Rugby

AIL women’s round-up: Wicklow make history with maiden win over Malone

Railway Union reclaim top spot as Old Belvedere, Blackrock, and Galwegians all win

Railway Union’s Lindsay Peat and Steph Nunan of UL Bohemians clash during Railway’s victory. Photograph: Brian Reilly-Troy/Inpho

Dave Mervyn
Sun Oct 24 2021 - 15:52

Railway Union reclaimed top spot in the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League with a supercharged 37-10 win over title rivals UL Bohemians.

After losing twice to UL during the unfinished 2019/20 season, Railway returned fire with a superb six-try performance at their Sandymount base.

Their industrious pack laid the platform, busy flanker Deirdre Roberts touching down twice with Katie O’Dwyer, captain Niamh Byrne, Aoife Doyle and Stephanie Carroll also scoring tries.

Railway second row Siobhan McCarthy commented afterwards: “It was a tough game, very physical as per usual with Bohs. We love playing them. They’re one of the best teams in the country for the last number of years.

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“Obviously the challenge is huge every time they come (here), so we’re delighted to be honest. We’ll meet them again after Christmas. Three (wins) from three is fantastic, it’s where we wanted to be.”

Injury-hit Ballincollig deserved to be closer on the scoreboard, but Old Belvedere were clinical in taking their chances in a comprehensive 75-0 victory at Ollie Campbell Park.

Young winger Clare Gorman grabbed the headlines with a fantastic five-try haul - including three during the final quarter - as 13-try Belvedere bounced back from their recent defeat to UL Bohs.

Captain Michelle Claffey started and finished the try-scoring in Blackrock's runaway 66-0 defeat of Cooke. Ben Martin's side bagged ten tries in Belfast with Leinster Under-18 skipper Aoife Wafer, a real star in the making, scoring a hat-trick.

After a real baptism of fire in recent weeks, Wicklow made history against Malone with their first ever AIL win. Leinster starlet Ella Roberts and Sarah Gleeson scored the tries that steered them to a 12-7 success at Ashtown Lane.

Centre Gleeson capitalised on Beth Roberts’ fine kicking in a wind-backed second half, crossing after some good phase play in the visitors’ 22.

Meanwhile, Galwegians edged out Suttonians 17-12 in a cracking contest in Glenina. Impressive centre Orla Dixon swept through for her third try of the season, but it was Connacht U-18 ace Maria Gorham's 70th-minute effort that split the sides.

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