#EnergiaAIL Women’s Division: Round 5 Previews

It is top against bottom in the Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division as Railway Union pay their first ever visit to Tullow, while Suttonians and Galwegians’ latest showdown is expected to ‘come down to the wire’ again on Saturday evening.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION – ROUND 5:

Saturday, November 9

Kick-off 5pm unless stated –

BLACKROCK COLLEGE (5th) v COOKE (9th), Stradbrook

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Blackrock College: LWLW; Cooke: LWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Blackrock College: Points: Hannah O’Connor 20; Tries: Ava Fannin, Mya Alcorn 2 each; Cooke: Points: Amanda Morton 20; Tries: Ilse van Staden, Stacey Sloan 2 each

Preview: Blackrock College moved up two places to fifth after outlasting Wicklow in the last round. The decisive try came from Maeve Liston with 76 minutes on the clock, and a first home win of the season is the aim for captain Hannah O’Connor and her team-mates this weekend.

Kate Barry and Kate Jordan, also a starter when Cooke lost 32-5 at Stradbrook last April, have been promoted from the Blackrock bench to line out at full-back and lock respectively. Leinster and Ireland star Aoife Wafer’s younger sister, Orla, features at blindside flanker.

Cooke’s defence took a serious battering from UL Bohemian last time out, so shoring that up is top of their agenda for this Dublin trip. There are seven personnel changes, including the welcome return of former captain Aishling O’Connell to the front row alongside Ulster’s Maebh Clenaghan.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 18, 2023: Cooke 0 Blackrock College 65, Shaw’s Bridge; Saturday, April 6, 2024: Blackrock College 32 Cooke 5, Stradbrook

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Blackrock College to win

OLD BELVEDERE (8th) v WICKLOW (3rd), Ollie Campbell Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Belvedere: LLLW; Wicklow: WWWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Belvedere: Points: Megan Edwards 15; Tries: Megan Edwards 3; Wicklow: Points: Beth Roberts 29; Tries: Roisin Stone 5

Preview: Old Belvedere’s back-line was back in full flight at Ballincollig, sharing out six tries with two each from Emma Kelly and Megan Edwards. Their first win of the season gives them plenty to build on, especially in a week which saw their head coach Tania Rosser end her time with Leinster.

At the same time as Belvedere were breaking their duck, Jason Moreton’s Wicklow suffered their first defeat of the campaign, going down by seven points to Blackrock. They will be doubly determined to claim ‘Belvo’s scalp after losing both fixtures last season (32-0 away and 25-12 at home).

Wicklow have the joint-second best defensive record so far this season, conceding an average of 10.75 points per game. If they can restrict their Leinster rivals in a similar fashion, the recent table toppers have the attacking firepower – including five-try back Roisin Stone – to get a result here.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, September 23, 2023: Old Belvedere 32 Wicklow 0, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, February 10, 2024: Wicklow 12 Old Belvedere 25, Ashtown Lane

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Wicklow to win

SUTTONIANS (7th) v GALWEGIANS (4th), JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Suttonians: WDLL; Galwegians: WLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Suttonians: Points: Lauren Farrell McCabe 15; Tries: Lauren Farrell McCabe 3; Galwegians: Points: Emily Foley 30; Tries: Emily Foley 6

Preview: A big triple header day for Suttonians with their Women’s team playing after their two Men’s squads. Colin Keogh’s side could not contain a rampant Railway Union last time out, and are determined to return to the form that saw them beat Galwegians twice last season.

Sutts won 12-5 at Crowley Park twelve months ago, and then 22-19 at home last March. Lauren Farrell McCabe, now a player-coach, and Julia O’Connor scored tries in that latter game, and they also crossed the whitewash during that heavy defeat to Railway a fortnight ago.

Galwegians captain Ellen Connolly feels they are much improved from last season, and they travel with the momentum of back-to-back bonus point victories. “We’ve always had good battles with Suttonians,” she said. “It always comes down to the wire. It can always go either way. Definitely up for the battle.”

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 11, 2023: Galwegians 5 Suttonians 12, Crowley Park; Saturday, March 30, 2024: Suttonians 22 Galwegians 19, JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Galwegians to win

TULLOW (10th) v RAILWAY UNION (1st), Blackgates

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Tullow: LLLL; Railway Union: WWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Tullow: Points: Grace Kelly, Joanna Mahon 10 each; Tries: Grace Kelly, Joanna Mahon 2 each; Railway Union: Points: Amanda Berta 33; Tries: Amanda Berta, Lindsay Peat 5 each

Preview: Both clubs made contrasting moves in the last round, Tullow being shut out by Galwegians as they fell to the bottom rung, while Railway Union stormed past Suttonians to hit the summit. Railway’s first ever visit to the Rathoe Road venue is the first of back-to-back road trips.

Mike South’s charges, who travel to Galwegians next week, are unlikely to show much mercy to Tullow, especially with competition for starting places ramping up with each passing week. Their all-Sligo second row pairing of Aoife McDermott and Poppy Garvey is one to watch out for.

Like Garvey, versatile Tullow forward Carla Cloney has come through the Ireland Under-18 pathway. The Enniscorthy RFC product is gaining exposure to the All-Ireland League just a few months on from lining out with Ireland at the U-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival in Colwyn Bay.

Recent League Meetings – N/A

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Railway Union to win

UL BOHEMIAN (2nd) v BALLINCOLLIG (6th), UL 4G pitch

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UL Bohemian: WLWW; Ballincollig: LDWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UL Bohemian: Points: Chisom Ugwueru 40; Tries: Chisom Ugwueru 8; Ballincollig: Points: Niamh Crotty 15; Tries: Niamh Crotty 3

Preview: A first Munster derby of the season for defending champions UL Bohemian, and Ballincollig make the trip looking to right the wrongs of a disappointing 30-point defeat to Old Belvedere. Bohs won the corresponding fixture last March, taking a 41-7 verdict.

UL’s attack was in ruthless form last time out, racking up 16 unanswered at Cooke. There are six personnel changes for their clash with ‘Collig, including the pairing of Caitríona Finn with Éabha Nic Dhonnacha in midfield, and starts up front for Ciara McLoughlin and Aoibhe O’Flynn.

Ballincollig will need a big collective performance from their pack, both in the loose and at set-piece time. Their defence has been one of their notable positives so far this season, conceding an average of 20.5 points per game compared to 33 for last season.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 4, 2023: Ballincollig 5 UL Bohemian 69, Tanner Park; Tuesday, March 19, 2024: UL Bohemian 41 Ballincollig 7, Annacotty

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UL Bohemian to win

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