Victory for Greystones
GREYSTONES RFC NAVAN RFC 44 23
GREYSTONES’ women’s team enjoyed a morale boosting 44 -23 win over an experienced Navan side last Sunday at Dr Hickey Park.
Following a difficult season last year the squad have made big strides since the start of this Leinster Womens Division 3 campaign and Head coach Paul Mahon said Sundays win is vindication for the hard work and effort they have put in to training.
In a match that featured a total of eight tries from the home side it was Navan who struck first with an opening penalty but this was soon cancelled out by the first of a hat trick of tries by flying winger Alannah O’Carroll.
This was followed shortly after by a second from Eibhlin Laffan who broke through the Navan defence to score from close range.
Despite the emphatic scoreline at the finish the game remained close with the score at 17 -11 at half-time following O’Carrolls second this time converted by Aoife O’Brien and a Navan response breaking through the Greystones defence to score before half time.
The scores continued in the second half with the sides swapping early tries with Ana Iraizoz touching down just after the restart only to see Navan strike back straightaway and it was only in the final quarter that the home side superior fitness told as they extended the lead with well taken tries by Rachel Byrne, Janet Kerr, Leah O’Doherty and O’Carroll’s hat trick. Alex Naud added a conversion to bring up the final score to 44 points.
Players from both teams wore wristbands with #RESPECT to highlight their dismay at the recent decision by the IRFU to advertise the Irish International women’s head coach role as a six-month part-time casual role which many feel is a backward step for women’s rugby in the country.