Energia Women’s All-Ireland League: Round 1 Review

Old Belvedere came through 19-10, but were made to work for it against a Cooke side who pushed for a losing bonus point in the latter stages.

“It was a tough game,” said Belvo centre Alison Miller. “We’re all tired, but it’s good to get the win – especially at home. It was hard for us to get a flow, but we got the tries when we needed them.”

Victoria Dabavonich O’Mahony opened the scoring with the help of Nichola Fryday on the latch and Linda Djougang pounced with another close range try to establish a 12-3 lead at half time.

Elise O’Byrne White tore up the middle for an important insurance score early in the second half. Cooke’s try came from Hanna Harris on her Energia All-Ireland League debut.

#PositiveEnergy

Hanna Harris scores on her Women’s #EnergiaAIL debut for @CookeRFCWomen. pic.twitter.com/DRYbR6WAJ2

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 12, 2019

For Old Belvedere there is much to look forward to this season. “We’ve an all-female coaching ticket, which is great,” said Miller. “We talk a lot about 20×20 campaigns and it’s great to actually be doing it here in the club.

Nora Stapleton, Maz O’Reilly, Ailis Egan and Cathy Murphy are all coaching us and it’s going very well so far. They obviously have a huge wealth of experience.

What they know is the women’s game. It shouldn’t be underestimated. They’ve been playing for years, they know the players we’re playing against and it’s a huge advantage.”

Blackrock College racked up the biggest score of the weekend with a 72-14 defeat of Galwegians. The versatile Hannah O’Connor claimed 27 points including two tries. Niamh Fitzgerald will have been pleased with her side’s efforts, having stepped up as Head Coach for 2019/20 from her role as S&C/Skills Coach last season.

It was a difficult start for the league newcomers with heavy defeats for Malone and Suttonians. Malone shipped 62 points without reply at home to UL Bohemian. Chloe Pearse scored five of 12 tries as the Limerick side delivered for new Head Coach Fiona Hayes.

Railway Union headed north of the Liffey and came away from Suttonians with a 60-10 win. There was an improved second half at least for The Tribe with Meabh O’Brien scoring a brace of tries.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE 72 GALWEGIANS 14, Stradbrook 

Scorers: Blackrock College: Tries: Michelle Claffey (2), Natasja Behan, Maeve Liston, Hannah O’Connor (2), Mairead Holohan (2),Jenni Burke, Rosie Newton, Ray Lawless; Pen: Hannah O’Connor; Con: Hannah O’Connor (7).

Scorers: Galwegians: Tries: Dearbhla Canty, Tara Buggie; Cons: Nicole Fowley (2).

HT: Blackrock College 27 Galwegians 7

Blackrock College: 1. Christina Haney, 2. Emma Hooban, 3. AnnMarie Rooney, 4. Judy Bobbett, 5. Mairead Holohan, 6. Jenni Burke, 7. Aoife Browne, 8. Hannah O’Connor, 9. Mona Fehily, 10. Valerie Power, 11. Aoibhean Reilly, 12 Michelle Claffey, 13. Maeve Liston, 14. Roisin Crowe, 15. Aisling Brosnan. Replacements: 16. Hannah Woods, 17. Riana Roche, 18. Manuela McCarthy, 19. Natasja Behan, 20. Ray Lawless, 21. Rosie Newton.

Galwegians: 1. Laura Feely, 2. Tracy Lawlor, 3. AnnMarie O’Hora, 4. Dearbhla Canty, 5. Diane Mills, 6. Fiona Farrell, 7. Tara Buggie, 8. Sabina Egan, 9. Mary Healy, 10. Nicole Fowley, 11. Rhiannan Hoey, 12. Emily Horgan, 13. Emma Keane, 14. Caoimhe Harte, 15. Marina Gray. Replacements: 16. Ellen Connelly, 17. Sarah Heenan, 18. Sarah Glynn, 19. Jordan Hopkins, 20. Rachel Millar, 21. Chloe McCrann. 

MALONE 0 UL BOHEMIAN 62, Gibson Park

Scorers: UL Bohemian: Tries: Chloe Pearse (5), Caoimhe Tiernan, Ciara Griffin, Clodagh OHalloran, Kate Sheehan, Laura Sheehan (2), Sarah Quin; Con: Nicole Fitzgerald. 

HT: Malone 0 UL Bohemian 32

Malone: 1. Sarah Murphy, 2. Neve Jones, 3. Karla Dunne, 4. Naomi McCord, 5. Chloe McIlwaine, 6. Brogain NiChiarrain, 7. Shirelle Wilson, 8. Gemma McCamley, 9. Jenna Stewart, 10. Alexa Grudgings, 11. Jasmine Ward, 12. Peita McAlister, 13. Ella Durkan, 14. Jill Stephens, 15. Holly Brannigan. Replacements: 16. Ashleigh Currie, 17. Rebecca Lawlor, 18. Eimear Hagan, 19. Lauren Maginnes, 20.  Fern Wilson, 21. Olivia Andrews, 22. Emma Jordan.

UL Bohemian: 1. Chloe Pearse, 2. Kate Sheehan, 3. Fiona Reidy, 4. Claire Bennett, 5. Ciara O’Halloran, 6. Clodagh OHalloran, 7. Ciara Griffin, 8. Sarah Quin, 9. Nicole Cronin, 10. Nicole Fitzgerald, 11. Erin Coll, 12. Rachel Allen, 13. Stephanie Nunan, 14. Caoimhe Tiernan, 15. Laura Sheehan. Replacements: 16. Edel Murphy, 17. Lily Brady, 18. Abigail Richardson, 19. Emma Doolan, 20. Helen McDermott, 21. Niamh O’Niell, 22. Slavica Radic.

SUTTONIANS 10 RAILWAY UNION 60, Station Road.

Scorers: Suttonians: Tries: Maeve O’Brien (2). 

Scorers: Railway Union: Tries: Stephanie Carroll (3), Daisy Earle, Ailsa Hughes (2), Niamh Byrne, Lisa Callan, Lindsay Peat, Grainne O’Loughlin;  Con: Katelyn Faust (2), Larissa Muldoon (3). 

HT: Suttonians 0 Railway Union 29

Suttonians:  1. Ciara OBrien,  2. Julia O’Connor, 3. Julia Bauer, 4. Roisin O’Driscoll, 5. Aifric O’Brien, 6. Aislinn Layde, 7. Helen Boylan, 8. Rebecca Sullivan, 9. Michelle Mulville, 10. Nicole Carroll, 11. Molly Fitzgerald, 12. Kerry Browne, 13. Catherine Martin, 14. Maeve O’Brien, 15. Sophie Gibney. Replacements: 16. Carrie O’Keeffe, 17. Alexa Higginbotham, 18. Grainne Tummon, 19. Katie Grant Duggan, 20. Louise Catinot. 21. Jenny Bowler, 22. Brenda Barr.

Railway Union: 1. Aoife Moore, 2. Lisa Callan, 3. Katie O’Dwyer, 4. Meaghan Kenny, 5. Keelin Brady, 6. Daisy Earle, 7. Deirdre Roberts, 8. Lindsay Peat,  9. Ailsa Hughes,  10. Molly ScuffilMcCabe, 11. Aoife O’Shaughnessy,  12. Katelyn Faust, 13. Niamh Byrne, 14. Stephanie Carroll, 15. Larissa Muldoon. Replacements: 16. Anna O’Neill, 17. Claire Coombes, 18. LisaMarie Murphy, 19. Christine Coffey, 20. Grainne O’Loughlin.

OLD BELVEDERE  19 COOKE 10, Ollie Campbell Park.  

Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Victoria Dubanovich O’Mahony, Linda Djougang, Elise O’Byrne White; Con: Aine Donnelly (2).

Scorers: Cooke: Tries: Hanna Harris;  Pen: Victoria Irwin; Con: Victoria Irwin. 

HT: Old Belvedere 12 Cooke 3

Old Belvedere: 1. Christina Furlong, 2. Victoria Dubanovich O’Mahony, 3. Linda Djougang, 4. Clodagh Dunne, 5. Niamh O’Flynn, 6. Alannah Fowley, 7. Roisin O’Donnell, 8. Nichola Fryday, 9. Kathryn Dane, 10. Aine Donnelly, 11. Grace Miller, 12. Jemma Jackson, 13. Allison Miller, 14. Fiona Tuite, 15. Aoibhe Dowling. Replacements: 16. Elena Castellino, 17. Melissa Hayden, 18. Alex Barczuk, 19. Aoife Byrne, 20. Vanessa Hullon, 21. Alba Marlasca Abasolo,  22. Elise O’Byrne White. 

Cooke: 1. Lise Van Staden, 2. Beth Cregan, 3. Emma Kearney, 4. Naomi Mc Cullagh, 5. Aisling O’Connell, 6. Laura Cairns, 7. Katie Hetherington, 8. Helen Mc Ghee, 9. Hannah Kilgore, 10. Amanda Morton, 11. Dolores Hughes, 12. Victoria Irwin, 13. Eliza Downey, 14. Kelly Mc Connell, 15. Teah Maguire. Replacements: 16. Hanna Harris, 17. Lesley Megaruty, 18. Marie-Louise Barter.