Energia All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cup: Semi-Finals Review

For the third year in a row MU Barnhall will contest the Energia All Ireland Women’s Junior Cup final, as they powered to a convincing win over Tralee. Elsewhere, Anna Stanfield’s late try completed a stunning comeback from Malone to book their first final appearance.

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

Sunday, November 24

MALONE 31 TUAM/OUGHTERARD 27, Gibson Park
Scorers: Malone: Tries: Anna Stanfield 2, Alexa McMullan, Shirelle Wilson 2; Cons: Alexa McMullan 3
Tuam/Oughterard: Tries: Megan Walsh, Molly Boote, Karly Tierney, Alicia Costello; Cons: Megan Walsh 2; Pen: Megan Walsh
HT: Malone 14 Tuam/Oughterard 24

Just as it looked like a Megan Walsh penalty had sealed Tuam/Oughterard’s passage through to make the final once again, Malone’s influential number 8 Stanfield had other ideas as she crossed for this semi-final’s decisive try.

This was a thrilling nine-try encounter at Gibson Park where the hosts came from behind to seal the win in the dying moments. Their first lead in the game was a pivotal one.

Tuam/Oughterard started strongly with centre Walsh crossing for an early try. Molly Boote and Karly Tierney followed up with tries in the 19th and 25th minutes respectively, with Walsh adding two successful conversions to extend the lead to 19-7.

Stanfield kept the home side in the game with a well-taken 22nd-minute try, converted by Alexa McMullan. However, Tuam/Oughterard’s Alicia Costello scored on the stroke of half-time, giving last season’s runners-up a 24-14 advantage.

Whatever was said at the break, Malone came out reinvigorated. Shirelle Wilson led the charge as she crossed the line twice, in the 50th and 63rd minutes, to tie things up and leave Tuam/Oughterard on the back foot.

As this last-four clash approached the final few minutes, the Galway outfit crucially got their first points of the half. Walsh splitted the posts with a penalty effort.

However, with the game hanging in the balance, Stanfield produced a moment of brilliance to get over in the 80th minute. McMullan’s conversion put the icing on the cake, as the Cregagh Red Sox booked their place in the January 18 final.

MALONE: Claire McKane; Sophie Armstrong, Emma Jordan, Peita McAlister (capt), Mia Ferguson; Alexa McMullan, Shirelle Wilson; Sarah Murphy, Katie-Anne McCallion, Ashleigh Currie, Lauren Maginnes, Hannah Beattie, Ruby Devine, Cara O’Neill, Anna Stanfield.

Replacements: Samantha Eley, Beth Leckey, Anna Park, Donna McGovern.

TUAM/OUGHTERARD: Molly Boote; Alicia Costello, Megan Walsh, Amy Burns, Dominika Lukasik; Emma Burns, Saoirse Quinn; Niamh Corless, Aoife O’Callaghan, Ella Burns, Karen Burns, Grainne Hahessy, Aebha Lydon, Charlotte O’Grady, Karly Tierney.

Replacements: Grainne O’Rourke, Rosie Ganley, Abigail Gibbons, Rhona O’Dea, Chloe Conneely, Keanah Irons, Katie Creaven, Rhian O’Callaghan, Angela Thornton, Doireann Byrne.

TRALEE 5 MU BARNHALL 64, O’Dowd Park
Scorers: Tralee: Try: Maura Collins
MU Barnhall: Tries: Abby Healy 3, Emily Byrne, Emer Sweetnam, Emma Brogan, Amy Rushton, Holly Leach, Katelynn Doran, Alex Casey; Cons: Ciara Faulkner 5, Abby Healy 2
HT: Tralee 0 MU Barnhall 31

If MU Barnhall are to be dethroned this season, it will certainly take some stopping. They are chasing a hat-trick of Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup titles and will have plenty of confidence on board after this 10-try masterclass at O’Dowd Park.

Barnhall applied early pressure, camping in Tralee territory, but the hosts’ defence held firm during the opening exchanges. A quickly-taken penalty from Nais Jaime Bouquet almost brought the opening score after 15 minutes, but again Tralee defended well.

Nonetheless, the breakthrough came just three short minutes later as Barnhall sprayed the ball out to the left and a scrum was awarded close to the Tralee line.

Their pack led the charge and scrum half Jaime Bouquet fizzed the ball into the hands of Abby Healy, who spotted a gap to run through and open the scoring. Her try was converted by her centre partner Ciara Faulkner.

Barnhall’s momentum grew as Emily Byrne powered over in the 24th minute following sustained pressure. From the restart, hooker Kelly Burke kicked the ball back into the Tralee half with interest.

Natasha Griffin fired it back towards the other end of the pitch, yet the breeze held up the ball. It fell into the hands of Emer Sweetnam, who weaved through the defence to extend the lead to 21-0, with Faulkner accurate again from the tee.

Sweetnam’s wing colleague, Emma Brogan, added a scintillating solo effort from deep in the 33rd minute, zigzagging through defenders to score. Healy rounded off the first half with her second try after relentless attacking phases, making it 31-0 at the turnaround.

Barnhall wasted little time in maintaining the momentum on the resumption. Brogan’s sharp run down the left and offload to Amy Rushton set up the first try of the second period as the full-back evaded a tackle before racing over.

The defending champions pushed on with further scores from Holly Leach, Katelynn Doran, and Alex Casey. Faulkner and Healy tagged on a conversion each.

The impressive Healy completed her hat-trick of tries in the 75th minute, converting her own try in the process. Tralee battled throughout, showing resilience and determination from the first whistle to the last.

In the final moments of the game, prop Maura Collins powered over from close range for a consolation try, no more than Tralee deserved for their efforts on the day.

TRALEE: Natasha Griffin; Vanessa Dineen, Alanna Maunsell, Maria Harnett, Emily May Burgin; Laoise O’Driscoll, Diane O’Keeffe; Rachel Horgan, Charlotte O’Neill, Maura Collins, Aine Enright (capt), Kayleigh Moriarty, Sophie Leach, Ashlea Sheehy, Katie Houlihan.

Replacements: Cait O’Connor, Michaela Murphy, Shauna Flynn, Kate O’Driscoll, Kaya Flynn.

MU BARNHALL: Amy Rushton; Emer Sweetnam, Ciara Faulkner, Abby Healy, Emma Brogan; Órfhlaith Murray (co-capt), Nais Jaime Bouquet; Emily Byrne, Kelly Burke, Rebecca Francis, Holly Leach, Ali Howick, Sinead Farrell, Prudence Isaac, Katelynn Doran (co-capt).

Replacements: Michelle Gorman, Hope Lowney, Alannah Fraser, Anna Mai O’Brien, Ellen Dunne, Alex Casey, Uxue Merino, Lia Branigan.

Past Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup Finals –

2023 – Tullamore 12 MU Barnhall 38
2024 – Tuam/Oughterard 6 MU Barnhall 15

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail, and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.