Returning UL Bohemian full-back Aoife Corey takes the ball into contact, against Old Belvedere's Laura Carty and Grace Tutty ©Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Leading by example again, captain Chloe Pearse and Éabha Nic Dhonnacha came up with a couple of decisive tries as UL Bohemian beat Old Belvedere 24-17 to secure a return trip to the Aviva Stadium later this month. Watch the match back on irishrugby+.
Saturday, April 11 –
UL BOHEMIAN 24 OLD BELVEDERE 17, Annacotty
Scorers: UL Bohemian: Tries: Caoimhe Murphy, Ciara O’Dwyer, Chloe Pearse, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha; Cons: Kate Flannery 2
Old Belvedere: Tries: Clare Gorman, Hannah Wilson, Jess Keating; Con: Hazel Simmons
HT: UL Bohemian 7 Old Belvedere 5
Old Belvedere were eyeing a semi-final shock at Annacotty, and they had just the head coach to do it in Fiona Hayes, who captained UL Bohemian to Energia All-Ireland League success previously, and coached them to back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025.
Belvedere gave it their all in very tough conditions, drawing level at 12-all towards the end of the third quarter. However, Pearse and Nic Dhonnacha crossed after 68 and 72 minutes, respectively, to keep alive UL Bohs’ dreams of lifting the trophy for the third season in a row.
Clare Gorman had marked her inspiring return from a fourth knee dislocation with a try right on half-time, as Hayes’ side gave as good as they got during a weather-beaten first half which ended 7-5 in Bohs’ favour.
It took 25 minutes for UL flanker Caoimhe Murphy to make the breakthrough, and a terrific burst for the try-line from Ciara O’Dwyer had the Sarah Quin-coached hosts leading by seven points just after the restart.
Hannah Wilson, a Celtic Challenge winner with the Wolfhounds, scored on the back of Stephanie Nunan’s sin-binning, yet the Red Robins’ own winning mentality was evident when Pearse and Nic Dhonnacha struck in quick succession, before Jess Keating’s late consolation score.
Both composed and relentless at key stages, Quin’s charges will certainly be battle-hardened coming into the final on Sunday, April 26, given the test that ‘Belvo, the fourth place finishers, provided. They await the winners of today’s second semi-final between Blackrock College and Railway Union.
A heavy hail shower before kick-off made handling conditions particularly difficult. Both lineouts came under immediate pressure with Emily Byrne disrupting UL’s first throw, before Pearse pinched one back for the hosts.
A strong attacking spell from Bohs, sparked by a Pearse break past the halfway line, displayed the distribution skills of Abbie Salter-Townshend and Kate Flannery. Belvedere hit back with a scrum penalty and some quick-thinking from flanker Byrne, regaining lost ground.
Turnovers won by Clodagh O’Halloran and Rachel Allen set up a clever cross-field kick from Flannery. Pearse gathered it and fed early replacement Nina Mathastein, who had a lot of space in front of her but unfortunately knocked on some 40 metres out.
Emma Kelly and Eilis Doyle were at the heart of a maul turnover as ‘Belvo continued to keep the table toppers out of scoring range. The knock-ons increased as the rain returned, but Bohs went up a gear when the sun came out, feeding Mathastein to increase her threat out on the right wing.
After Brooke Gilroy and Jade Gaffney did really well to hold up Nic Dhonnacha, the Limerick outfit lifted the pace again, Pearse tapping a penalty and charging towards the posts. The momentum led to openside Murphy driving over with support from Allen. Flannery converted from the left for a 7-0 lead.
UL suffered a setback with Allen having to limp off shortly afterwards, and ‘Belvo were soon enjoying more territory. Hazel Simmons found grass with a well-placed kick, and when Mathastein attempted to break from deep, Grace Tutty and the tireless Byrne combined to bundle her into touch.
The Dubliners raised their levels approaching the interval, pressing from an overthrown Bohs lineout. They won a couple of penalties as piercing carries from replacement Wilson and Jess Keating brought the try-line within reach, and their patient build-up play was duly rewarded.
Kerry Browne carried well to the left of the posts, Belvedere retaining possession in determined fashion, and it was Laura Carty who got the ball across for Ireland Sevens international Gorman to dive over in the right corner. Attempting the difficult conversion from out wide, Simmons’ kick fell short.
Nonetheless, Bohs burst out of the traps on the restart, swiftly regaining possession from Flannery’s kick-off. Loosehead O’Dwyer then produced a superb leg-pumping run, leaving five players in her wake to power over after just 21 seconds. The wind thwarted Flannery’s conversion attempt.
UL replacement Ava O’Malley stole a crucial lineout to prevent Belvedere from responding, yet their opponents got on the front foot again nearing the hour mark. Big carries from Kelly and Doyle, off a lineout, suddenly had the Red Robins under pressure inside their own 22.
Referee Alana Kerr reached for her yellow card after Nunan caught Gilroy with a high tackle. The Belvedere lineout faltered, but a subsequent scrum provided a telling launchpad. A few phases later, Wilson stormed over with 57 minutes on the clock, teeing up a levelling conversion from Simmons.
Back came Bohs immediately, with Nic Dhonnacha claiming a bouncing restart. The Ireland-capped Aoife Corey increased her influence in attack, and as ‘Belvo scrambled in defence, Flannery was a pass away from putting Holly O’Dwyer over in the left corner.
Importantly, the title holders had a firmer grip on territory entering the final quarter. Belvedere were pinned back, their defensive workload eventually wearing them down as Flannery’s penalty, pinged into the corner, was followed by Pearse reaching out for a vital score off a well-worked drive.
Leading 17-12, Bohs kept their foot on the gas, flooding forward through Lily Brady, Claire Bennett, and Nic Dhonnacha who went close to scoring. There was no denying her just a couple of minutes later, Flannery using some space on the right to send the centre over and add an excellent conversion.
The rain started to fall again, but Belvedere were undettered. Time was not on their side and despite winning a 74th-minute scrum penalty and stand-in captain Éadaoin Murtagh making an incisive carry, Pearse slammed the door shut in the next phase with a well-won turnover penalty.
A valiant ‘Belvo kept plugging away, failing to profit from an overlap with energetic full-back Amy Larn closed down, but their persistence paid off eventually when hooker Keating squeezed over in the left corner, right at the death.
TIME LINE: 25 minutes – UL Bohemian try: Caoimhe Murphy – 5-0; conversion: Kate Flannery – 7-0; 40 mins – Old Belvedere try: Clare Gorman – 7-5; conversion: missed by Hazel Simmons – 7-5; Half-time – UL Bohemian 7 Old Belvedere 5; 41 mins – UL Bohemian try: Ciara O’Dwyer – 12-5; conversion: missed by Kate Flannery – 12-5; 54 mins – UL Bohemian yellow card: Stephanie Nunan; 57 mins – Old Belvedere try: Hannah Wilson – 12-10; conversion: Hazel Simmons – 12-12; 68 mins – UL Bohemian try: Chloe Pearse – 17-12; conversion: missed by Kate Flannery – 17-12; 72 mins – UL Bohemian try: Éabha Nic Dhonnacha – 22-12; conversion: Kate Flannery – 24-12; 80+2 mins – Old Belvedere try: Jess Keating – 24-17; conversion: missed by Amy McGuire – 24-17; Full-time – UL Bohemian 24 Old Belvedere 17
UL BOHEMIAN: Aoife Corey; Clara Barrett, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Stephanie Nunan, Holly O’Dwyer; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Ciara O’Dwyer, Lily Brady, Ciara McLoughlin, Clodagh O’Halloran, Claire Bennett, Rachel Allen, Caoimhe Murphy, Chloe Pearse (capt).
Replacements: Niamh Corless, Marea Walshe-Heke, Mary Maher, Ava O’Malley, Becca Bradshaw, Anaïs Jubin, Abaigael Connon, Nina Mathastein.
OLD BELVEDERE: Amy Larn; Clare Gorman, Kerry Browne, Brooke Gilroy, Laura Carty; Hazel Simmons, Jade Gaffney; Hannah Rapley, Jess Keating, Eilis Doyle, Grace Tutty, Orlaith McAuliffe, Emma Kelly, Emily Byrne, Éadaoin Murtagh (capt).
Replacements: Áine Rutley, Hannah Wilson, Ava Nolan, Amy Bond, Juliet Condron, Amy McGuire, Julie Nolan, Leah Nealon.
Referee: Alana Kerr (IRFU)
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