IT WAS A weekend for winning in style in the Women’s All Ireland League Division 1 as UL Bohemian, Railway Union and Galwegians each won their fixtures decisively.

Old Belvedere also picked up five points due to Queens conceding their match. Despite, having a bye from this sixth round of competition, Blackrock remain league leaders.

UL Bohemian welcomed St Mary’s College to Annacotty on Saturday in surprisingly balmy autumnal conditions that were perfectly conducive to running rugby. The final score of 43 points to 7 in favour of the hosts did not reflect the extremely competitive first half.

Bohemians’ outside centre Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird commenced the scoring after just five minutes as she dotted down. Ireland’s Niamh Briggs could not add the extras.

St Mary’s snapped into action at the restart and less than a minute later, the Dublin side’s number eight Heather Carey levelled the score to five points a piece as she crossed the white wash. A conversion via inside centre Saidhbhe O’Riordan edged St Mary’s ahead.

Both sides were evenly matched for the next twenty minutes. At 27 minutes Nic A Bhaird secured her second try of the afternoon, with a superb solo run from outside the 22.

This time Briggs added the extras. The score remained at 12 points to 7 at the interval. At this point it looked as if the match could still go either way.

However, as the second half got under way, it was apparent that with Briggs conducting her side from out half that everything was beginning to fall into place for the home side, while St Mary’s began to fade. At 44 minutes former Highfield player Nic A Bhaird secured her hat-trick.

The floodgates opened, with Briggs scoring a brace of tries, and a score from Ainé Staunton, sister of former Ireland international, Munster and Leicester Tigers player Jeremy.

Inside centre Edel Murphy, who also plays inter-county football for Kerry, added the icing of the cake for ‘Bohs’ with her 80th minute try.

Also on Saturday, Highfield’s trip to Dublin 4 to play Railway Union in Sandymount proved to be a difficult one as the home side scored six unanswered tries.

Scores came courtesy of fullback Kim Flood, inside centre Susan Vaughan and number eight Ciara Cooney, who was named in Ireland’s women’s squad for their autumn international versus England. It was also a day for try scoring props as loose-head Lindsay Peat secured a try, while tight head Lucy O’Sullivan also crashed over.

Flood managed three of the conversions, leaving the final score line an emphatic 39 nil in favour of the hosts.

After beating Railway Union, at home last week, Galwegians continued their good form with win on the road against Cooke on Sunday. In what was an extremely physical and disjointed affair, the women from the west showed gritty determination. Outside centre Mairead Coyne, also named in Ireland’s squad shone with a hat-trick of tries. However, it was second row Laura Feely that scored the first of Galwegians’ four tries.

Cooke’s only reply was born out of a stunning run, the length of the pitch, from former Ireland international Grace Davitt. The final score at Shaw’s Bridge was Cooke 7 point to Galwegians’ 24, which caused the two sides to switch places in the league table, with the hosts falling to sixth position and the victors rising to fifth.

Due to being unable to field a full team, Queens were forced to concede their fixture against Old Belvedere. As a result ‘Belvo’ claimed five competition points.

Women’s AIL Division 1 results:

• UL Bohemian 43-7 St Mary’s College
• Railway Union RFC 39-7 Highfield
• Cooke 7-24 Galwegians
• Queens University (conceded) v Old Belvedere

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