Energia Women’s All-Ireland League final: UL Bohemian 29 Railway Union 24
UL Bohemians and Railway Union served up another richly entertaining reprise of last year’s Energia Women’s AIL final which went down to the wire, with the Limerick club scoring two minutes into overtime with the last play of the game to win the title for a 15th time.
Coming after last year’s defeat in the decider, Railway Union were left crestfallen after topping the regular season table with 18 wins out of 18, including a double over UL Bohemian. Led by the tireless Lindsay Peat, they had more of the game in this final and will rue chances they left behind. But there was no doubting the defiance of the Fiona Hayes-coached side, and it could also be argued they kept their defensive shape and scrambled better.
Initially, a vengeful Railway Union set up camp in the Bohs’ 22, and were finally rewarded when they worked rightwinger Laura Sheehan into a one-on-one with space for her to finish wide out.
Should the 7-1 split be outlawed?
By contrast, when UL Bohs worked her counterpart Laoise McGonagle into some space she was able to round the posts, enabling Kate Flannery to land the conversion. The talismanic Raily Union number ’8’ Lindsay Peat, now 44, then used her footwork to score her 23rd try of the season from close-range before the UL Bohs left-winger Chisom Ugwueru beat three players to score in the corner for a 12-10 lead at half-time.
On the resumption the packs traded lineout maul tries, Chloe Pearse scoring for UL Bohs before a penalty try drew Railway level. Ignited by Leah Tarpey’s brilliant break, Railway Union applied prolonged pressure, featuring big carries by Peat and Meabh Keegan before Katie O’Dywer scored from close range, Caoimhe McCormack’s conversion making it 24-22.
But UL Bohs responded in kind through Grainne Burke’s unconverted try and the Limerick club then retained possession for minutes on end with an attack from deep. This led to a close-range penalty and power play which culminated in Eilis Cahill burrowing over to earn a dramatic victory.
Scoring sequence: 17 mins Sheehan try 5-0; 26 mins McGonagle try, Flannery con 5-7; 31 mins Peat try 10-7; 36 mins Ugwueru try 10-12; (half-time 10-12); 44 mins Pearse try 10-17; 47 mins penalty try 17-17; 63 mins O’Dwyer try, McCormack con 24-17; 69 mins Burke try 24-22; 82 mins Eilis Cahill try, Flannery con 24-29.
RAILWAY UNION: Caoimhe McCormack; Laura Sheehan, Niamh Byrne (capt), Leah Tarpey, Rhiann Heery; Hannah Scanlan, Aailsa Hughes; Kirstie Stevenson, Meabh Keegan, Meg Collis; Poppy Garvey, Aoife McDermott; Mira Brooks, Molly Boyne, Lindsay Peat.
Replacements: Katie O’Dwyer for Collis (37 mins), Patricia Doyle for Stevenson, Siobhán McCarthy for Garvey (both 45 mins), Claire Keohane for Scanlan, Aimee Clarke for Sheehan (both 64 mins), Faith Oviawe for Brooks (75 mins). Not used: Keelin Brady, Mary Healy.
UL BOHEMIAN: Aabby Moyles; Laoise McGonagle, Eabha Nic Donnacha, Steph Nunan, Chisom Ugwueru; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Ciara McLoughlin, Lily Brady, Eilis Cahill; Claire Bennett, Sarah Garrett; Rachel Allen, Aoibhe O’Flynn, Chloe Pearse (capt).
Replacements: Grainne Burke for McLoughlin, Clara Barrett for McGonagle (45 mins), Ciara O’Dwyer for Garrett, Muirne Wall for Salter-Townshend (all 52 mins), Caitríona Finn for Nunan (64 mins), Mady Kushner for Nic Donnacha (76 mins).
Not used: Aoibheann Hahessy, Niamh Bordie.
Sinbinned: Eabha Nic Donnacha (47-57 mins).
Referee: Jonathan Erskine (IRFU)
