Costigan And Nic A Bháird On The Double For Clovers In Cork
Ballincollig's Shirley Bailey, who started at number 8 for the Clovers, is pictured in possession during today's encounter with Glasgow Warriors in Cork ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Ireland internationals Amee-Leigh Costigan and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird contributed two tries each during the Clovers’ 41-19 triumph over Glasgow Warriors at Virgin Media Park. Watch the match back on irishrugby+.
CELTIC CHALLENGE – ROUND 7:
Sunday, February 9 –
CLOVERS 41 GLASGOW WARRIORS 19, Virgin Media Park
Scorers: Clovers: Tries: Anna McGann, Amee-Leigh Costigan 2, Emily Lane, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird 2, Méabh Deely; Cons: Nicole Fowley 3
Glasgow Warriors: Tries: Roma Fraser, Holland Bogan, Briar McNamara; Cons: Briar McNamara 2
HT: Clovers 31 Glasgow Warriors 5
It was a tale of two halves in Cork where the Clovers ran in five tries to lead 31-5 at half-time. However, it was two tries apiece during the closing 40 minutes as Glasgow visibly grew into the contest.
Denis Fogarty’s charges burst out of the blocks with early scores from Anna McGann and Costigan, the latter one set up by a terrific cross-field kick from captain Enya Breen.
Méabh Deely finished off the best try of the lot, as part of a flying four-player raid off a kick return. Emily Lane and Nic a Bháird also crossed, either side of Glasgow replacement Kate Yeomans’ yellow card for a high tackle.
With their bonus point secured, the Clovers had their remaining five-pointers cancelled out by Holland Bogan, via a well-executed maul, and Briar McNamara.
Still, Breen and her team-mates have moved back into second place in the Celtic Challenge standings – sitting four points behind the Wolfhounds – ahead of their February 22 date with Brython Thunder in Llanelli.
Giving his reaction after the game, Clovers head coach Fogarty said: “I judge them quite hard because I know what they’re capable of doing. We spoke about it at half-time, it was kind of getting comfortable in the last five minutes of the first half and we didn’t want to leak that into a second half.
“We struggled with the momentum in the second half, even from a defensive point of view, which was a bit frustrating. But look, we learn from these things.
“We attacked quite well, and got to the wide channels quite well. In the first half we kicked in the right places at the right times. That was really pleasing given that was a kind of work-on for us from last week.
“We have to be happy with some aspects of the game, and of course the win. But we just need to minimise those errors and move on.”
Full report to follow…
TIME LINE: 6 minutes – Clovers try: Anna McGann – 5-0; conversion: missed by Nicole Fowley – 5-0; 8 mins – Clovers try: Amee-Leigh Costigan – 10-0; conversion: Nicole Fowley – 12-0; 23 mins – Clovers try: Emily Lane – 17-0; conversion: Nicole Fowley – 19-0; 30 mins – Glasgow Warriors yellow card: Kate Yeomans; 31 mins – Clovers try: Deirbhile Nic a Bháird – 24-0; conversion: missed by Nicole Fowley – 24-0; 34 mins – Clovers try: Méabh Deely – 29-0; conversion: Nicole Fowley – 31-0; 38 mins – Glasgow Warriors try: Roma Fraser – 31-5; conversion: missed by Briar McNamara – 31-5; Half-time – Clovers 31 Glasgow Warriors 5; 42 mins – Clovers try: Deirbhile Nic a Bháird – 36-5; conversion: missed by Nicole Fowley – 36-5; 49 mins – Glasgow Warriors try: Holland Bogan – 36-10; conversion: Briar McNamara – 36-12; 66 mins – Clovers try: Amee-Leigh Costigan – 41-12; conversion: missed by Nicole Fowley – 41-12; 70 mins – Glasgow Warriors try: Briar McNamara – 41-17; conversion: Briar McNamara – 41-19; Full-time – Clovers 41 Glasgow Warriors 19
CLOVERS: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) (capt), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster); Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC); Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Railway Union RFC/Ulster), Jane Neill (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster), Shirley Bailey (Ballincollig RFC).
Replacements: Emily Gavin (Railway Union RFC/Connacht), Grainne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Grainne Moran (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster).
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Sky Phimister (Stirling County); Abi Evans (Stirling County), Orla Proctor (Harlequins), Briar McNamara (Watsonian FC), Roma Fraser (Hillhead Jordanhill); Poppy Mellanby (Biggar RFC), Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Ailie Tucker (Watsonian FC) (capt), Aicha Suitcliffe (Stirling County), Eilidh Fleming (Stirling County), Holland Bogan (Stirling County), Aisha Zameer (University of Strathclyde), Freya Walker (Watsonian FC), Gemma Bell (Gloucester-Hartpury), Emily Coubrough (University of Edinburgh).
Replacements: Megan Hyland (Garioch), Poppy Fletcher (University of Edinburgh), Katie Lindsay (Corstorphine Cougars), Kate Yeomans (Hillhead Jordanhill), Eilidh McGilvray (Highland RFC), Rianna Darroch (Hillhead Jordanhill), Ceitidh Ainsworth (Stirling County), Millie Warren (Hillhead Jordanhill).
Referee: Tomás O’Sullivan (IRFU)