Energia Women’s All-Ireland League: Round 8 Review

Energia Women’s All-Ireland League

Malone broke their duck in the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League with a 31-17 win against Galwegians. The result also moves them off the foot of the table for the first time this season.

It was a bonus point performance for the Belfast women with four tries coming in the first half. Sara Murphy and Neve Jones both picked up their third try of the season with Peita McAlister and Anna Stanfield crossing for the first time. Alexa Grudgings converted three of the five tries.

“Everything just came together,” said Head Coach Grace Davitt. “Christmas gave us a chance to rest and the dry weather suited our game. We were looking forward to being at home and the disappointing performance away to Galwegians in December was fresh in our mind.

“The key thing was dynamic attack around the park. We found the space and supported each other so when we did make breaks, we were able to get through the phases and take our opportunities.

“It’s good to get the win. The monkey is off our back and we know we can perform and win at this level.”

It was another good day out for Suttonians as they moved back into the playoff spots courtesy of a 15-10 win over Blackrock College. The sides were deadlocked at half time with Lauren Farrell McCabe scoring for ‘The Tribe.’ It’s been a big season to date for the Wexford native, having also been capped for interpro champions Leinster. Molly Fitzgerald got Suttonians’ scores in the second half.

“We’re consistently learning with each game so it’s important to maintain that growth,” said Sutts’ out half Nicole Carroll.  “To have four or five regular girls out and have girls step up and take ownership of the shirt is special. We’d two more debuts tonight  [Kathryn Treder and Bethany Sharpe] and that’s what we’re aiming for as a squad.

“There might be some raised eyebrows about our position in the league at the moment. We’re newcomers, but it was always our goal to be in this position and stay in this position. There’s no doubt on our end. We hold ourselves to a very standard.”

It’s as you were at the top end of the table with bonus point wins for UL Bohemian and Railway Union.

Cooke went to Dublin looking for a positive restart to the campaign against champions Railway Union under new head coach Daniel Allen. Emma Kearney kept them in the game with a hat trick of tries, but their challenge faded and Railway pulled clear to win 50-15 with the help of four tries from Steph Carroll.

UL Bohemian maintained a four-point lead at the top of the table with a 29-14 win at Old Belvedere. Winger Alana McInerney scored her first Energia Women’s All-Ireland League try while Chloe Pearse got her 10th of the season in a difficult away trip. Jemma Jackson scored her first try of the season for the home side.

MALONE 31 GALWEGIANS 17 Gibson Park

Scorers: Malone: Tries: Anna Stanfield, Lauren Maginnes, Peita McAlister, Sarah Murphy, Neve Jones; Con: Alexa Grudgings (3);

Galwegians:  Tries: Kate Feehan, Dearbhla Canty, Nicole Fowley; Con: Nicole Fowley; 

HT: Malone 24 Galwegians 12

MALONE: 15 Ella Durkan, 14 Olivia Andrews, 13 Peita McAlister, 12 Fern Wilson, 11 Anna Stanfield, 10 Alexa Grudgings, 9 Jenna Stewart, 1 Sarah Murphy, 2 Neve Jones, 3 Gemma McCamley, 4 Naomi McCord, 5 Chloe McIlwaine, 6 Brogain NiChiarrain, 7 Shirelle Wilson, 8 Lauren Maginnes.

Replacements: 16 Eimear Hagan, 17 Ashleigh Currie, 18 Sara Houston, 19 Jasmine Ward, 20 Nicole Hutchinson, 21 Jill Stephens, 22 Shauneen Fitzpatrick

GALWEGIANS: 15 Julie Lyons, 14 Ursula Sammon, 13 Emma Keane, 12 Ina Butler, 11 Caoimhe Harte, 10 Nicole Fowley, 9 Mary Healy, 1 Ellen Connelly, 2 Tracy Lawlor, 3 Lisa Anglim, 4 Fiona Farrell, 5 Kate Feehan, 6 Sabina Egan, 7 Emma Fabby, 8 Dearbhla Canty

Replacements: 16 Jessica Loftus, 17 Cathriona Shally, 18 Celia Killilea, 19 Rachel Cox, 20 Camille Lassalle

 

OLD BELVEDERE 14 UL BOHEMIAN 29, Ollie Campbell Park

Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Jemma Jackson, Alba Marlasca; Con: Jemma Jackson (2) 

UL Bohemian: Tries: Chloe Pearse, Edel Murphy, Kate Sheehan, Alana McInerney, Fiona Reidy; Con: Rachel Allen, Nicole Fitzgerald 

HT:  Old Belvedere    7    UL Bohemian           17

OLD BELVEDERE: 15  Fiona Tuite, 14 Rachael Whitten, 13 Alison Miller, 12 Elise O’Byrne White, 11 Vanessa Hullon, 10 Aine Donnelly, 9 Jemma Jackson, 1 Melissa Hayden, 2 Katie Layde, 3 Rose Alice Murphy, 4 Niamh O’Flynn, 5 Clodagh Dunne, 6 Alba Marlasca,  7 Franzi Klappoth, 8 Jenny Murphy

Replacements: 16 Janice Caroll, 17 Alex Barczuk, 18 Pamela Bellerose, 19 Aoife Byrne, 20 Marie Louise Reilly

UL BOHEMIAN: 15 Erin Coll, 14 Laura O’Mahony, 13 Stephanie Nunan, 12 Niamh Kavanagh, 11 Alana McInerney, 10 Rachel Allen, 9 Helen McDermott, 1 Chloe Pearse, 2 Kate Sheehan, 3 Fiona Reidy, 4 Claire Bennett, 5 Ciara ‘Halloran, 6 Clodagh O’Halloran, 7 Edel Murphy, 8 Sarah Quin,  Replacements: 16 Laura Delaney, 17  Emma Doolan, 18 Sarah Garrett, 19 Lily Brady, 20 Nicole Fitzgerald, 21 Niamh O’Neill, 22 Aoife Bowman

 

RAILWAY UNION 50 COOKE 15, Park Avenue

Scorers: Railway Union: Tries: Cliodhna O’Connor(2), Stephanie Carroll (4), Penalty Try, Amanda McQuade; Con: Nicole Caughey (4) ; 

Cooke: Tries: Emma Kearney (3); 

HT:  Railway Union 22 Cooke 10

RAILWAY UNION: 15 Hazel Simmons, 14 Stephanie Carroll, 13 Niamh Byrne, 12 Katelyn Faust, 11 Cliodhna O’Connor, 10 Nicole Caughey, 9 Molly Scuffil McCabe, 1 Aoife Moore, 2 Lisa Callan, 3 Claire Coombes, 4 Sonia  McDermott, 5 Keelin Brady, 6 Molly Boyne, 7 Grainne Egan, 8 Daisy Earle,

Replacements: 16 Aimee Clarke, 17 Meaghan Kenny, 18 Heather Carey, 19  Amanda McQuade, 20 Aoife O’Shaughnessy

 

SUTTONIANS 15 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 10, Station Road

Scorers: Suttonians: Tries: Lauren Farrell McCabe, Molly Fitzgerald (2) 

Blackrock College: Tries: Meadbh Scally, Jenni Burke

HT: Suttonians 5 Blackrock College 5

SUTTONIANS: 15 Sophie Gibney, 14 Jayleigh Brophy, 13 Kerry Browne, 12 Greer Muir, 11 Molly Fitzgerald, 10 Nicole Carroll, 9 Lauren Farrell McCabe, 1 Grainne Tummon, 2 Julia O’Connor, 3 Julia Bauer, 4 Aislinn Layde, 5 Syreeta Norris, 6  Louise Catinot, 7 Helen Boylan, 8 Rebecca Sulivan Replacements: 16 Carrie O’Keeffe, 17 Katie Reel, 18 Loretta Thompson, 19 Kathryn Treder, 20 Bethany Sharpe, 21 Brenda Barr

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: 15 Aisling Brosnan, 14 Natasja Behan, 13 Ellen Taite, 12 Ciara Scanlan, 11 Ray Lawless, 10 Valerie Power, 9 Mona Fehily, 1 Christina Haney, 2 AnnMarie Rooney, 3 Caoimhe Molloy, 4 Mairead Holohan, 5 Anna Potterton, 6 Riana Roche, 7 Maeve Og O’Leary, 8 Meadbh Scally.

Replacements: 16 Jenni Burke, 17 Emily Durnin, 18 Aoife Browne, 19 Lisa Mullen, 20 Rosie Newton, 21 Laura Delaney, 22 Roisin Crowe

More To Follow…