WICKLOW 22 GALWEGIANS 17
From the bottom of the table to their first national title, Wicklow completed a year of huge progress by winning the Energia All-Ireland League women’s conference final at home to Galwegians. Young speedster Naoise O’Reilly brilliantly beat three defenders out wide to restore Wicklow’s lead on the hour mark, and they stood firm to take a 22-17 verdict and cement themselves as the fifth best team in the country.
The gap between the top four and the chasing pack appears to be closing, if you go by Wicklow’s results this season. Ireland assistant coach Niamh Briggs praised their rise, saying: “They lost games by big margins in their first season, but stuck with it, backed by a fantastic club spirit. Their growth from underage up is incredible.”
Wicklow managed to overcome Galwegians for a second time this year without two of the club’s finest talents. Lucy Mulhall and teenager Vicky Elmes Kinlan were both away with the Ireland Sevens squad in Cape Town.
A pacy Meagan Parkinson brace, including an excellent 80-metre intercept effort, was followed up by a Sarah Gleeson try in the 16th minute, but a spate of penalties saw Wicklow’s Rachel Griffey, O’Reilly and Caoimhe Molloy all sin-binned before half-time.
That opened the door for Galegians, who crossed through forwards Elizabeth McNicholas and Grace Brown Moran. Last season’s conference runners-up cut the gap to 17-14 and then captain Nicole Fowley landed a levelling 45th-minute penalty.
However, the Blue Belles, who have made some very good strides under new head coach Eoghan Maher, were second best at scrum time, and winger O’Reilly showed her finishing skills to make it a red letter day for Wicklow.
WICKLOW: Ella Roberts; Naoise O’Reilly, Aoibhin Stone, Sarah Gleeson, Meagan Parkinson; Beth Roberts, Erin McConnell (capt); Linda Dempsey, Eimear Douglas, Lauren Barry; Rachel Griffey, Jessica Schmidt; Caoimhe Molloy, Nicola Schmidt, Niamh Ni Dhroma.
Replacements: Noelle Ward, Becky Condren, Loretta Gilbert, Orla Molloy, Leah Murphy, Roisin Stone, Suzanne Tyrrell, Jocelyn Jones.
GALWEGIANS: Mairéad Coyne; Sarah O’Connell, Orla Dixon, Ursula Sammon, Laoise McGonagle; Nicole Fowley (capt), Mary Healy; Jessica Loftus, Emily Gavin, Ellen Connolly; Fiona Scally, Dearbhla Canty; Elizabeth McNicholas, Nolwenn Dubois, Lisa-Marie Murphy.
Replacements: Ruby Lynch, Hannah Coen, Faith Oviawe, Kayla Waldron, Grace Browne Moran, Olivia Haverty, Tanya Farrell, Sinead O’Brien.
