There are two top four showdowns in the Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division on Saturday, as unbeaten leaders Railway Union travel to Galwegians, and third-placed Wicklow entertain reigning champions UL Bohemian.
Saturday, November 16
Kick-off 5pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Ballincollig: LDWLL; Blackrock College: LWLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Ballincollig: Points: Niamh Crotty 20; Tries: Niamh Crotty 4; Blackrock College: Points: Hannah O’Connor 20; Tries: Ava Fannin, Casey Jackson 3 each
Preview: Ballincollig have yet to win at home so far this season, and could find the going tough against Blackrock College who have come into form after winning three of their last four matches. The Dubliners claimed a 42-5 victory when they last visited Tanner Park at the end of March.
Laurileigh Baker’s absence in Ballincollig’s second row is covered by vice-captain Anna Kavanagh. Caolainn Healy takes the latter’s place in the back row, and young winger Niamh Crotty, their only try scorer against UL Bohemian last week, now has four scores to her name.
Enya Breen, who captained Ireland for their last two WXV1 games against Canada and the USA, is to set to make her seasonal debut for Blackrock off the bench. Andrea Murphy slots in at full-back for Andy Adams’ side, with former Ireland Under-18 international Koren Dunne resuming at lock.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 11, 2023: Blackrock College 48 Ballincollig 0, Stradbrook; Saturday, March 30, 2024: Ballincollig 5 Blackrock College 42, Tanner Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Blackrock College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Cooke: LWLLL; Old Belvedere: LLLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Cooke: Points: Amanda Morton 20; Tries: Ilse van Staden, Stacey Sloan 2 each; Old Belvedere: Points: Megan Edwards 30; Tries: Megan Edwards 6
Preview: Recent Ulster newcomer Lucy Thompson will don the Cooke colours, featuring at inside centre for their home encounter with Old Belvedere. The Enniskillen RFC product combines in midfield with Molly Boyd, and winger Laila Juul-Dam is the only other change in the backs.
Fiona McCaughan reverts to a front row which is bolstered by ex-Ireland international Ilse van Staden. Cooke boss Brian McLaughlin also brings Emily Martin and Stacey Sloan into the back row, as they bid to bounce back from a heavy loss at the hands of Blackrock.
The returning Deirbhile Nic a Bháird helped Old Belvedere to double their win tally against Wicklow. Playing against her former club, winger Megan Edwards will come up against some of her Ulster team-mates, fresh from scoring a hat-trick last week to take her season’s haul to six tries.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 4, 2023: Old Belvedere 48 Cooke 7, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, March 16, 2024: Cooke 5 Old Belvedere 67, Shaw’s Bridge
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Galwegians: WLWWL; Railway Union: WWWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Galwegians: Points: Emily Foley 30; Tries: Emily Foley 6; Railway Union: Points: Amanda Berta 51; Tries: Amanda Berta, Lindsay Peat 7 each
Preview: Galwegians will put their unbeaten home record on the line when they lock horns with Railway Union, who are setting quite a pace at the summit. ‘Wegians have accounted for Ballincollig, Cooke, and Tullow in Glenina, but the league leaders should have too much firepower for them.
The Blue Belles went try for try with Suttonians last week, only to fall short with none of them being converted. Railway were rampant away to an inexperienced Tullow outfit, accumulating 18 tries with a hat-trick each for Ireland international Leah Tarpey and Poppy Garvey, the promising lock.
The corresponding fixture in 2023/24 was an early season tussle, and Railway managed to hit the ground to post a 63-5 bonus point win. Needless to say, the home defence will need to be at its best in order to stop the likes of Amanda Berta and Lindsay Peat – with seven tries each so far – in their tracks.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 7, 2023: Galwegians 5 Railway Union 63, Crowley Park; Saturday, February 17, 2024: Railway Union 83 Galwegians 7, Park Avenue
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Railway Union to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Tullow: LLLLL; Suttonians: WDLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Tullow: Points: Grace Kelly, Joanna Mahon 10 each; Tries: Grace Kelly, Joanna Mahon 2 each; Suttonians: Points: Lauren Farrell McCabe 25; Tries: Lauren Farrell McCabe 5
Preview: Tullow’s fourth ever home fixture in the Energia All-Ireland League is live on irishrugby+, as they continue to fight for their maiden point in the competition. Railway showed no mercy to Paul Canavan’s charges last week, but they do have some familiarity with Suttonians.
“Historically Suttonians and Tullow would have had good battles, all through the Leinster League,” said Sutts’ top try scorer Lauren Farrell McCabe. “We’re absolutely not underestimating their strength. We know they’re a big ball-carrying team, and they look to really put it up to people physically.”
Hilary Fitzgerald, Jacinta Byrne, Annie Gardiner, and vice-captain Lana Brennan, will fills the openside berth, all come into the Tullow starting XV. If Sutts – and the five-try Farrell McCabe – can register back-to-back wins for the first time this season, they should move back within reach of the top four.
Recent League Meetings – N/A
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Suttonians to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Wicklow: WWWLL; UL Bohemian: WLWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Wicklow: Points: Beth Roberts 31; Tries: Roisin Stone 5; UL Bohemian: Points: Chisom Ugwueru 50; Tries: Chisom Ugwueru 10
Preview: Alana McInerney swaps in for Chisom Ugwueru in the UL Bohemian back-three, as Fiona Hayes’ side chase their fourth victory in a row. Aoibheann Hahessy also comes in at lock, with Clodagh O’Halloran’s absence in the back row covered by the versatile Sarah Garrett.
Wicklow were made to pay for a disappointing first half at Old Belvedere, leaking four tries without reply. They lost their 2023/24 season opener at home to Bohs, falling to a 27-7 defeat, so will feel they need to lay down a marker here performance-wise given their most recent results.
While their backs are regularly on the scoresheet, Wicklow number 8 Rachel Griffey has impressed too with three tries in the last four rounds. Her opposite number, UL Bohs captain Chloe Pearse, always knows her way to the try-line, scoring four times in their last three outings.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, September 16, 2023: Wicklow 7 UL Bohemian 27, Ashtown Lane; Saturday, December 9, 2023: UL Bohemian 28 Wicklow 0, Annacotty
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UL Bohemian to win
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