Wolfhounds Advance To Celtic Challenge Play-Offs As Top Seeds

Piloted by player-of-the-match Dannah O’Brien, the Wolfhounds claimed the derby spoils for the second time this season with a 43-20 win over the Clovers at the UCD Bowl.

CELTIC CHALLENGE – ROUND 10:

Saturday, March 7 –

WOLFHOUNDS 43 CLOVERS 20, UCD Bowl
Scorers: Wolfhounds: Tries: Grace Moore, India Daley 2, Niamh Marley, Erin King 2, Robyn O’Connor; Cons: Dannah O’Brien 4
Clovers: Tries: Béibhinn Parsons, Anna McGann 2, Katie Whelan
HT: Wolfhounds 36 Clovers 0

Both Irish teams were already assured of home semi-finals, but the Wolfhounds will progress to the Celtic Challenge’s inaugural play-offs as number one seeds, finishing top of the table after their ninth bonus point victory in ten rounds.

Both semi-finals will take place at Connacht Rugby’s Dexcom Stadium on Saturday, March 21, with Brython Thunder the opponents for Neill Alcorn’s charges, who are bidding for their third straight title, and the Denis Fogarty-coached Clovers facing Gwalia Lightning.

The Wolfhounds produced one of their best first halves of the year, as tries from Grace Moore, India Daley (2), Niamh Marley, Erin King, and Robyn O’Connor gave them a commanding 36-0 half-time lead.

The second-placed Clovers, who were on a seven-match winning run, were poor in defence, but improved during the second period, taking some momentum into the last-four thanks to late tries from replacement Katie Whelan and Anna McGann.

McGann bagged a brace, as did new Ireland captain King who had cancelled out Béibhinn Parsons’ 44th-minute opener for the visitors. The Wolfhounds ended the game down to 14 players following Maebh Clenaghan’s red card in the 69th minute, having also had Regan Casey sin-binned.

Returning to the scene of last season’s superb 31-10 victory over their Irish rivals, the Clovers made seven changes to the team that beat Edinburgh last week, bringing in McGann, Alana McInerney, Kate Flannery, Emily Lane, Siobhán McCarthy, Sadhbh McGrath, and Ailish Quinn.

Wolfhounds head coach Alcorn retained most of the side that had handed Gwalia a comprehensive 52-7 defeat in round 9, with Moore – making her first Celtic Challenge appearance in two years – the most notable inclusion. Full-back Amy Larn formed a new back-three with O’Connor and Marley.

Parsons provided the early electricity with a fine surge on the standside, before her international team-mate O’Brien impressed with ball in hand and her accurate left boot, a crucial tool in dictating how the opening 40 minutes played out.

It took just five minutes for the Wolfhounds to capitalise on the territory, with Daley first to a loose Clovers lineout. Linda Djougang powered up close to the try-line before Moore’s quick pick saw her drive over beside the posts.

O’Brien made it a full seven-pointer, but her radar was off when missing touch after O’Connor had drawn a high tackle. Centre McInerney’s interception allowed the Clovers to regain some lost ground.

However, the defending champions, with the excellent Eve Higgins pinballing her way out of tackles, were beginning to exert more control. King’s turnover penalty had them back in scoring range, and poised to strike.

Daley duly broke off the resulting lineout maul to put a dozen points between the teams, 16 minutes in. Sophie Barrett stopped the Clovers in their tracks with a well-won penalty at the breakdown, and despite Enya Breen’s kick splitting the hosts’ back-field, O’Brien’s thumping response found a brilliant touch.

When the Wolfhounds countered from another kick in the 25th minute, they were clinical in putting Marley away down the left wing. Higgins’ clever diagional run, combined with Larn’s draw and pass, released the Armagh native from 20 metres out, as the Clovers fell 17 points behind.

Barely three minutes later, O’Brien used a busy set of attacking phases to dummy her way inside Clovers captain Ruth Campbell, offloading out the back for Daley to gleefully gobble up the bonus point by charging in under the posts. O’Brien’s extras made it 24-0.

Defensive lapses and missed tackles were proving costly for Fogarty’s side, who failed to profit from a Faith Oviawe break. In addition, they had some disruption with injuries to vice-captain Lane and Aoibheann McGrath, two of their most influential players in this season’s competition.

It got worse for them when Aoife Dalton and Higgins’ defence-slashing combination had the Wolfhounds on the prowl again. Parsons got back to deny the latter, but King was unstoppable from Aoibheann Reilly’s swift set-up. O’Brien converted from the right.

Despite Beth Buttimer doing well to win turnover ball, Naoise Smyth stole her next lineout throw, and the Wolfhounds turned it into try number six. Higgins took on the Clovers midfield again, feeding O’Connor who used her strength and speed to score from the edge of the 22.

With Lane back on, the Clovers showed signs of revival just before the interval, with direct running from Jemima Adams Verling and replacement Aoibhe O’Flynn making encouraging metres. McGann was bundled into touch at the end of a late attacking spell, though.

Undoubtedly fired up by Fogarty’s half-time words, the Clovers opened their account within four minutes of the restart. McInerney and Breen led a key counter ruck, and the forwards forced a couple of penalties before Lane put Parsons over in the left corner.

The Wolfhounds hit back in the 48th minute, Higgins’ breakdown work leading to a lineout near the left corner and the momentum was built for King to crash in under the posts, past Flannery and Breen. O’Brien landed her fourth conversion for a 43-5 scoreline.

Nonetheless, the table toppers then suffered a couple of setbacks in quick succession. After scrum half Reilly hobbled off with an injury, they dealt with a couple of Clovers attacks until Breen spun out of a tackle, linking with the onrushing Aoife Corey who sent McGann over out wide.

The Clovers had a numerical advantage soon after, as replacement Casey saw yellow for not rolling away following a promising Niamh Murphy break. They were unable to force a third try during that period, with prop McCarthy held up, and Vicky Elmes Kinlan earning a turnover penalty.

A neat move between O’Brien, captain Dalton, who was becoming increasingly influential, and Higgins almost led to a Wolfhounds score off first-phase ball, yet they were soon rocked by Clenaghan’s dismissal.

After Buttimer held onto Clenaghan’s leg near a ruck, a scuffle between them developed. Referee Shane Gaughan reached for his red card due to Clenaghan, who was chased by Buttimer, turning and striking out. He concluded that there was a ‘high degree of danger and contact with the face’.

The Clovers went on to double their tally during the closing stages, with Breen and Whelan controlling matters from half-back. It was Whelan who unlocked the defence in the 75th minute, picking from the base of a scrum to scorch over from the Wolfhounds’ 22-metre line.

Following an exchange of turnover penalties between King and Quinn, the Clovers moved downfield again thanks to a scrum penalty. Corey and O’Flynn both carried well, the quick ruck ball leading to winger McGann – teed up by Breen – finishing one-handed in the right corner.

TIME LINE: 5 minutes – Wolfhounds try: Grace Moore – 5-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 7-0; 16 mins – Wolfhounds try: India Daley – 12-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 12-0; 25 mins – Wolfhounds try: Niamh Marley – 17-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 17-0; 28 mins – Wolfhounds try: India Daley – 22-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 24-0; 32 mins – Wolfhounds try: Erin King – 29-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 31-0; 36 mins – Wolfhounds try: Robyn O’Connor – 36-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 36-0; Half-time – Wolfhounds 36 Clovers 0; 44 mins – Clovers try: Béibhinn Parsons – 36-5; conversion: missed by Kate Flannery – 36-5; 48 mins – Wolfhounds try: Erin King – 41-5; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 43-5; 56 mins – Clovers try: Anna McGann – 43-10; conversion: missed by Enya Breen – 43-10; 59 mins – Wolfhounds yellow card: Regan Casey; 69 mins – Wolfhounds red card: Maebh Clenaghan; 75 mins – Clovers try: Katie Whelan – 43-15; conversion: missed by Enya Breen – 43-15; 80+2 mins – Clovers try: Anna McGann – 43-20; conversion: missed by Enya Breen – 43-20; Full-time – Wolfhounds 43 Clovers 20

WOLFHOUNDS: Amy Larn (Leinster); Robyn O’Connor (Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Leinster) (capt), Eve Higgins (Leinster), Niamh Marley (Ulster); Dannah O’Brien (Leinster), Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht); Linda Djougang (Leinster), India Daley (Ulster), Sophie Barrett (Ulster), Kate Jordan (Leinster), Naoise Smyth (Leinster), Grace Moore (IQ Rugby), Aoife Corcoran (Leinster), Erin King (Leinster).

Replacements: Maebh Clenaghan (Ulster), Hannah Wilson (Leinster), Emma Jane Wilson (Leinster), Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Leinster), Regan Casey (IQ Rugby), Alex Connor (Leinster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Leinster), Maggie Boylan (Leinster).

CLOVERS: Aoife Corey (Munster); Anna McGann (Connacht), Alana McInerney (Munster), Enya Breen (Munster), Béibhinn Parsons (Connacht); Kate Flannery (Munster), Emily Lane (Munster); Siobhán McCarthy (Munster), Beth Buttimer (Munster), Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster), Ruth Campbell (Leinster) (capt), Aoibheann McGrath (Munster), Faith Oviawe (Connacht), Ailish Quinn (Connacht), Jemima Adams Verling (Connacht).

Replacements: Emma Dunican (Munster), Ella Burns (Connacht), Eilís Cahill (Munster), Aoibhe O’Flynn (Munster), Annakate Cournane (Munster), Katie Whelan (Leinster), Niamh Murphy (Leinster), Chisom Ugwueru (Munster).

Referee: Shane Gaughan (IRFU)