Excitement Building For #EnergiaAIL Women’s Division Semi-Finals

In the first of the April 11 semi-finals, Fiona Hayes, who coached UL Bohemian to back-to-back league titles, will come up against her former club when Old Belvedere make the trip to Annacotty for a 1pm kick-off.

The second semi-final – an all-Dublin affair – will get underway at 5pm at Stradbrook where Blackrock College, who finished second in the table, and Railway Union, the beaten finalists these last two years, will go head-to-head.

Both matches are set to draw big crowds, with Blackrock hoping for a record attendance for a Women’s game at their home ground. Irishrugby+ will also broadcast live coverage of the two semi-finals, ensuring fans at home and abroad will not miss any of the action.

In her first season as their head coach, Sarah Quin has guided UL Bohs to a table-topping finish with 16 wins out of 18. The Red Robins are chasing a three-in-a-row, and a record 16th league crown in all.

Bohs captain Chloe Pearse has led by example with a competition-high 18 tries, while versatile back Éabha Nic Dhonnacha has impressed with a top-scoring haul of 149 points. They beat Old Belvedere twice during the regular season, winning 36-0 at home and 41-22 on the road last month.

However, UL legend Hayes will no doubt have a few tricks up her sleeve for next weekend’s rematch. Hayes’ Old Belvedere side won ten games between September and mid-February, racking up 11 try-scoring bonus points, with Robyn O’Connor and Katie Corrigan scoring eight tries each.

After starting their campaign with a 21-12 defeat to UL, Blackrock, marshalled by ever-reliable captain Hannah O’Connor, won all bar one of their other league fixtures, including a 17-7 triumph at Annacotty last time out. Maggie Boylan and Nikki Gibson have grabbed 29 tries between them.

Blackrock’s semi-final date with Railway Union is a repeat of the 2022 final, when they last lifted the trophy. Niall Neville’s charges won 29-10 at Park Avenue in October, before Railway returned the favour last month, running out 39-5 winners with seven different try scorers on the day.

Ireland Under-21 call-up Heidi Lyons has provided plenty of attacking spark for Railway, scoring 139 points and 17 tries, with Leah Tarpey also coming to the fore at full-back. Coached this season by Sana Govender, they put a disappointing start behind them to embark on a 15-match winning run.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION SEMI-FINALS:

Saturday, April 11 –

UL BOHEMIAN (1st) v OLD BELVEDERE (4th), Annacotty, 1pm (live on irishrugby+)

BLACKROCK COLLEGE (2nd) v RAILWAY UNION (3rd), Stradbrook, 5pm (live on irishrugby+)