Bank of Ireland Leinster Women’s Cup Finals take place in SETU Carlow
The Bank of Ireland Leinster Women’s Cup Finals took place at the SETU Carlow Sports Campus on Saturday.
Bank of Ireland Leinster Women’s Paul Flood Cup Final
Tullamore 27 Tullow 29
Tullow put together back-to-back Flood Cups for the first time in a cracking finale.
For so long, the Carlow club looked like winning with something to spare once they moved in front from a try by Lisa O’Toole.
In fact, they were holding all the aces included in a 29-13 lead with ten minutes left on the clock before almost being caught late on.
This says everything about Tullamore’s never-say-die attitude which came to the fore in the form of two superb scores in the latter stages.
However, this looked a most unlikely occurrence when Catherine Dempsey stepped up to score from an interception and add the conversion for 12-0 in the 24th minute.
Tullamore stopped the bleeding with a penalty from the boot of Laura Sampson to provide a lift in confidence.
It didn’t really have the desired effect as the Tullow scrum continued to dominate, producing the front-foot ball for the excellent Grace Kelly and Alex O’Brien to carry forward.
They stayed patient enough for loose-head Joanna Mahon to ground the ball at the posts, making Dempsey’s conversion automatic for 19-3 at the break;
There was encouragement for Tullamore in how they came out strong – flankers Saoirse Quinn and Niamh Hickey were outstanding – to carve out a try for rookie out-half Abaigeal Connon in the 43rd minute.
The theme of the interception continued when Chloe Farrell repeated the feat of Dempsey in going the length of the pitch for a try that was converted by the latter for an 18-point lead.
But, the Offaly club was starting to come on strong, really knuckling down to business, aided by the introduction of super-sub Ann Maire Manley, who dotted down for their second try.
Tullow took the smart decision to take the points on offer when they next came knocking on the door, Dempsey slotting the pints in the 66th minute.
It proved to be the right choice given how Tullamore stormed back, everything Manley touched turned to gold, striking for back-to-back tries to complete a hat-trick.
The fact second row Sampson had her shooting boots on meant both conversions were made to make it a two-point game.
All of a sudden, Tullamore were on the move again as the clock turned red, Tullow just about surviving one last surge.
Clondalkin got the better of Naas 19-14 in the Paul Flood Plate final.
Scorers: Tullow – C Dempsey try, pen, 3 cons; L O’Toole, C Farrell, J Mahon try each. Tullamore – AM Manley 3 tries; A Connon try; L Sampson pen, 2 cons
Tullow: Alice Carroll; Emma O’Toole. Chloe Farrell, Roisin O’Toole, Lisa O’Toole;
Joanna Mahon, Anna O’Neill, Annie Meaney, Ciara O’Dwyer, Orla Hanlon, Grace Kelly, Lana Brennan (Capt), Alex O’Brien.
Replacements – Shelley Faulkner, Lauryn Faulkner, Aoife Byrne, Courtney Kelly, Meghan Hickey, Niamh Bailey, Leanne Savage, Jane O’Neill.
Tullamore: Sinead Rigney; Rachel Conroy, Shannon Touhey, Kate McCann, Clare Leonard; Abaigeal Connon, Aoibhe Kelly; Saidhbh McIntyre, Caitriona Kietly, Eve Tarpey, Kate Fox, Laura Sampson, Saoirse Quinn, Niamh Hickey, Hannah Foxe.
Replacements – Ebony Hogan, Robin Maher, Ann-Marie Manley, Caoimhe Guinan, Sarah Jane O’Connor, Rebecca Gavin, Eimear Daly, Roisin Feighery.
Referee: J O’Hara, Leinster Branch.
Bank of Ireland Leinster Women’s Paul Cusack Cup FinalNew Ross 12 Wicklow J1 7New Ross were made to fight for every inch in a Cusack Cup final from which Wicklow will harbour a few regrets.
It was a testament to the underdogs that they bolted from the blocks to apply most of the pressure in the first-half.
The influence of openside Jessica Reynolds on the floor and number eight Amy O’Neill on both sides of the ball was undeniable.
It was impactful enough to drive them to within the opening try on more than one occasion only to be stopped metres short and even be held up over the line.
New Ross showed the value of trusting in their defence to absorb waves of runners before breaking away from the crucial opening try close to half-time.
The big boot of Kathryn Dempsey was responsible for guiding NR downfield. From a scrum on the 22, a set-piece move saw Dempsey involved in creating the chance for prop Carol Kavanagh to storm over for her 11th try of the season.
Georgina Hearn landed a huge conversion to give New Ross a 7-0 lead at the break.
They had to survive a yellow card to Annie Moloney, Meadhbh O’Dwyer steering the ship with Erin Flanagan, Dempsey and Eabha Cullen going close.
Midway through the half, NR stretched 12 points clear when the territory was turned into points, Jennifer Dunne making ground and Cullen finishing off the movement
By the time Wicklow solved the conundrum that was cracking the Wexford club’s cover, it came a little too late.
Persistent phases through multiple phases created the crease for loose-head prop Kathy Byrne to crash over for full-back Alex McGuinness to convert.
Meanwhile, Clontarf whitewashed MU Barnhall 37-0 to capture the Cusack Cup Plate.
Scorers: New Ross – E Cullen, C Kavanagh try each; G Hearn con. Wicklow – K Byrne try; A McGuinness con
New Ross: Anastasia Breen; Eabha Cullen, Georgina Hearn, Kathryn Dempsey, Jessica Sutton; Meadhbh O’Dwyer, Ann Marie Moloney; Caoimhe McDonald, Janelle Kirwan, Carol Kavanagh, Niamh Harte, Tara Furness, Emma Flood, Aoife Murphy, Jennifer Dunne.
Replacements – Sheenagh Dillon, Mary Lambert, Niamh Buggy, Molly Crowdle, Erin Flanagan, Sinead Clancy, Cora Cousins.
Wicklow: Alex McGuinness; Suzanne Tyrrell, Ciara Short, Katherine Ward, Saoirse O’Reilly; Nicole Humby, Megan McConnell; Kathy Byrne, Maya McDevitt, Niamh O’Leary, Toni Quinn, Laura Newsome, Sue Brady, Jessica Reynolds, Amy O’Neill.
Replacements – Noelle Ward, Leah Fisher, Shannon Reilly, Ellen Griffin, Laura Griffin, Holly McSorley, Sophie Richardson.
Referee: B Doyle, Leinster Branch.
Bank of Ireland Leinster Women’s Division Five Final
Ashbourne 12 Swords 5
Ashbourne confirmed the Division Five League form by taking the Cup final in a very close encounter.
The Meath club were quickly into their stride, the passes sticking nicely to create a try for Star fo the Match Naoise Smyth in the fifth minute.
Swords were quick to respond on the back of prop Ciara Murphy’s interception and surprising acceleration.
The backs and forwards linked extremely well, marshalled by co-captain Maeve Moran and Lana McDonald.
Co-Captain Lauren Heffernan provided the final assist for centre Lauren Murch to finish in style in the corner.
For the rest of the half, it was a ding-dong battle with both teams threatening more than they could deliver in the face of stingy defences.
The second half was tense, exciting and dramatic with the travelling supporters being treated to a great display of women’s rugby.
It was in the balance until 15 minutes from time when Ashbourne’s dynamic, playmaking number eight Smyth crossed for her second try to provide a seven-point advantage.
For the remainder of the game, Swords were in a dominant mood, knocking on the door without bursting it open.
The organisation of Ashbourne’s defence was impressive, loose-head Rebecca Carr leading the pack.
Out-half Sammy McCoy was vigilant away from the fringes and full-back Hayley Jenkinson covered the backfield with intelligence.
Scorers: Ashbourne – N Smyth 2 tries; CL Jenkinson con. Swords – L Murch try.
Ashbourne: Hayley Jenkinson; Laura Mahon, Kelly Mahon, Ciara Lee Jenkinson, Ella Murtagh; Samantha McCoy, Eimear Keaveney; Rebecca Carr, Rebecca O’Brien, Olivia Fogarty, Rebecca Behan, Niamh Bowe, Molly Coulter, Emily Doyle, Naoise Smyth.
Replacements – Robyn Gibney, Niamh Murray, Laura Creaby, Laura Behan, Catherine Milner.
Swords: Lauren Carpenter, Lauren Redmond, Lauren Murch, Caitriona Murphy, Maria Montanes; Maeve Moran, Lana McDonald; Ellen Clarke, Emma Jane Gannon, Ciara Murphy, Mariano Passianoto-Costa, Lauren Heffernan, Sandra Mallon, Hannah Cleary, Megan Gannon.
Replacements – Kate Seery, Amy Coll, Sarah McBrearty, Aine McClean, Rachel Donnelly, Katie Heffernan.
Referee: L Diskin, Leinster Branch.
