Finals Experience Stood To Bohs As Pearse And Quin Praise ‘Amazing Group’

Since Blackrock last lifted the Women’s Division trophy in December 2022, UL Bohs have been in three successive finals at the Aviva Stadium and won all three, twice beating Railway Union when Fiona Hayes was in charge, and now coming out on top against ‘Rock in another white-knuckle ride of a match.

UL led for most of that electric 2024 decider which produced 14 tries, while they also had a half-time lead against Railway twelve months ago before needing a late fightback – and that last-gasp try from recent Ireland debutant Eilís Cahill – to become back-to-back champions.

Their grip on the cup appeared to be loosening at the weekend as Blackrock led on four seperate occasions, including 16-8 at the break and 24-15 on the hour mark. Quin’s side also had to cope with yellow cards for Clodagh O’Halloran and Ciara McLoughlin in either half.

But as they have proven on countless occasions before, you can never write off the Red Robins. There were 83 minutes on the clock when Caitríona Finn combined with Ava O’Malley to run in the most important try of her career to date. Despite the setbacks, Pearse never lost faith.

“The most amazing group,” she said, speaking in the aftermath of their thrilling 32-29 win. “I said it last year we just have this never-say-die attitude. We were under the cosh, I fell on the wrong side of the referee a couple of times.

“They scored a try (in the 78th minute) and from the restart, I said Éabha Nic (Dhonnacha) will get it, and we’ll go score, and that’s what we did.

“Caitríona and Kate (Flannery) can marshall those forwards really well, and you just want to get people like Ciara O’Dwyer and Claire Bennett on the ball. Get a couple of big carries and create space outside and that’s what we did.

“And then Ava O’Malley, her first AIL final, how good was she at seven? She gets an offload to Caitríona and under the posts, like, you actually couldn’t write it. It’s unbelievable.”

It may only be after the celebrations die down that Pearse reflects what she has achieved personally, having captained three UL teams to All-Ireland League glory in as many years. It is a phenomenal feat, one that Hayes was denied in 2019 when Railway foiled Bohs’ three-in-a-row bid that season.

The number 8’s leadership skills shone through at different stages of the current campaign, particularly when Celtic Challenge and Ireland 15s and Sevens commitments meant that the Limerick side’s squad depth was tested. With a terrific haul of 19 tries in 19 starts, she was the league’s top try scorer.

Pearse also experienced success with Munster at the start of the season, helping them to regain the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship title before announcing her retirement from provincial rugby. She bowed out with a fifth Interpro winner’s medal, and now has five AIL ones.

“It’s so surreal that we actually did it,” admitted the 32-year-old. “Last year was incredible. This year, new opposition, you’re going for three-in-a-row. You are under pressure.

“It has been the best league. Blackrock were phenomenal, and pound for pound, player for player. It really was on a knife edge, we knew they’re quite a well-rounded team.

“They came out and they hit us hard, you could see they were driven, but maybe just the experience got us over the line. Getting that last-minute win last year probably gave us the belief then to go again, but all credit to them, they’ve been fantastic.

“I think it hasn’t sunk in yet, but I definitely won’t be thinking about next season until the summer ends anyway.

“Look, all of them are amazing, it’s incredible, like I’ve five (AIL title wins) now. That’s something I will always cherish and remember, and we’ll see, I might go for a sixth.”

A brilliant ball carrier and tactician, Pearse being ever-present through such a successful period for Bohs is testament to her competitive edge and durability. They are made of tough stuff down Limerick way, and she has helped the team to stay at the top through changes in coaches and playing personnel.

The squad continued to evolve in those three short years, and that has been a crucial factor in them remaining the standard bearers during Quin’s first season as head coach. Pearse, vice-captain Stephanie Nunan, Kate Flannery, and Claire Bennett have been the constants, starting all three finals.

Several other players have played in all three or featured in two deciders, while this year has seen some new names emerge, notably O’Malley and Caoimhe Murphy who joined Pearse in the back row, and the likes of French signing Anaïs Jubin, Mary Maher, and Holly O’Dwyer.

Alana McInerney, the eventual player-of-the-match, and Finn were important additions to the matchday 23 to face Blackrock, both back in Bohs red for the first time since November. They were released from Ireland camp for the final, along with Chisom Ugwueru, who is part of the Ireland Under-21 group.

Pearse, herself a former Ireland international, feels that they are within touching distance of Test honours, saying: “Last year Eilís did it for us and up we went and she’s capped for Ireland now. So, hopefully this can be the springboard for Caitríona and Alana as well.

“In fairness, Alana was incredible today. You could see the experience they brought back to the camp after being with the Ireland squad. Fingers crossed we see them against Wales or Scotland. Hopefully playing here again, in the Aviva, for the Scotland game.

“They definitely were worth their weight in gold today. They slotted in seamlessly, they were hungry. Caitríona under the posts, like. just amazing. Because it is tough for her there.

“They’re training (with Ireland and not getting selected) and I know that’s the nature of sport as well, but at least they were able to come back and play and now they can walk away with an AIL medal.”

Meanwhile, first-year coach Quin admitted it was ‘beyond her wildest dreams’ to steer the club to a record 16th league crown, and just 24 hours after the UL Bohs Men’s team secured promotion to Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A via the play-off route.

Quin made the transition from player to coach in recent years, following a bad ankle injury. She was an assistant to Hayes for the 2024 and 2025 triumphs, and made the step up to main role after her former team-mate moved to Dublin to coach Old Belvedere this season.

Intriguingly, the two came up against each other at the semi-final stage, the defending champions prevailing 24-17 in tough conditions at Annacotty despite Hayes’ determined ‘Belvo outfit providing a stern challenge.

Hayes was in the Aviva Stadium’s West Stand for the final, just a few seats from the front, cheering on her beloved Bohs to victory.

Both Hayes and Niamh Briggs were instrumental in convincing Quin that she had what it takes to become a coach, and she now has her first trophy to show for it, ably supported by another Bohs stalwart, Fiona Reidy, the Women’s director of rugby at the club.

Giving her reaction after the game, Quin said: “I have a wave of emotions, but I can’t believe it actually happened. To be honest, they gave me a heart attack!

“I never thought I’d be in this position, but in fairness it’s not me. Yeah, we put the work in (as coaches and management), but it’s those players and I’m very proud of them. Yeah, I’m in awe.

“Super proud of the squad. We spoke about it at half-time. It was 40 minutes, and we were down going into it (trailing by two points), and looking around that dressing room, I just knew by them that they wanted it.

“No matter what, you have that experience, you have those players that played in the big games to come on and finish a job.

“We are a family at the end of the day, and it doesn’t matter if you’re gone on your holidays for a little while or not, but you know when you come back into this group, it’s a special place and you want to do everything for that jersey. Those girls were magnificent today.”

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