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Railway Union And Suttonians Target Record Crowd In Energia Women’s All-Ireland League

Captain Niamh Byrne lifts the Women's All-Ireland League trophy for Railway Union, last season's champions ©INPHO/Oisin Keniry

Railway Union and Suttonians are looking to make history on Saturday, April 4 with the highest ever attendance at a Women’s club rugby game in Ireland.

The sides will meet in the final round of the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League regular season, and hopes are high of a bumper crowd at Park Avenue in Sandymount, Dublin.

League champions Railway are running the campaign with the #ChangeTheGame hashtag. All proceeds from the event go to LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice.

“It is the year of 20×20 and increasing the visibility of female sport in Ireland,” said Railway Union President Melissa Slevin. “This is the inaugural year of #ChangeTheGame but our intention is to make this an annual celebration of Women’s rugby.”

Tickets are available on Eventbrite and are priced at €10 for adults, €5 for students and Under-18s go free.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Doors open at 12.30pm and there will be a number of family-friendly activities in the club on the day, including kids games, face painters, music, BBQ, a Leinster Girls Schools 7s Blitz, mascots and half-time minis. IRFU President Nicholas Comyn will be guest of honour at the pre-match lunch.

Railway Union captain Niamh Byrne commented: “Leinster play Saracens around the corner at the Aviva Stadium on the same day and we’ll be calling on supporters from both teams to come enjoy our game beforehand.

“We are delighted to be working with LauraLynn and raising funds for the wonderful work they do. We also have incredible support from the IRFU, Leinster Rugby, Dublin City Council, Suttonians and 20×20, as well as schools and businesses in our community.”

Slevin says the game is a great opportunity to enjoy up close the talent, skill and commitment of women in club rugby.

“Club rugby players are students, Gardaí, doctors, engineers, solicitors, teachers and business-leaders,” she noted. “Their dedication is incredible and they are helping change the game by representing their clubs, their provinces and their country with such distinction.

“I’m hopeful that the Irish Rugby community as well as our communities in Sandymount and Sutton will gather together on Saturday, April 4, and make a bold and positive statement about Women’s rugby and where we’re going with it.”