#EnergiaAIL Women’s Division: Round 4 Review

Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division: Round 4 Results Round-Up

Robyn O’Connor and Ivana Kiripati scored their first Energia All-Ireland League tries as Old Belvedere claimed their second win of the season, beating Wicklow 34-13 at Ollie Campbell Park.

Promising centre O’Connor was in dynamic form in both defence and attack, bagging a well-taken brace. Fiona Hayes’ side were clinical in taking their chances, capping off the night with replacement Sinéad Farrell’s closing 69th-minute score.

Wicklow deserved to be closer on the scoreboard, but were unable to add to Roisin Stone’s early intercept try despite strong performances from Caoimhe Molloy, new full-back Jamie Church, Ciara Short, and Stone herself.

O’Connor crashed in beside the posts inside the opening 90 seconds. Maul possession was worked infield and the 20-year-old expertly shrugged off two initial tackles and got the grounding despite three more defenders converging on her.

However, Wicklow wasted little time in responding. The speedy Stone rose to intercept a pass from Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton and dart in under the posts. Beth Roberts converted for an early 7-5 lead.

Wicklow’s physical flanker Short cut in dangerously from the right wing, only for the ground-gaining attack to be halted by an O’Connor turnover penalty. ‘Belvo were quickly back on the front foot thanks to prop Alisha Flynn’s surging run off the back of a lineout.

The momentum built for Ireland international Kiripati to power her way over from the edge of Wicklow’s 22. An impressive strike from O’Sullivan Sexton saw her convert the 13th-minute try from out wide.

‘Belvo captain Lesley Ring was narrowly denied by Vicky Elmes Kinlan who chased her down for a terrific try-saving tackle. The hosts maintained a territorial hold despite some leg-pumping runs from Molloy and Elmes Kinlan.

It took Katie Whelan’s smart finish in the 28th minute to unlock the Wicklow defence again, her evasive run coming after the Belvedere half-backs had whipped the ball out wide at pace. O’Sullivan Sexton nailed the difficult kick for a 19-7 advantage.

Roberts and O’Sullivan Sexton swapped penalties before half-time, the former’s kick coming after a fine charge-down from Stone. The lively Wicklow winger was almost away for a second intercept score early in the second half, but was called back for a prior knock-on.

Roberts’ left boot did reduce the arrears to 22-13, with a close-range penalty, but on the 50-minute mark, ‘Belvo struck for their bonus point try. Set free by replacement Brooke Gilroy, O’Connor sped into space and cut inside Erin O’Connell for a crisp finish.

The conversion from O’Sullivan Sexton stretched the margin to 16 points, yet there were no signs of Wicklow letting their heads drop. New Zealander Church, who produced an all-action display, carried well to lead them back into the opposition 22.

A pass that went to ground spoiled an overlap opportunity, and although Jason Moreton’s outfit pressed again following a Whelan yellow card, Hayes’ charges kept them out. Kiripati then led the charge downfield with a barnstorming break.

Some nice interplay followed, drawing play right up to the visitors’ try-line before Farrell, with support from Ring, drove over. The result has moved Belvedere up to fifth in the table, level on 10 points with Wicklow.

Meanwhile, Alana McInerney took her season’s haul to nine tries after crossing four times against her former club Ennis. Title holders UL Bohemian were in ruthless form, handing the league newcomers a 77-0 defeat in Drumbiggle.

Clodagh O’Halloran picked from a fifth-minute ruck to open the scoring, following an initial penalty taken quickly by Kate Flannery. McInerney then went close, but a loose ball was pounced on by Éabha Nic Dhonnacha to make it 12-0.

Caitríona Finn converted her own try, which saw her use a strong fend to cruise in under the posts. Patricia Coote and Lyndsay Clarke did well to prevent a breakaway score, as Ennis knuckled down in defence to shore up gaps.

A terrific run from deep by new winger Aoibhín Donnelly lifted the home side further, with their tight five getting the chance to show their ball-carrying ability. Unfortunately they lost Laura Cooney to the sin bin following on from a scrum penalty.

Despite Saher Hamdan coming up with her second interception of the game, Ennis conceded soon after. UL outflanked them on the left, Flannery and Nic Dhonnacha gobbling up the metres in front of them before McInerney’s return pass put the Connacht captain over.

24-0 swiftly became 29-0 as Aoife Corey crossed on the back of Finn’s lung-busting run. As the rain came down, the scores kept coming for the visitors, with Beth Buttimer and McInerney both dotting down before the interval.

This Munster derby may have been one-sided on the scoreboard, with seven tries and 41 points already racked up by the Red Robins, but it was anything but on the pitch. It often took Bohs a high number of phases to break down the tenacious Ennis defence.

Finn connected with McInerney for the latter’s second try, and the in-form winger made it a hat-trick after collecting Nic Dhonnacha’s well-weighted kick on the bounce. That took Sarah Quin’s team through the half-century mark.

Little things were going against Ennis, an attack breaking down near halfway and Nic Dhonnacha was able to release McInerney on a weaving run that took her in under the posts. Finn, who finished with 17 points in all, added the extras for a 60-0 scoreline.

Ennis captain Micaela Glynn lifted the intensity and tempo for her side, opting for a tap penalty, only for an uncharactertistic Clarke knock-on to bring an encouraging attack to a sudden halt.

Despite worsening conditions, Bohs came hunting for more scores, an 8-9 move from a scrum leading to Corey hurtling through a gap. Replacement Gráinne Burke tied in defenders during the next phase, laying a lovely pass back inside to give Flannery a 20-metre run-in.

Flannery’s nicely delayed pass, off a midfield scrum, put Nic Dhonnacha over to complete her hat-trick late on. They squeezed in a 13th try, Nina Mathastein being brought down short before fellow replacement Louise Carter crashed over from a Ciara McLoughlin pass.

At Stradbrook, Ballincollig turned in a resilient display but Blackrock College’s attacking firepower proved too much for them. Maggie Boylan, Maeve Óg O’Leary, and Méabh Deely shared out six tries between them in a 60-14 victory.

Ballincollig scored early in each half, the initial breakthrough coming in the eighth minute when Kate O’Sullivan’s sniping run and pass put Munster scrum half Eve Prendergast over from a few metres out. Fia Whelan converted.

However, Blackrock responded with two tries inside the next five minutes. Armed with a penalty advantage, Ella Durkan made a good incision before O’Leary, playing at number 8, drove in low to make it a two-point game.

Winger Boylan then produced a poacher’s finish to get over in the left corner, from Trinity Todd’s skip pass. Blackrock continued to test the ‘Collig defence with ball in hand and with the boot, but it remained 10-7.

The Dubliners got on top coming up to half-time, though. Captain Hannah O’Connor showed her experience, coming around the corner to draw in three defenders and offload for Abby Moyles to touch down beside the posts.

After Moyles converted her own try, Ballincollig had a purple patch having earned a close-in penalty. Aoife Fleming, Lily Morris, and Orlaith Morrissy were all prominent as the visitors chipped away before Alex Good was tackled into touch.

Whelan did well to clear her lines when Blackrock had ‘Collig under pressure at the other end, although the subsequent counter attack delivered the bonus point. Neat passing, including a ball back inside from Todd, sent Boylan bursting through to make it 22-7.

Eight minutes after the restart, the Cork women were boosted by a brilliantly-taken try. Grace Kingston had a lot of work to do when she intercepted a Durcan pass inside her own half, but she flew downfield – chased by six players – to score under the posts.

Whelan’s straightforward conversion brought the deficit down to eight points, but only briefly. A powerful lineout drive from ‘Rock forced a penalty try, and full-back Deely used a nice dummy to glide over on the hour mark.

Now leading 34-14, Niall Neville’s side were able to kick on for the remainder. ‘Collig soaked up some more pressure before a terrific long-range run from O’Leary had them in trouble, and Todd picked up swiftly to make it over in the left corner.

The Blackrock pack picked up a second penalty try, their maul leading to an illegal collapse. Ballincollig also lost scrum-half Prendergast to the sin bin, and Deely delighted the home crowd with a cracking solo try on her 25th birthday.

The Ballinasloe native secured her brace with a breathless run from 65 metres out, exploiting a midfield gap and then arcing away from Whelan to go over out wide. The late flourish concluded with O’Leary proving unstoppable again from a few metres out.

More to follow…

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