner at pace, and Cournane making metres too.

Campbell tapped a penalty and just a handful of phases later, Flannery’s superb skip pass sent McGann sprinting in from the left corner for try number six. The try’s creator added a well-struck conversion for good measure.

While Edinburgh were able to exert some pressure at scrum time, the Clovers continued to come up with the goods at the breakdown as the rain came down. Aoife Corey’s well-won penalty kept them playing in the right areas of the pitch, until Natasha Logan disrupted the maul.

Whelan led the next charge, picking from the base of a scrum to test the Edinburgh defence. Her forwards followed suit, their pick-and-goes putting them within reach of the try-line before McGrath squeezed over for her fifth try of the competition.

There was still time for Edinburgh to bag a last-gasp bonus point. Haddow streaked clear for a fine try, set up by Walker’s impressive offload out of a tackle. Hard-working lock Ferrie then had the final say, with Alex Stewart on the latch.

TIME LINE: 3 minutes – Edinburgh Rugby try: Cat Moody – 5-0; conversion: Nicole Marlow – 7-0; 5 mins – Clovers try: Béibhinn Parsons – 7-5; conversion: Síofra Hession – 7-7; 12 mins – Clovers try: Beth Buttimer – 7-12; conversion: Síofra Hession – 7-14; 19 mins – Clovers try: Ruth Campbell – 7-19; conversion: missed by Síofra Hession – 7-19; 21 mins – Edinburgh Rugby try: Bethan Mathieson – 12-19; conversion: missed by Nicole Marlow – 12-19; 25 mins – Clovers try: Eilís Cahill – 12-24; conversion: missed by Síofra Hession – 12-24; 40 mins – Clovers try: Beth Butimer – 12-29; conversion: missed by Síofra Hession – 12-29; Half-time – Edinburgh Rugby 12 Clovers 29; 61 mins – Clovers try: Anna McGann – 12-34; conversion: Kate Flannery – 12-36; 72 mins – Clovers try: Aoibheann McGrath – 12-41; conversion: Kate Flannery – 12-43; 76 mins – Edinburgh Rugby try: Scarlett Haddow – 17-43; conversion: Nicole Marlow – 19-43; 80+3 mins – Edinburgh Rugby try: Adelle Ferrie – 24-43; conversion: Nicole Marlow – 26-43; Full-time – Edinburgh Rugby 26 Clovers 43

EDINBURGH RUGBY: Bethan Mathieson (Dunfermline RFC); Cieron Bell (Cumnock RFC), Lisa Brown (Biggar RFC), Hannah Ramsay (Livingston RFC), Hannah Walker (Community School of Auchterader); Nicole Marlow (Flying Kukris RFC), ⁠Emily Love (Melrose RFC); Alison Wilson (Heriot’s), Amy Henwood (Guildfordians RFC), Molly Poolman (Howe of Fife RFC), Adelle Ferrie (Dundee Valkyries), Natasha Logan (Stirling County), Lauryn McGrotty (Livingston RFC), Alex Stewart (Lismore RFC), ⁠Cat Moody (Heathfield and Waldron RFC).

Replacements: Kaylee Fraser (Biggar RFC), Talei Tawake (Lasswade RFC), ⁠Hannah McMahon (East Kilbride), ⁠Nicola Howat (Howe of Fife RFC), ⁠Charlotte Russell (Wigtonshire RFC), Pip Benson (Corstorphine Cougars), ⁠Rachel Philipps (Biggar RFC), ⁠Scarlett Haddow (Stirling County).

CLOVERS: Aoife Corey (Munster); Chisom Ugwueru (Munster), Lucia Linn (Munster), Enya Breen (Munster), Béibhinn Parsons (Connacht); Síofra Hession (Connacht), Katie Whelan (Leinster); Ella Burns (Connacht), Beth Buttimer (Munster), Eilís Cahill (Munster), Ruth Campbell (Leinster) (capt), Aoibheann McGrath (Munster), Rosie Searle (Leinster), Faith Oviawe (Connacht), Jemima Adams Verling (Connacht).

Replacements: Úillín Eilian (Connacht), Grainne Burke (Munster), Hannah Coen (Connacht), Aoibhe O’Flynn (Munster), Annakate Cournane (Munster), Kate Flannery (Munster), Orla Dixon (Connacht), Anna McGann (Connacht).

Referee: Beatriz Smussi (FIR)