Finn Try Floors Blackrock As UL Bohs Become Three-In-A-Row Champions

Caitríona Finn returned from Ireland duty to run in an 83rd-minute match-winning try, as UL Bohemian beat Blackrock College 32-29 to claim an epic Energia All-Ireland League three-in-a-row at the Aviva Stadium.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION FINAL:

Sunday, April 26 –

UL BOHEMIAN 32 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 29, Aviva Stadium
Scorers: UL Bohemian: Tries: Ciara O’Dwyer 2, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Alana McInerney, Caitríona Finn; Cons: Kate Flannery 2; Pen: Kate Flannery
Blackrock College: Tries: Sam Brackett, Méabh Deely, Andi Murphy, Jill O’Toole; Pens: Ella Durkan 3
HT: UL Bohemian 8 Blackrock College 16

Repeating their late heroics from the 2025 Women’s Division decider, UL Bohs scored in the final play to deny Blackrock who had led 16-8 at half-time, 24-15 on the hour mark, and 29-27 late on thanks to a Jill O’Toole try.

Replacement O’Toole’s 78th-minute effort had Blackrock within reach of their first All-Ireland League title since 2022, but Bohs ran a couple of penalties during the dying embers, and their persistence paid off when Finn broke through after linking with Ava O’Malley.

The last-gasp victory, bringing back memories of Eilís Cahill’s score right at the death against Railway Union last year, saw table-topping UL lift the trophy in Sarah Quin’s first season in charge, and become the first three-in-a-row champions since Old Belvedere in 2015.

Playing in their first ever final at the home of Irish Rugby, Blackrock led by eight points at the interval thanks to tries from Sam Brackett (21 minutes) and Ireland international Méabh Deely (36), and two Ella Durkan penalties.

Ciara O’Dwyer had crossed to give UL Bohs a brief lead, and Kate Flannery also booted a penalty. Knock-ons and costly penalties were thwarting their progress, though, and Clodagh O’Halloran’s sin-binning also hurt them.

The Red Robins re-emerged from the dressing room with a vengence, O’Dwyer piling over the try-line again to profit from a yellow card for Maeve Óg O’Leary, Blackrock’s captain in the unfortunate absence of the injured Hannah O’Connor (foot).

An Andi Murphy try, coupled with a third Durkan penalty, turned the game back in ‘Rock’s favour, only for Bohs, who lost Ciara McLoughlin to the sin bin, to bounce back brilliantly. They outscored their opponents by three tries to one during a frantic final quarter.

Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and player-of-the-match Alana McInerney both crossed during a three-minute spell, and despite O’Toole replying for Niall Neville’s side, the Bohs bench, which included Finn and flying winger Chisom Ugwueru, had the biggest impact of all.

Blackrock established an early foothold inside the UL half, benefiting from Nikki Gibson’s rip in a tackle. A crooked throw spoilt a lineout opportunity, but Durkan kicked the opening three points from a seventh-minute penalty.

Nic Dhonnacha gobbled up the restart to immediately get Bohs on the move. A clever Flannery kick forced Lauren Farrell McCabe to concede a five-metre scrum, yet the excellent Gibson wrestled possession away for Blackrock at a subsequent maul.

Quin’s charges continued to flex their muscles up front, though, and duly capitalised on a couple of penalties. Lily Brady was stopped just short off the back of a lineout drive, but prop O’Dwyer burrowed over in the next phase.

Blackrock’s backs made big inroads in response, with Abby Moyles a pass away from putting Murphy over. They kept the pressure on, O’Halloran seeing yellow for infringing close to her own try-line, and American hooker Brackett scored from the resulting ‘Rock maul.

However, the Dubliners suffered a big blow when Ireland prop Christy Haney hobbled off injured. UL made sure they came away with points from a period of dominance, Caoimhe Murphy being held up before Flannery made it eight points apiece from the tee.

Blackrock quickly nipped back in front thanks to Durkan’s right boot, punishing a high tackle from Stephanie Nunan. Either side of that, O’Leary impressed when ripping the ball out of Chloe Pearse’s grasp, and following up with a fine break from Ava Fannin’s inviting offload.

It set the wheels in motion for a terrific team try, as superb hands from forwards Aoife Moore, Gibson, and Carrie O’Keeffe released Durkan and she fed the supporting Deely to romp over from the edge of UL’s 22. Durkan was unable to convert from out wide.

UL got the start they wanted to the second period, exploiting space out wide through McInerney and Clara Barrett. Just when Blackrock’s counter-rucking led to a turnover, O’Leary was yellow carded for playing the ball from an offside position.

The Limerick outfit profited almost immediately, hammering away through their maul before captain Pearse took a further penalty swiftly and O’Dwyer was able to double her tally from close range. Flannery’s conversion closed the gap to a single point.

Blackrock managed the sin-bin period well, getting their forwards into good positions to carry. Claire Bennett broke up one attack with an interception, but another Durkan three-pointer made it 19-15 following O’Dwyer’s side-entry.

Aoife Corey and O’Malley then combined superbly to deny Gibson a certain try, the big flanker bursting through from O’Leary’s slick offload before Corey brought her down a few metres short, and O’Malley got in at the breakdown to force a relieving penalty.

Bohs entered the final 20 minutes with McLoughlin in the bin – the loosehead carded for making head contact with Brackett in a tackle – and a nine-point deficit to overcome. ‘Rock’s numerical advantage translated into Murphy dotting down in the right corner, picked out by a pinpoint Moyles kick.

Back came the title holders, their bench proving their trump card. Ugwueru and Finn got on the ball, helping to free up Ireland squad member McInerney for a big break downfield. Nic Dhonnacha’s support run was rewarded with a 65th-minute try, despite Moyles’ tackle close to the line.

Blackrock were stung again just three minutes later. A free-flowing attack wore down the ‘Rock defence, with Ugwueru proving elusive twice on the right wing. When the ball came back to the left, McInerney expertly evaded two tackles to score from outside the 22. Flannery converted from straight in front.

Now 27-24 behind and with Maggie Boylan stepping in to play scrum half, ‘Rock rallied with an attacking flurry led by the tireless O’Leary. Replacement Eimear Corri Fallon was hauled down just short before Deely knocked on a pass that had bobbled loose.

They came hunting again, Deely threatening with a break, only for Pearse to come up with a crucial bit of disruption. Still, there was no stopping them a few minutes later, the pressure telling when Lisa Mullen double pumped and got an arcing pass away for O’Toole to dive over out wide.

Durkan missed the difficult conversion, and despite ‘Rock winning the restart, they were soon penalised for sealing off. UL used that muscle memory from past triumphs to coolly go through the phases and eventually carve through the defence with that well-honed killer instinct.

Finn accelerated onto O’Malley’s return pass, inside the opposition 22, to register the final’s ninth and most important try, fending off O’Toole on her way towards the posts. Blackrock were distraught, Bohs were in dreamland, their season culminating in a record 16th league crown.

TIME LINE: 7 minutes – Blackrock College penalty: Ella Durkan – 0-3; 16 mins – UL Bohemian try: Ciara O’Dwyer – 5-3; conversion: missed by Kate Flannery – 5-3; 20 mins – UL Bohemian yellow card: Clodagh O’Halloran; 21 mins – Blackrock College try: Sam Brackett – 5-8; conversion: missed by Ella Durkan – 5-8; 30 mins – UL Bohemian penalty: Kate Flannery – 8-8; 33 mins – Blackrock College penalty: Ella Durkan – 8-11; 36 mins – Blackrock College try: Méabh Deely – 8-16; conversion: missed by Ella Durkan – 8-16; Half-time – UL Bohemian 8 Blackrock College 16; 43 mins – Blackrock College yellow card: Maeve Óg O’Leary; 44 mins – UL Bohemian try: Ciara O’Dwyer – 13-16; conversion: Kate Flannery – 15-16; 52 mins – Blackrock College penalty: Ella Durkan – 15-19; 59 mins – UL Bohemian yellow card: Ciara McLoughlin; 60 mins – Blackrock College try: Andi Murphy – 15-24; conversion: missed by Ella Durkan – 15-24; 65 mins – UL Bohemian try: Éabha Nic Dhonnacha – 20-24; conversion: missed by Kate Flannery – 20-24; 68 mins – UL Bohemian try: Alana McInerney – 25-24; conversion: Kate Flannery – 27-24; 78 mins – Blackrock College try: Jill O’Toole – 27-29; conversion: missed by Ella Durkan – 27-29; 80+3 mins – UL Bohemian try: Caitríona Finn – 32-29; conversion: missed by Kate Flannery – 32-29; Full-time – UL Bohemian 32 Blackrock College 29

UL BOHEMIAN: Aoife Corey; Clara Barrett, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Stephanie Nunan, Alana McInerney; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Ciara O’Dwyer, Lily Brady, Ciara McLoughlin, Clodagh O’Halloran, Claire Bennett, Caoimhe Murphy, Ava O’Malley, Chloe Pearse (capt).

Replacements: Saoirse Crowe, Niamh Corless, Mary Maher, Anaïs Jubin, Chisom Ugwueru, Abaigeal Connon, Caitríona Finn, Holly O’Dwyer.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Méabh Deely; Andi Murphy, Ella Durkan, Catherine Martin, Maggie Boylan; Abby Moyles, Lauren Farrell McCabe; Aoife Moore, Sam Brackett, Christy Haney, Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair, Kate Jordan, Nikki Gibson, Carrie O’Keeffe, Maeve Óg O’Leary (capt).

Replacements: Ann-Marie Rooney, Megan Brodie, Ava Fannin, Eimear Corri Fallon, Lisa Mullen, Sarah Moody, Cara Martin, Jill O’Toole.

Referee: Jack MacNeice (IRFU)