#EnergiaAIL Women’s Division Semi-Final: Railway Union v Old Belvedere Highlights

Dublin rivals Railway Union and Old Belvedere played out a cracking semi-final at Park Avenue where the hosts prevailed 37-24 thanks to final-quarter tries from Poppy Garvey and Laura Sheehan.

Watch the full match back on irishrugby+.

Ten tries were scored in all, and Old Belvedere, chasing their first Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division final appearance since 2018, led twice during the first half thanks to tries from Megan Edwards, Minonna Nunstedt, and Katie Corrigan.

Corrigan ran in a terrific first-phase score off a scrum, and Emma Tilly’s 54th-minute effort kept ‘Belvo right in it at 25-24 down, before Railway, who had a perfect regular season with 18 straight wins, found another gear.

Garvey and Sheehan both finished well to send Mike South’s side through to the April 27 final, following up on Caoimhe McCormack’s excellent opener, while Emily Gavin, Lindsay Peat, and Leah Tarpey also touched down before the break.

With reigning champions UL Bohemian winning the other sem-final to set up a repeat of last season’s decider, Railway centre Tarpey said: “Just going to be focusing on ourselves. Last year didn’t go our way, but we’re just going to stick to our structure.

“There’s a lot to take from that game today. A lot of things that we did wrong, but a lot of positives too that we can really work on and hone in on for the final. Just looking forward to getting stuck in for the next few weeks.”

Commenting on the semi-final itself, she added: “We knew ‘Belvo were going to be tough. Every time we go up against them, whether it’s at the start of the season or at the business end of the season, it’s always a tough match.

“I think it’s a really good test to have, especially on the end of the season, coming in against them. They’re only down the road and that rivalry that we have just keeps us pushing. It’s never going to be an easy fight.

“Everybody stuck to our plan and we had a very strict plan coming into this game. We stuck to it, and I feel that really got us over the line today. It’s just a testament to us and all the hard work that we’ve done, and I’m glad we got the win there.”