Energia Womenโs All-Ireland League Round-Up
Galwegians are bound for Energia Park after qualifying for the Energia Womenโs All-Ireland League Conference final courtesy of a comprehensive 50-5 victory over Ballincollig.
With the teams sitting second and third in the table respectively, it was Galwegians who won through to face unbeaten table-toppers Suttonians for silverware next Saturday.
The game is part of a tripleheader in Donnybrook, with the Conference decider and the overall league final between Blackrock College and Railway Union both televised live on TG4.
The changed venue of Creggs RFCโs 4G pitch was very much to โWegiansโ liking, with strong-running backs Megan Walsh and Mairรฉad Coyne chipping in with a hat-trick of tries each.
Blackrock and a much-changed Railway completed the Top Four series at Blackrock schoolโs all-weather surface, a Natasja Behan brace helping โRock to go five-for-five with a 39-7 bonus point success.
Old Belvedere celebrated their first league win of 2022, Sene Naoupu raiding over from the right-wing in the seventh minute as they defeated UL Bohemians 22-12 at Energia Park.
Results have been hard to come by for Belvedere, but Deirbhile Nic a Bhairdโs quick tap sparked the best out of their attack, Fiona Tuite and Brittany Hogan both making breaks before Aine Donnelly released Naoupu to score.
Johnny Garthโs charges doubled their lead in the 13th minute, returning Ireland Sevens internationals Hogan, who strode through midfield, and Erin King again to the fore.
18-year-old flanker King flicked a terrific offload out of a double tackle for Elise OโByrne-White to collect and burst past Sarah Quin for a well-taken unconverted try.
The excellent King was denied a try by a forward pass, but the Dubliners duly pushed into a 17-0 lead for half-time, pressing again on the back of a turnover penalty won by Nic a Bhaird.
Kathryn Daneโs slick service from ruck to ruck paved the way for her half-back partner Donnelly to nip in beside the posts on an arcing run. Captain Jenny Murphy converted.
Niamh Briggsโ half-time words got Bohs back on track. They unfortunately lost Enya Breen, who shipped a heavy knock in contact, before some nice passing off a scrum played in Eimear Considine for an unconverted score.
Play became scrappier amid a prolonged rain shower, the UL pack growing in influence and a strong spell of carrying ended with replacement Lily Brady squeezing over from close range.
Rachel Allenโs conversion made it a five-point game, but it was Allen whose pass was intercepted by Donnelly for a 40-metre run-in as Belvedere clinched a last-minute bonus point.
โBelvo and Bohs meet again at the same venue in the 3rd-4th place play-off, while Ballincollig and Cooke will have home advantage in the other play-off games.
Cooke were much improved in seeing off Malone 31-3, number 8 Helen McGhee crossing twice ahead of the sidesโ rematch at Shawโs Bridge.
Wicklow, who travel to โCollig in the battle for seventh place, lost 20-15 at home to Suttonians. Sisters Lauren and Kate Farrell McCabe had a try apiece for Sutts, the latter showing her Sevens speed for a brilliant breakaway effort.
The north Dublinersโ efficiency in the red zone was the difference at Ashtown Lane, a simple overlap resulting in the opening try for left winger Lena Kibler in the corner.
Sutts were clinical again from their next visit to the 22, this time captain Lauren Farrell McCabe scoring from a quickly-taken penalty which took them 10 points clear.
Back came Wicklow, a big Lucy Mulhall carry almost getting them over before prop Kathy Byrne grounded the ball successfully. Beth Roberts converted and then, early in the second half, fired oved a levelling penalty.
However, two quick-fire tries from Kate Farrell McCabe, who managed to stay clear of the chasing Ella Roberts, and replacement Emily McKeown regained Suttoniansโ 10-point advantage.
A smart Erin McConnell snipe gave the home crowd some hope heading into the closing stages. Centre Vicky Elmes Kinlan almost snatched an equalising try, but she was stopped short of the line and Sutts held out for their fifth straight win.
Energia Womenโs AIL results
TOP FOUR โ ROUND 5: Saturday, February 19
BLACKROCK COLLEGE 39 RAILWAY UNION 7, Blackrock College 4G pitch
Scorers for Blackrock College: Tries: Dorothy Wall, Michelle Claffey, Natasja Behan 2, Ali Coleman, Jackie Shiels; Cons: Meabh Deely 3; Pen: Meabh Deely
Scorers for Railway Union: Try: Katie Heffernan; Con: Nikki Caughey
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Maggie Boylan; Meabh Deely, Michelle Claffey (capt), Ciara Scanlan, Maeve Liston; Lisa Mullen, Emily Lane; Aoife Moore, Niamh Tester, Christy Haney, Eimear Corri, Mairead Holohan, Dorothy Wall, Ali Coleman, Hannah OโConnor.
Replacements: Ann-Marie Rooney, Casey OโBrien, Meadbh Scally, Maeve รg OโLeary, Jackie Shiels, Natasja Behan, Katie Fitzhenry.
RAILWAY UNION: Aoife OโShaughnessy; Ava Ryder, Erin Coll, Katie Heffernan, Tess Feury; Nikki Caughey, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Grainne OโLoughlin, Chloe Blackmore, Katie OโDwyer, Sonia McDermott, Keelin Brady, Shannah Tiffoney, Emma Fabby, Grace Moore.
Replacements: Aimee Clarke, Megan Collis, Amanda McQuade, Kate McCarthy, Molly Boyne, Emer OโMahony, Hazel Simmons.
OLD BELVEDERE 22 UL BOHEMIANS 12, Energia Park
Scorers for Old Belvedere: Tries: Sene Naoupu, Elise OโByrne-White, Aine Donnelly 2; Con: Jenny Murphy
Scorers for UL Bohemians: Tries: Eimear Considine, Lily Brady; Con: Rachel Allen
OLD BELVEDERE: Fiona Tuite; Clare Gorman, Sene Naoupu, Jenny Murphy (capt), Elise OโByrne-White; Aine Donnelly, Kathryn Dane; Alice OโDowd, Vic Dabanovich OโMahony, Melissa Hayden, Clodagh Dunne, Brittany Hogan, Erin King, Lesley Ring, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird.
Replacements: Christina Furlong, Amber Redmond, Ciara OโDwyer, Niamh OโDowd, Rachel Winters, Aoife Dalton, Laura Carty.
UL BOHEMIANS: Eimear Considine; Alana McInerney, Rachel Allen, Stephanie Nunan, Aoife Corey; Enya Breen, Louise Costello; Chloe Pearse (capt), Kate Sheehan, Fiona Reidy, Claire Bennett, Ciara OโHalloran, Sarah Garrett, Clodagh OโHalloran, Sarah Quin.
Replacements: Eilis Cahill, Caoimhe OโNeill, Lily Brady, Muirne Wall, Niamh Kavanagh, Aoibhinn OโLoughlin.
CONFERENCE โ ROUND 5: Saturday, February 19
GALWEGIANS 50 BALLINCOLLIG 5, Creggs RFC
Try scorers for Galwegians: Tries: Megan Walsh 3, Mairรฉad Coyne 3, Sarah OโConnell, Grace Browne Moran; Cons: Nicole Fowley 5
Try scorers for Ballincollig: Try: Denise Redmond
GALWEGIANS: Mairรฉad Coyne (capt); Saskia Morrissey, Megan Walsh, Orla Dixon, Ursula Sammon; Nicole Fowley, Darwyn OโHalloran; Ellen Connolly, Nolwenn Dubois, Jessica Loftus, Niamh OโGrady, Grace Browne Moran, Elizabeth McNicholas, Lisa-Marie Murphy, Dearbhla Canty.
Replacements: Tracey Lawlor, Celia Killilea, Ann Marie Herward, Sarah OโConnell, Emma Keane, Laoise McGonagle, Olivia Haverty.
BALLINCOLLIG: Lauren Fahey; Heather Kennedy, Jayne Pennefather, Mona Fehily, Alison Kelly; Kelly Griffin, Gemma Lane; Alix Cunneen, Clodagh Walsh (capt), Roisin Ormond, Gillian Coombes, Eimear Perryman, Katelyn Fleming, Niamh OโRegan, Kira Fitzgerald.
Replacements: Aoife Flynn, Clare Coombes, Annie Laffan, Sarah OโDonovan, Denise Redmond, Christine Arthurs, Sinead OโReilly.
MALONE 3 COOKE 31, Gibson Park
Scorers for Malone: Pen: Ella Durkan
Scorers for Cooke: Tries: Helen McGhee 2, Lucy Thompson, Ilse van Staden, Beth Cregan; Cons: Dolores Hughes 2, Amanda Morton
MALONE: Holly Brannigan; Jill Stephens, Emma Jordan, Ella Durkan, Anna Stanfield; Peita McAlister (capt), Rachael McIlroy; Sarah Murphy, Cara OโNeill, Anna Smith, Hannah Beattie, Rebecca Greenaway, Emma Taylor, Shirelle Wilson, Chloe McIlwaine.
Replacements: Ashleigh Currie, Katie Anne McCallion, Nicole Rafferty, Jana McQuillan.
COOKE: Dolores Hughes; Teah Maguire, Lucy Thompson, Kelly McCormill, Tamzin Boyce; Ashleigh Orchard, Georgia Boyce; Fiona McCaughan, Beth Cregan, Aishling OโConnell (capt), Caolinn McCormack, Sorcha Mac Laimhin, India Daley, Katie Hetherington, Helen McGhee.
Replacements: Ilse van Staden, Naomi McCord, Megan Simpson, Cara OโKane, Amanda Morton, Eimear McQuillan, Chloe McMorran.
WICKLOW 15 SUTTONIANS 20, Ashtown Lane
Scorers for Wicklow: Tries: Kathy Byrne, Erin McConnell; Con: Beth Roberts; Pen: Beth Roberts
Scorers for Suttonians: Tries: Lena Kibler, Lauren Farrell McCabe, Kate Farrell McCabe, Emily McKeown
WICKLOW: Ella Roberts; Meagan Parkinson, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Lucy Mulhall, Sarah Gleeson; Beth Roberts, Erin McConnell (capt); Kathy Byrne, Noelle Ward, Lauren Barry, Jessica Schmidt, Caitlin Griffey, Emma Curran, Emily Ryan, Niamh Ni Dhroma.
Replacements: Amy OโNeill, Niamh OโLeary, Laura Newsome, Becky Condren, Megan McConnell, Saoirse OโReilly.
SUTTONIANS: Nicole Carroll; Molly Fitzgerald, Kate Farrell McCabe, Catherine Martin, Lena Kibler; Jessica Kelleher, Lauren Farrell McCabe (capt); Julia Bauer, Julia OโConnor, Katie Reel, Brenda Barr, Grainne Tummon, Aislinn Layde, Louise Catinot, Ciara Farrell.
Replacements: Aoife Brennan, Katie Grant Duggan, Nicola Bolger, Ali Howick, Emily McKeown.
Eddieโs just disappointed his profits are taking a hit.
@Paul Mallon: he is a business man in all fairness.
Weird that music promotors seem to make plenty of money all the time in Croker, Hearn just chancing his arm looking to make more money. Ringside tickets will cost a few hundred minimum so he would stand to make more than any music concert plus he would be able to have Hill 16 open which you wouldnโt get at a gig.
Because the GAA are trying to milk it. Hearn canโt milk it. As he says himself thatโs business
So itโs gone from twice as expensive to three times as expensive. Negotiations are going well.
So we have CP at a risky 80K and his option at 8K. Has he looked outside of these options, thatโs all we have here 8K or 80K. What about 50K at the Aviva? 45K at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
There are more options in Ireland between 8 and 80K capacity.
I think this man just wants PPV, and or to get KT a fight, any fight at home. I donโt imagine itโs what she really imagined or deserved but it looks like heโd rather blame CP than list some other options.
@Niall Stone: Aviva will be hosting the Heineken cup final that evening so thatโs a non starter.
@baz dunne: Point is there must be other options. He switched a fighter, switch the date
As he says it is a risk as itโs a less attractive fight now. Would this fight attract 80K? His second fight option would be less likely to attract a full house and he knows it, cold feet.
Steve Collins got good crowds in Cork, or select a different night.
In my opinion, he wants to go for safe PPV money, minimally meet KTs desire to fight in Ireland, hold the Amanda Serrano fight somewhere else all the while blaming the GAA. He could do more, be proactive rather than keep churning out the same sad story about CP.
Heโs like a guy arguing with a bouncer to get into a nightclub, move on, go somewhere else.
8K tickets for KTs home match is underwhelming. She deserves more, heโs her agent not the GAA.
No doubt heโs right, The grab all association were always going to try and milk this for all its worth and more.
@baz dunne: Ah here,Iโm not beyond having a go at the GAA,but Eddie Hearne,pleaseโฆThe GAA were dead right and its up the price should go,bye Eddie donโt let the door hit you in the Arse.
@Gerry Campbell: In fairness youโre not wrong. Thereโs the pair of them in it.
@baz dunne: was wondering how long before some anti gaa gobdaw would come up with the โgrab all associationโ lineโฆ When has no knowledge of numbers involved. All we need now is a brilliant original Father Ted lineโฆ
@baz dunne: he didnโt say the pair of them were at it..
As much as I donโt like Hearn I have no doubt heโs telling the truth. As my Granda used to say and the older Iโve got the more Iโve seen the truth in it in politics, institutions and pretty much every facet of life, he said, Ireland will never get anywhere, because it is a nation run by gombeen men, theyโd sell their own mothers if you offered them the right price, but if you were dying of thirst they wouldnโt give you a drop of water unless there was something in it for them.
@Zim Zimma: we see what we want to see. Try looking at things more positively than your Granda did, and you might see things differently!
Tell Eddie, we saw how Wembley operated during the Euroโs final a couple of years back. Absolute chaos with the level of security & policing they put on. I wouldnโt be using them as a good example.. Heโs also looking to schedule same wkend as the European rugby final in the Aviva. Just go for a night in August or Sept when nothings clashing with it.
@John Geary: if fans want to behave as they did last summer at Wembley or Lansdowne Rd years ago no amount of security or policing will suffice. Also much the scheduling of bouts is determined by training regimes.
The only lad to complain about the cost of holding an event in Croke Park. It sure is a bad taste he has left.
How much are gardai getting paid?
To be fair to him, it costs an absolute fortune to insure and police big-time Boxing events in Ireland. The amount of rival criminal gang members that would invariably show up would increase the likelihood of a Regency shooting style incident occurring. Despite their willingness to push other events through, and the high esteem in which Katie Taylor is held, I cannot see the Irish government wanting anything to do with assisting something that could potentially be associated with such negative publicity. Regular, large scale, professional Boxing events, on these shores, are a thing of the past. With or without star drawing power.