Five-Try Clovers Advance To Inaugural Celtic Challenge Final
Fresh from making Ireland's Six Nations squad, young forward Aoibheann McGrath helped the Clovers to qualify for the Celtic Challenge final ©Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Alana McInerney celebrated her Ireland call-up with two tries to send the Clovers through to the inaugural Celtic Challenge final as 35-20 winners over Gwalia Lightning.
CELTIC CHALLENGE SEMI-FINAL:
Saturday, March 21 –
CLOVERS 35 GWALIA LIGHTNING 20, Dexcom Stadium
Scorers: Clovers: Tries: Beth Buttimer, Béibhinn Parsons, Alana McInerney 2, Ruth Campbell; Cons: Enya Breen 5
Gwalia Lightning: Tries: Alaw Pyrs 2, Caitlin Lewis; Con: Carys Hughes; Pen: Carys Hughes
HT: Clovers 21 Gwalia Lightning 10
McInerney used replacement Katie Whelan’s flat pass to get over past two defenders in the last minute, ensuring an ideal finish for Denis Fogarty’s side at a sunsplashed Dexcom Stadium.
Second in the table at the end of the regular season, the Clovers capitalised on home advantage to lead 21-10 at half-time. Responding to Alaw Pyrs’ early try, Beth Buttimer, Béibhinn Parsons, and McInerney all touched down.
The well-drilled Welsh outfit cancelled out a Ruth Campbell score with efforts from Caitlin Lewis and Pyrs again, making it 28-20. But player-of-the-match Enya Breen converted McInerney’s second touchdown – with her fifth conversion of the day – for a 15-point winning margin.
The two semi-final results in Galway set up a mouth-watering all-Irish decider, at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium next Saturday, between the Clovers and the Wolfhounds, the table toppers and defending champions who beat Brython Thunder 36-10. Tickets are available to buy here.
Speaking in the aftermath, head coach Fogarty said: “It’s great to get to the final. I think how we grinded it out in the end was most pleasing. We probably had some bad moments or decisions at times. Cup rugby is very different from your normal league game.
“So, for everyone to come on and grind out the win was really impressive. As we’ve done over the course of the competition, it’s making sure that the bench came make a big impact. It was credit to the players bringing energy on, because I think we lacked a small bit of energy into the second half.
“Getting the guys on early was really important for us and it gave us that extra boost. Look, there are bits to work on, but we’ll deal with that next Tuesday.
“Credit to Gwalia, they really attacked our breakdown and really hurt us at times. As we’ve seen in the last game against the Wolfhounds, we can’t lack in that area, the contact, because they hurt us badly in the first half. That will be a big focus for us moving on, along with other aspects.”
The Clovers had a dozen members of Scott Bemand’s newly-announced Six Nations squad on duty today, including the uncapped McInerney, Buttimer, Jemima Adams Verling, Aoibheann McGrath, and Eilís Cahill.
Full report to follow…
CLOVERS: Aoife Corey (Munster); Anna McGann (Connacht), Alana McInerney (Munster), Niamh Murphy (Leinster), Béibhinn Parsons (Connacht); Enya Breen (Munster), Emily Lane (Munster); Siobhán McCarthy (Munster), Beth Buttimer (Munster), Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster), Ruth Campbell (Leinster) (capt), Aoibhe O’Flynn (Munster), Aoibheann McGrath (Munster), Ailish Quinn (Connacht), Jemima Adams Verling (Connacht).
Replacements: Emma Dunican (Munster), Ella Burns (Connacht), Eilís Cahill (Munster), Faith Oviawe (Connacht), Rosie Searle (Leinster), Katie Whelan (Leinster), Kate Flannery (Munster), Chisom Ugwueru (Munster).
GWALIA LIGHTNING: Nikita Prothero; Courtney Greenway, Kelsie Webster, Isla McMullen, Catherine Richards; Carys Hughes, Sian Jones; Chloe Thomas-Bradley, Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Alaw Pyrs, Chiara Pearce, Gwennan Hopkins, Anwen Owen, Bryonie King (capt).
Replacements: Ffion Korsak, Crystal James, Cerys Cuming, Abbie Fleming, Lily Terry, Lily Hawkins, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Caitlin Lewis.
Referee: Paul O’Connor (IRFU)