Ireland U-18 Women Deliver Back-To-Back Wins On Day Two
Ireland out-half Lani O'Donovan is pictured making a break during their Under-18 Women's Six Nations Festival match against England ©Danté Kim
Wicklow’s Usha Daly O’Toole starred with three tries as the Ireland Under-18s (sponsored by PwC) overcame England and Scotland in two 35-minute matches at the U-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival on Easter Monday.
Craig Hansberry’s young side showed their battling qualities to come from behind to beat tournament hosts England 12-5, and do the same against their Scottish counterparts, striking late on both occasions with impressive composure.
It was an excellent response to their day one defeat to a formidable France team, and sets up a mouth-watering finish to the festival when they face Italy in a full 70-minute encounter at Wellington College on Friday (kick-off 2.15pm – live on irishrugby+/Six Nations U-20 YouTube channel).
UNDER-18 WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL – ROUND 2:
Monday, April 6 –
IRELAND UNDER-18s 12 ENGLAND UNDER-18s 5, Wellington College
Scorers: Ireland U-18s: Tries: Usha Daly O’Toole, Julie Finn; Con: Lani O’Donovan
England U-18s: Try: Mali Hill
Ireland and England had only recently played each other in a warm-up game in Dublin, with the English outfit taking a 29-26 verdict. Defences were on top early on, the Irish highlights being Lani O’Donovan’s long clearance kick to touch, and a turnover penalty won by RóisÃn Power.
However, it was England who took the lead in the seventh minute. They won the breakdown battle, and had a couple of bites with their maul from successive penalties, leading to hooker Mali Hall touching down from a well-executed drive. Beth Hall’s conversion attempt missed to the right.
Ennis’ Abi Kelly scooped up a partially-blocked English kick to bring Ireland up towards the opposition 22 for the first time. England held their ground until a bulldozing carry from number 8 Power gave the girls in green the impetus.
Daly O’Toole and Power were at the heart of a series of pick-and-goes that ended with an unfortunate turnover close to the English try-line. When Ireland got back into a similar position, a strong carry from captain Lucia Dickinson resulted in her being held up.
Nonetheless, Clonakilty half-backs Julie Finn and O’Donovan kept the tempo high, and the English defence gave way on the quarter hour mark. Dickinson and Anna McDermott threatened off a tap penalty, before Daly O’Toole picked from a close-in ruck to score.
It remained five points apiece with O’Donovan’s conversion effort going narrowly wide from the right. England, who had beaten Scotland 22-14 just prior, were struggling for territory at this stage, and a brilliant counter-attacking run from RóisÃn O’Sullivan almost secured a second Irish try.
The Ballinasloe full-back collected a Lily Pereira dos Santos kick at the second attempt, beating three defenders from halfway with a terrific injection of pace. She chipped towards the try-line but her kick just had too much on it, despite her determination to be first to get the grounding.
Uilinn Eilian and Caitlin Crowe had a couple of important defensive interventions to halt England’s progress downfield. Approaching the 30-minute mark, the home side conceded a penalty and then knocked on, giving Ireland some inviting field position, with a scrum inside their 10-metre line.
A further penalty was taken quickly by Dickinson, whose penetrating run took play back inside the English 22. Some lovely interplay between Eilian, Mia Rowan, and Lily Murphy had England backpedalling, and Dickinson, who was stopped just short of the whitewash, used a tap penalty to keep the pressure on.
After the forwards chipped away through the next few phases, O’Sullivan was brought down just to the right of the posts, but Virginia centre Crowe’s quick clearout crucially paved the way for Finn to dive over off the back of the ruck. O’Donovan nailed a classy conversion for good measure.
Two of Ireland’s most influential players ensured that England were unable to hit back. Dickinson ripped the ball away in a tackle, and O’Donovan found grass with a well-placed kick. Eilian was also first to a loose English lineout, and O’Sullivan’s dancing feet meant that Hansberry’s charges ended this closely-fought contest on the front foot.
TIME LINE: 7 minutes – England Under-18s try: Mali Hill – 0-5; conversion: missed by Beth Hall – 0-5; 16 mins – Ireland Under-18s try: Usha Daly O’Toole – 5-5; conversion: missed by Lani O’Donovan – 5-5; 31 mins – Ireland Under-18s try: Julie Finn – 10-5; conversion: Lani O’Donovan – 12-5; Full-time – Ireland Under-18s 12 England Under-18s 5
IRELAND U-18: RóisÃn O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby); Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC/Munster Rugby), Caitlin Crowe (Virginia RFC/Ulster Rugby), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Aoife Heaney (Tuam RFC/Claremorris RFC/Connacht Rugby); Lani O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby); Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC/Connacht Rugby), Uilinn Eilian (Tuam RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lily Murphy (Tullow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Usha Daly O’Toole (Wicklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Mia Rowan (Longford RFC/Leinster Rugby), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lucia Dickinson (IQ Rugby) (capt), RóisÃn Power (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby).
Replacements: Emma Jane Wilson (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster Rugby), Coumba Sow (Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby), Ella Buckley (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby), Ruby Osumah (Tullamore RFC/Leinster Rugby), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby), Kitty Sweeney (Westport RFC/Connacht Rugby), Sophia White (Arklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Clodagh McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), CairÃnn Kearns (Gort RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC/Munster Rugby), Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC/Ulster Rugby), Katie Griffin (Loughrea RFC/Connacht Rugby).
ENGLAND U-18: Jemima Mitchell (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands); Alice Fleming (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Meghan Crilly (Becky Essex PDG/Loughborough) (co-capt), Charlotte Brookes (Rachael Burford PDG), Lily Pereira dos Santos (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands); Beth Hall (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter), Summer Smith (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/City of Oxford); Isabella Lyndon (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Mali Hill (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Lotte Peirsegaele (Emma Mitchell PDG/City of Oxford), Holly Bagnowiec (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Charlie Williams (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Hannah Foley (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/City of Oxford), Rowan Turney (Rachael Burford PDG/Exeter College), Honey Kerslake (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter) (co-capt).
Replacements: Maisie Trotman (Emma Mitchell PDG/Worthing), Lucie Sams (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter), Eva Larkai (Rachael Burford PDG/Worthing), Leila Crick (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands), Amelia Rockley (Maggie Alphonsi PDG), Evie Collingbourne (Rachael Burford PDG/Worthing), Christal Koroiyadi (Becky Essex PDG/Loughborough), Alix Ahad (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands), Rosalyn Civil (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Rose Powell Williams (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter), Martha Hallam (Karen Almond PDG/Loughborough), Millie Walker (Becky Essex PDG/Loughborough), Izzy Firth (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter).
SCOTLAND UNDER-18s 7 IRELAND UNDER-18s 12, Wellington College
Scorers: Scotland U-18s: Try: Ellen Nimmo; Con: Niamh Waters
Ireland U-18s: Tries: Usha Daly O’Toole 2; Con: Sophia White
SCOTLAND U-18: Bethan Mathieson; Robyn Allan, Kat Bird, Niamh Waters, Megan Laurie; Sophie Gilvear, Aoife Powrie-Smith; Ellen Nimmo (capt), Gemma Gordon, Megan Hutchinson, Rebecca Whitehead, Pip Sutherland, Rhianna Bodle, Eleanor Keenan, Danielle Kaschula.
Replacements: Emily Sansom, Amy Vance, Jess Combe, Lilly Clarkson, Layla Mitchell, Neve Murray, Eilidh Rose, Eve Mackay, Estella Vaughan, Connie Sanderson, Emma Wylie, Lucy Ronald, Lucy Symon.
IRELAND U-18: Lani O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby); Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC/Ulster Rugby), Clodagh McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC/Munster Rugby) (capt); Aoife Heaney (Tuam RFC/Claremorris RFC/Connacht Rugby); Sophia White (Arklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Kitty Sweeney (Westport RFC/Connacht Rugby); Coumba Sow (Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby), Emma Jane Wilson (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster Rugby), CairÃnn Kearns (Gort RFC/Connacht Rugby), Ruby Osumah (Tullamore RFC/Leinster Rugby), Usha Daly O’Toole (Wicklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Katie Griffin (Loughrea RFC/Connacht Rugby), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby), RóisÃn Power (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby).
Replacements: Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC/Connacht Rugby), Uilinn Eilian (Tuam RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lily Murphy (Tullow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lucia Dickinson (IQ Rugby), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Caitlin Crowe (Virginia RFC/Ulster Rugby), Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC/Munster Rugby), RóisÃn O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby), Ella Buckley (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby).