#EnergiaAIL Women’s Division: Promotion Semi-Final Previews
MU Barnhall's Katelynn Doran is pictured in action during the Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup final win over Malone in January ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
The four best junior Women’s teams from across the provinces have a shot at gaining promotion to the Energia All-Ireland League. The two semi-finals take place on Sunday, with the winners advancing to the decider next week.
ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION PROMOTION SEMI-FINALS:
Sunday, March 30 –
TUAM/OUGHTERARD v ENNIS/KILRUSH, Garraun Park, 1pm
Having won their third straight Connacht Senior League title, Tuam/Oughterard are chasing a place in the Women’s Division of the All Ireland League, in just their fourth year as a senior team.
Coming off the back of successive Connacht Senior Cup wins, the talented Galway side will be looking to build on that success going into this weekend.
Coaches Norman Tierney, Owen Lydon, and Barry Ruane have developed a strong squad over the years, and while they did fall at the semi final hurdle in the Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup this season, they are targeting another national final appearance.
Tierney (Oughterard) and Lydon (Tuam) helped form this amalgamated club back in 2015. The pair brought a team each to an Under-13 blitz and joined forces as neither had enough numbers on the day. They have been together ever since, despite geography not being on their side.
In that time, Norman’s daughter, Karly, who has featured with Connacht and UL Bohemian, has come through the ranks, while Lydon has three daughters involved – Áebha, Ceoladh, and Nia.
Along with that, four other sisters are playing together in the same team as Ella, Karen, Emma, and Amy all represent the Burns family.
After a narrow 31-27 defeat in the All-Ireland Junior Cup semi-final to Malone, Tuam/Oughterard regrouped, doing well within their province. Can they make home advantage count in Tuam on Sunday?
From one amalgamation to another, Ennis/Kilrush are also made up of two clubs from opposite sides of the county of Clare, but together they have become a real force in Munster in recent years.
In 2023 they won Munster’s Division 2 title, and also recorded a double success with a cup along the way, and followed that up by lifting the Division 1 trophy the following season.
Indeed, Ennis/Kilrush recorded back-to-back doubles at provincial level, and were defeated 15-10 by Tullow at this same stage of the promotion play-offs last season.
The 2024/25 campaign has also seen further growth in just their third year in existence. The well-coached Clare outfit, guided by Gareth O’Hanlon, have secured yet more silverware, winning their third league and cup double in as many seasons.
Following a tense 11-8 victory over Tralee, they lifted the Munster Division 1 Cup, and a week later were 28-0 winners, away to Roaring Water Bay, to secure the league honours.
A strong underage and schools system has helped feed talent into this ambitious group, with Lyndsay Clarke a real standout. Clarke has experience lining out for UL Bohemian in the All-Ireland League this season, scoring four tries on her debut against Tullow just before Christmas.
ENNISKILLEN v MU BARNHALL, Mullaghmeen, 1.30pm
Having broken the glass ceiling by winning a hat-trick of Energia All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cups, MU Barnhall are eyeing up their next big step which is promotion to the All-Ireland League Women’s Division.
Barnhall have become the junior grade’s standard bearers in the last three years, but were pipped to the post by Leinster rivals Tullow to contest the play-offs last season.
Niamh Fitzgerald’s charges could be on course to replace the Carlow side in the All-Ireland League for next season, as they are unbeaten so far this season and are in red hot form.
Barnhall ran away with Division 1 of the Leinster League, adding to their high-scoring exploits on the way to lifting the Junior Cup back in January. Led by Katelynn Doran and Órfhlaith Murray, their exciting squad has a nice blend of youth and experience.
It was Ciara Faulkner, last year’s captain, and Ireland Under-18 international Abby Healy who stole the show in their 41-7 Junior Cup final triumph over Malone in Dundalk. Faulkner crossed for three tries and converted three, while her centre partner Healy bagged a brace.
Captains Doran and Murray both have All-Ireland League experience, while another Ireland U-18 representative, Emma Brogan, is a danger on the wing. Back rower Prudence Isaac has also featured for Leinster at underage level.
These teams are familiar with each other, having met at the semi-final stage of the inaugural All-Ireland Junior Cup campaign back in April 2023. Barnhall ran out convincing 46-point winners that day.
Just weeks after claiming the Ulster League crown with a 57-10 defeat of Banbridge, Enniskillen’s focus now turns to challenging for All-Ireland League promotion.
The County Fermanagh club have a proud history in the Women’s game, and are hoping to gain senior status after bringing through players of the calibre of Ireland internationals Kathryn Dane and Claire Boles.
Skins also have a rising star alongside Boles in the current Guinness Women’s Six Nations squad, Uncapped prop Sophie Barrett was involved in the Celtic Challenge with the Clovers recently, and is pushing hard to make the breakthrough at Test level.
Former Ireland U-18 international duo Olivia Black and Amanda Farrell have featured throughout the campaign for Enniskillen, while scrum-half Sophie Meeke has a keen eye for the posts, having slotted over six conversions during that recent game against Banbridge.
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