OLD BELVEDERE MADE made light of Storm Jorge with a 27-5 win over Suttonians at Ollie Campbell Park. The Dubliners scored five tries in bleak conditions to tighten their grip on a place in the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League Semi-Finals.

“It was gale force winds and snow in our face at times out there, but the handling and support play from our girls was excellent,” said Belvo Coach Nora Stapleton.

“We had clear focus coming into this game around our game plan in both attack and defence. It shows when you do the simple things and do them well you can keep possession and we scored some amazing tries out there.

“It’s all about the top four as you come into this stage of the season and that’s what your aim is, but obviously we have a Cup final to look forward to for the first time, so the girls are working really hard.”

UL Bohemian remain top of the league despite their game against Galwegians falling fowl of the weather. Second placed Railway Union are now just a point behind but have played two games more including Sunday’s clinical 62-0 win over Malone.

The disruption to the Women’s 6 Nations campaign allowed Railway to welcome Ireland internationals Ailsa Hughes and Larissa Muldoon back into the fold.

“It’s always good to have our players back,” said Head Coach John Cronin. “We look to integrate them as quickly as possible. Larissa put a lot of pace on the ball for us and took her tries well. Molly Scuffil McCabe switched to full-back for the first time to accommodate Alisa and really showed her footballing ability.”

With top try scorer Steph Carroll out injured, her place on the right wing went to Aoife O’Shaughnessy and the former Rockwell College player duly delivered a hat-trick of tries. Sligo native Grainne O’Loughlin continued her transition from intercounty ladies football with two tries and a strong outing at loose head prop.

Blackrock College dented Cooke’s hopes of a place in the knock-out stages with a 41-17 win in Belfast. Cooke were right in the mix in the first half with tries from Beth Cregan and Eliza Downey helping them to a 17-12 lead at the break.

It was all Blackrock after that. Hannah O’Connor returned to the top of the league’s scoring charts with two tries and a conversion. Lisa Mullen came off the bench to take over kicking duties and score her first try of the season with Alison Coleman also scoring twice.

The next full round of games is on 28 March. There are a number of postponed games to be revisited before then as well as the Energia All-Ireland Cup Finals day on Saturday 22 March in Athlone.

Sunday March 1st, 2020:
RAILWAY UNION 62 MALONE 0, Park Avenue
Scorers: Railway Union: Tries: Grainne O’Loughlin 2, Aoife O’Shaughnessy 3, Larissa Muldoon 2, Niamh Byrne, Daisy Earle, Meaghan Kenny; Con: Nikki Caughey 3, Larissa Muldoon 3
HT: Railway Union 29 Malone 0
RAILWAY UNION: Molly Scuffil McCabe, Aoife O’Shaughnessy, Niamh Byrne, Nicole Caughey, Emer O’Mahony, Larissa Muldoon, Ailsa Hughes, Grainne O’Loughlin, Lisa Callan, Aoife Moore, Keelin Brady, Kate McCarthy, Daisy Earle, Grainne Egan, Deirdre Roberts. Replacements:, Aimee Clarke, Sonia McDermott, Meaghan Kenny, Christine Coffey, Scholastique Veyssiere
MALONE: Ella Durkan, Jasmine Ward, Jill Stephens, Peita McAlister, Anna Stanfield, Alexa Grudgings, Jenna Stewart, Sarah Murphy, Ashleigh Currie, Shauneen Fitzpatrick, Taryn Schutzler, Hannah Beattie, Aoife Cahill, Neve Jonesm Gemma McCamley. Replacements: Grace Davitt, Michelle King, Zarah Ryan, Cara O’Neill, Corrina Fleming, Shannon McCrory.

COOKE 17 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 41, Shaw’s Bridge
Scorers: Cooke: Tries: Beth Cregan, Eliza Downey; Cons: Amanda Morton 2; Pen: Amanda Morton
Blackrock College: Tries: Hannah O’Connor 2, Lisa Mullen, Aoibhinn Reilly, Alison Coleman 2, Ellen Taite; Cons: Hannah O’Connor, Lisa Mullen 2
HT: Cooke 17 Blackrock College 12
COOKE: Teah Maguire, Claire Johnston, Eliza Downey, Kelly McCormill, Caitlin Fisher, Amanda Morton, Hannah Kilgore, Ilse Van Staden, Emma Kearney, Aishling O’Connell, Naomi McCullagh, Shannon Heapes, Laura Cairns, Beth Cregan, Helen McGhee. Replacements: Sorcha Mac Laimhin, Breana Kaio Te Whetu, Ella Garland, Lauren Pedlow
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Natasja Behan, Aisling Brosnan, Ciara Scanlan, Valerie Power, Rosie Newton, Ellen Taite, Aoibheann Reilly, Geena Behan, AnnMarie Rooney, Christina Haney, Mairead Holohan, Jenni Burke, Caoimhe Molloy, Alison Coleman, Hannah O’Connor. Replacements: Emma Hooban, Riana Roche, Aoife Browne, Laura Delaney, Michelle Claffey, Mona Fehily, Lisa Mullen.

Saturday February 29th, 2020:
UL BOHEMIAN P GALWEGIANS P

OLD BELVEDERE 27 SUTTONIANS 5, Ollie Campbell Park
Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Victoria Dabanovich O’Mahony, Fiona Tuite, Nichola Fryday, Clodagh Dunne, Jess Spain; Con: Jemma Jackson.
Suttonians: Try: Carrie O’Keeffe.
HT: Old Belvedere 17 Suttonians 0
OLD BELVEDERE: Fiona Tuite, Alba Marlasca Abasolo, Elise O’Byrne White, Allison Miller, Grace Miller, Jemma Jackson, Aoife Byrne, Melissa Hayden, Victoria, Dabanovich O’Mahony, Jessica Spain, Nichola Fryday, Jan Carroll, Clodagh Dunne, Franziska Klappoth, Emma Lackey. Replacements: Tara Levine, Pamela Belrose, Ana Viada Aldecoa, Roisin O’Donnell, Aine Donnelly, Vanessa Hullon.
SUTTONIANS: Sophie Gibney, Brenda Barr, Greer Muir, Carrie O’Keeffe, Jayleigh Brophy, Nicole Carroll, Lauren Farrell McCabe, Ciara O’Brien, Julia O’Connor, Katie Reel, Grainne Tummon, Syreeta Norris, Aislinn Layde, Kathryn Treder, Rebecca O’Sullivan. Replacements: Loretta Thompson, Ciara Farrell

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