Wicklow’s spirited recovery from some heavy early losses in Energia Women’s All-Ireland League continued with a 15-10 win over fellow promoted club Ballincollig.
Jason Moreton’s young side outscored ‘Collig by three tries to two at Ashtown Lane, Aoibhin Stone cancelling out a Denise Redmond score before centres Sarah Gleeson and Meagan Parkinson touched down in the second half.
After Covid-19 robbed them of two recent run-outs, Railway Union were full of running in their 62-3 defeat of Suttonians at Park Avenue.
Their 10-try tally included braces from Stephanie Carroll, Nikki Caughey and Maggie MacKinnon, with Ireland-capped centre Caughey also kicking 12 points. She is currently top of the scoring charts with 56 points.
Former Ireland Under-18 Sevens international Ava Ryder, who made her AIL debut off the Railway bench, said: “I’m delighted. I got a good few carries, was under a few high balls. We had fun in the end, it was very enjoyable.
“It’s brilliant to play against such a good team. Suttonians put it up to us, especially in the first half. It was a slow start but we came together in the end and got a good result.”
Suttonians were 26-0 behind at the break, with a Jessica Kelleher penalty getting them off the mark in the second half. Their sterling all-round effort was all the more admirable considering they only had 18 fit players available due to injuries.
Sutts head coach Stephen Costelloe commented: "26-0 at half-time from small errors capitalised on by very good players. It wasn't until the last 25 minutes when we lost players through injury, used all our subs and had to play players in positions that were alien to them, that Railway scored again.
"I couldn't be prouder of each and every one of them. We fought to the very end and they did themselves, the team and the club proud."
There is only a single point between the top four teams, Old Belvedere leading the way thanks to a 28-21 bonus point success at home to an improved Cooke. Tries from pacy backs Vanessa Hullon and Alannah O’Carroll had ‘Belvo out of reach.
Munster’s Maggie Boylan bagged her eighth try of the season as Blackrock College got the better of a dogged Galwegians side, winning 19-5 at Crowley Park. Running back a kick, she flew down the left touchline, beating three players to score behind the posts.
Energia Women’s All-Ireland League Results:
Galwegian 5 Blackrock Colllege 19, Crowley Park
Scorers: Galwegians: Try: Saskia Morrissey
Blackrock College: Tries: Natasja Behan, Maggie Boylan, Christy Haney; Cons: Lisa Mullen 2
HT: Galwegians 5 Blackrock College 12
Galwegians: Mairead Coyne; Saskia Morrissey, Megan Walsh, Ursula Sammon, Laoise McGonagle; Emma Keane, Mary Healy (capt); Elizabeth McNicholas, Tracy Lawlor, Ellen Connolly, Sabina Egan, Niamh O'Grady, Fiona Scally, Lisa-Marie Murphy, Kate Feehan.
Replacements: Ruby Lynch, Jessica Loftus, Kiara Irwin, Dearbhla Canty, Faith Oviawe, Darwyn O'Halloran, Rhiann Heery.
Blackrock College: Maggie Boylan; Natasja Behan, Michelle Claffey (capt), Jackie Shiels, Caoimhe O'Callaghan; Lisa Mullen, Laura Delaney; Aoife Moore, Emma Hooban, Christy Haney, Mairead Holohan, Eimear Corri, Caoimhe Molloy, Niamh Griffin, Casey O'Brien.
Replacements: Niamh Tester, Anna Potterton, Hannah Hodges, Valerie Power, Kate Cullen, Orla Molloy.
Malone 0 UL Bohemians 28, Gibson Park
* Match cancelled - the IRFU National Competitions Committee has determined five league points and a scoreline of 28-0 will be awarded to UL Bohemians
Old Belvedere 28 Cooke 21, Ollie Campbell Park
Scorers: Old Belvedere: Tries: Alice O’Dowd, Penalty try, Vanessa Hullon, Alannah O’Carroll; Cons: Jemma Farrell 3, Pen try con
Cooke: Tries: Lucy Thompson, Dolores Hughes, Aishling O’Connell; Cons: Amanda Morton 3
HT: Old Belvedere 7 Cooke 0
Old Belvedere: Laura Carty; Kate Balance, Vanessa Hullon, Katelyn Faust, Alannah O'Carroll; Aine Donnelly, Jemma Farrell; Alice O'Dowd, Rachel Murphy, Vic Dabanovich O'Mahony, Jan Carroll, Elaine Anthony, Ivanna Dempsey, Lesley Ring, Clodagh Dunne.
Replacements: Melissa Hayden, Dawn Keegan, Ciara O'Dwyer, Niamh O'Dowd, Jennie Finlay, Ava Jenkins.
Cooke: Dolores Hughes; Claire Johnston, Lucy Thompson, Coral Lapsley, Tamzin Boyce; Amanda Morton, Teah Maguire; Ilse van Staden, Megan Simpson, Aishling O'Connell (capt), Caolinn McCormack, Sorcha Mac Laimhin, Beth Cregan, Naomi McCord, Helen McGhee.
Replacements: Cara McKevitt, Fiona McCaughan, Georgia Boyce, Eimear McQuillan.
Railway Union 62 Suttonians 3, Park Avenue
Scorers: Railway Union: Tries: Stephanie Carroll 2, Nikki Caughey 2, Maggie MacKinnon 2, Niamh Byrne, Aimee Clarke, Deirdre Roberts, Molly Scuffil McCabe; Cons: Nikki Caughey 6
Suttonians: Pen: Jessica Kelleher
HT: Railway Union 26 Suttonians 0
Railway Union: Aoife O'Shaughnessy; Stephanie Carroll, Maggie MacKinnon, Nikki Caughey, Niamh Byrne (capt); Claire Keohane, Molly Scuffil McCabe; Amanda McQuade, Chloe Blackmore, Megan Collis, Keelin Brady, Siobhan McCarthy, Emma Murphy, Molly Boyne, Deirdre Roberts.
Replacements: Aimee Clarke, Claire Byrne, Kate McCarthy, Christine Coffey, Erin Coll, Alex McGuinness, Ava Ryder.
Suttonians: Sophie Gibney; Jools Aungier, Jessica Kelleher, Catherine Martin, Lena Kibler; Nicole Carroll, Lauren Farrell McCabe (capt); Katie Grant Duggan, Aoife Brennan, Julia Bauer, Brenda Barr, Aislinn Layde, Louise Catinot, Carrie O'Keeffe, Aifric O'Brien.
Replacements: Ciara O'Brien, Megan Cullen, Emily McKeown, Molly Fitzgerald.
Wicklow 15 Ballincolig 10, Ashtown Lane
Scorers: Wicklow: Tries: Aoibhin Stone, Sarah Gleeson, Meagan Parkinson
Ballincollig: Tries: Denise Redmond, Katelyn Fleming
HT: Wicklow 5 Ballincollig 5
Wicklow: Orla O'Neill; Aoibhin Stone, Meagan Parkinson, Sarah Gleeson, Tammy Breen; Beth Roberts, Erin McConnell (co-capt); Lauren Barry, Amy O'Neill (co-capt), Kathy Byrne, Ciara Brennan, Caitlin Griffey, Jessica Schmidt, Emma Curran, Niamh Ni Dhroma.
Replacements: Robyn Mullen, Noelle Ward, Laura Newsome, Nicola Schmidt, Emily Ryan, Karen Douglas, Alexandra Dalton.
Ballincolig: Lauren Fahey; Michelle Stafford, Emma Connolly, Mona Fehily, Ellen O'Keeffe; Kelly Griffin, Gemma Lane; Roisin Ormond, Clodagh Walsh, Clare Coombes, Meaghan Kenny, Eimear Perryman, Kira Fitzgerald, Katelyn Fleming, Denise Redmond.
Replacements: Alix Cunneen, Naoise Murray, Laurileigh Baker, Niamh O'Regan, Gillian Coombes, Christine Arthurs, Sarah O'Donovan.
