Energia Women’s All-Ireland Cup Semi-Finals Results

ENERGIA WOMEN’S ALL-IRELAND CUP SEMI-FINALS:

OLD BELVEDERE 25 SUTTONIANS 22, Ollie Campbell Park

Old Belvedere have made the breakthrough to a Energia Women’s All-Ireland Cup Final with a battling 25-22 win over Suttonians.

The Dublin side had lost five semi-finals in the last decade but had a point to prove in this last-four clash against a strong outfit.

“We’d a very disappointing result last week [away to Galwegians] and we really had to reflect on it as a team” said Belvo Coach Marie Louise Reilly.

“We’re not known as a cup team. I think this is actually our first final so to be in it is great for this bunch of players. They’re a brilliant group and there’s a lot of hard work still to do but we’re delighted to see them there because they deserve it.”

Old Belvedere got off to a strong start. Some individual brilliance and footwork put Suttonians on the back foot and tries from Alba Marlasca Abasolo and Elise O’Byrne White soon followed. Suttonians were staring down a 19-0 deficit but were keen to back up their recent form and got a foothold in the game through Greer Muir to make it 19-5 at the break.

It was vintage cup fare in the second half. Sutts’ Tribe were right back in the mix with more tries from Muir and Brenda Barr. The scoreboard made for interesting reading thanks to Sophie Gibney‘s conversion.

Elise O’Byrne White said “We were defending for huge parts of the game today. There were some standout moments and try saving tackles and we built a lot of our positivity from there. We were able to grind out a result against a very good Suttonians team. They haven’t lost players to the 6 Nations and they’ve been building for the last number of years.”

Jemma Jackson was controlling the game from out-half while her place kicking ultimately decided the contest. She knocked over a penalty with three minutes left and gave Belvo the chance to see out the game with some tight forward play.

“We’ve earned our place in that cup final,” said O’Byrne White.

Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Elise O’Byrne White 2, Alba Marlasca Abasolo; Cons: Jemma Jackson 2; Pens: Jemma Jackson 2.
Suttonians: Tries: Greer Muir 2, Sophie Gibney, Brenda Barr; Con: Sophie Gibney.
HT: Old Belvedere 19 Suttonians 5

OLD BELVEDERE: Fiona Tuite, Alba Marlasca Abasolo, Elise O’Byrne White, Aine Donnelly, Vanessa Hullon, Jemma Jackson, Aoife Byrne; Dawn Keegan, Katie Layde, Melissa Hayden, Clodagh Dunne, Jan Carroll, Alannah Rogers, Franziska Klappoth, Jennifer Murphy.
Replacements: Jessica Spain, Emma Lackey, Pamela Belrose, Isabel Ruiz Hernandez, Alison Miller, Rachel Whitten.

SUTTONIANS: Sophie Gibney, Jayleigh Brophy, Meabh O’Brien, Greer Muir, Molly Fitzgerald, Nicole Carroll, Lauren Farrell McCabe; Grainne Tummon, Carrie O’Keeffe, Julia Bauer, Aislinn Layde, Syreeta Norris, Louise Catinot, Helen Boylan, Rebecca Sullivan.
Replacements: Kathryn Treder, Ciara O’Brien, Katie Reel, Shauna Ennis, Brenda Barr, Jessica Rice

 

RAILWAY UNION 12 UL BOHEMIAN 18, Park Avenue

Both semi-finals of the Energia Women’s All-Ireland Cup served up some classic knockout rugby with UL Bohemian and Old Belvedere the last teams left standing in the 2020 competition.

Holders UL Bohs once again had to find a way past Railway Union to reach the decider and came through a tense affair 18-12. Fiona Hayes‘ side looked free and clear with a 12-0 lead at half-time, but had to withstand a second half onslaught from Railway. Quick fire tries from Grace Moore and Deirdre Roberts had the sides level at 12-12.

#PositiveEnergy@RFCRailwayUnion have levelled their Energia Women’s All-Ireland Cup Semi-Final against @ulbohemianrfc at 12-12. Grace Moore with this try. pic.twitter.com/oNE2tpAXj7

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) January 25, 2020

“The girls put on a performance today that absolutely blew me away,” said Hayes told Irish Rugby TV in the below video. “We were under the cosh for a little while and the defence we’d worked on mid-week paid off. I’m delighted to come away from here and be in a cup final.”

UL Bohemian’s forward prowess took its toll on their hosts and Railway were forced to concede a penalty try while 18 year old Alana McInerney continued to hone her finishing skills at this level with her third try in as many games.

Railway’s comeback prompted some clinical game management from Bohs. Big carries from the likes of Sarah Quin and Chloe Pearse led to penalties and Nicole Fitzgerald teed up the points to see them through.

The semi-final on the other side of the draw was an equally close encounter.

Old Belvedere saw off Suttonians 25-22 at home thanks to some clutch kicking from Jemma Jackson.

Scorers: Railway Union: Tries: Grace Moore, Deirdre Roberts; Con: Nikki Caughey. UL Bohemian: Tries: Penalty Try, Alana McInerney; Pens: Nicole Fitzgerald 2.
HT: Railway Union 0 UL Bohemian 12

RAILWAY UNION: Aoife O’Shaughnessy, Stephanie Carroll, Niamh Byrne, Amanda McQuade, Cliodhna O’Connor, Nicola Caughey, Molly Scuffil McCabe; Grainne O’Loughlin, Lisa Callan, Aoife Moore, Keelin Brady, Kate McCarthy, Grace Moore, Deirdre Roberts, Molly Boyne.
Replacements: Claire Coombes, Sonia McDermott, Meaghan Kenny, Heather Carey, Christine Coffey, Emer O’Mahony.

UL BOHEMIAN: Erin Coll, Laura O’Mahony, Stephanie Nunan, Niamh Kavanagh, Alana McInerney, Nicole Fitzgerald, Helen McDermott; Chloe Pearse, Kate Sheehan, Fiona Reidy, Ciara O’Halloran, Claire Bennett,  Clodagh O’Halloran, Edel Murphy, Sarah Quin.
Replacements: Orla Curtin, Aoife O’Sullivan, Shelly Ring, Lily Brady, Emma Doolan, Sarah Garrett, Niamh O’Neill.

 

ENERGIA WOMEN’S ALL-IRELAND PLATE SEMI-FINALS:

BLACKROCK COLLEGE 36 MALONE 0, Stradbrook.
Scorers: Blackrock College: Tries: Alison Coleman, Mona Fehily, Natasja Behan, Maeve Og O’Leary, Jenni Burke, Ray Lawless; Cons: Lisa Mullan 3
HT: Blackrock College 26 Malone 0

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Natasja Behan, Aisling Brosnan, Mona Fehily, Valerie Power, Ray Lawless, Lisa Mullen, Laura Delaney; Christina Haney, AnnMarie Rooney, Caoimhe Molloy, Mairead Holohan, Anna Potterton, Aoife Browne, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Alison Coleman.
Replacements: Jenni Burke, Manuela McCarthy, Roisin Crowe, Ellen Taite, Rosie Newton, Orla Molloy, Aoibheann Reilly.

MALONE: Ella Durkan, Jill Stephens, Olivia Andrews, Peita McAlister, Anna Stanfield, Alexa Grudgings, Jenna Stewart; Aoife Cahill, Ashleigh Currie, Shauneen Fitzpatrick, Naomi McCord, Chloe McIlwaine, Fern Wilson, Shirelle Wilson, Lauren Maginnes.
Replacements: Neve Jones, Sara Houston, Jasmine Ward.

 

COOKE 41 TULLAMORE 12, Shaw’s Bridge
Scorers: Cooke: Tries: Naomi McCullough, Dolores Hughes, Eliza Downey, Teah Maguire, Beth Cregan; Cons: Amanda Morton 3
Tullamore: Tries: Sinead Rigney, Ciara Farrell; Con: Emma Kelly.
HT: Cooke 26 Tullamore 12

COOKE: Teah Maguire, Eliza Downey, Kelly McCormill, Dolores Hughes, Claire Johnston, Amanda Morton, Laura Cairns; Ilse Van Staden, Lesley Megarity, Aisling O’Connell, Breana Kaio Te Whetu, Naomi McCullagh, Katie Hetherington, Beth Cregan, Helen McGhee.
Replacements: Sorcha Mac Laimhin, Caitlin Fisher, Lauren Pedlow, Hannah Kilgore.

TULLAMORE: Jane O’Reilly, Hannah Bailey, Sinead Rigney, Catherine Graham, Clare Leonard, Emma Kelly, Katie Hanlon; Robin Maher, Roisin Feighery, Katie Murray, Ciara Farrell, Aileen Hayes, Hannah Foxe, Niamh Hickey, Emer Phelan.
Replacements: Sarah Jane O’Connor, Catriona Kielty, Laura Sampson, Ann Maree Manley, Roisin Kane.

ENERGIA WOMEN’S ALL-IRELAND SHIELD SEMI-FINALS:

SHANNON 0 GALWEGIANS 29, Coonagh
Scorers: Galwegians: Tries: Dearbhla Canty 2, Mary Healy, Ellen Connolly, Marina Gray; Con: Nikki Kennedy 2.
HT: Shannon 0 Galwegians 17

SHANNON: Niamh Quilligan, Sarah McGlinchey, Edel Kirwan, Roisin Willis, Kate Gayson Molloy, Ciara Clancy, Rebecca Casey; Emma Casey, Mia Carageat, Suzie Glynn, Jane Bradshaw Ryan, Niamh McWalter, Louise Fitzgerald, Sarah O’Connor, Karen Harney.
Replacements: Eadaoin Jordan, Erica O’Connor, Erin Hackett, Hayley Neilan, Megan McDonagh, Stacey Hayes, Samara Vaz.

GALWEGIANS: Mairead Coyne, Julie Lyons, Emma Keane, Emily Horgan, Rhiannan Hoey, Nikki Kennedy, Mary Healy; Ellen Connelly, Tracy Lawlor, Sarah Heenan, Fiona Farrell, Tara Buggie, Cathriona Shally, Sabina Egan, Dearbhla Canty.
Replacements: Camille Lassalle, Chloe McCrann, Tracy Gannon, Caoimhe Harte, Marina Gray, Andrea Donnellan.

 

WESTPORT 42 CITY OF DERRY 0, Carrowholly.
Scorers: Westport: Tries: Ursula Sammon 4, Mary McLoughlin, Aoife Brennan; Cons: Rebecca Gavin 6.
HT: Westport 21 City Of Derry 0

WESTPORT: Noreen Coyne, Hazel Moran, Ursula Sammon, Rachel Cox, Emma Doyle, Rebecca Gavin, Darwyn O’Halloran; Mary McLoughlin, Rebecca Walsh, Kiara Irwin, Rionach Nealon, Grace Browne Moran, Lisa Carroll, Kate Feehan, Emma Fabby.
Replacements: Jessica Loftus, Claire Coghlan, Fiona Nic Ruairi, Siobhan Delaney, Sarah Walsh, Jennifer Keegan, Muireann Cawley, Aoife Breannan.

CITY OF DERRY: Ruagin Doherty, Amelia McFarland, Stacey Sloan, Donna Redmond, Stephanie Farrell, Ciara Moore, Maeve O’Neill; Cheryl Laverty, Kelly Gormley, Joanna Ha’unga, Claire McGill, Donna Meenan, Julie Pollock, Megan Deery, Lizzie Ballentine.
Replacements: Chaz Rodgers, Aisling Bonner, Jodie Sherrard, Lauryn McLaughlin

 

The Energia Women’s All-Ireland Cup Finals Day takes place on Saturday March 21st, 2020.