First defeat of the season for the women of Rathdrum
County Wicklow side don armbands in ‘Legacy’ protest
LAST weekend the huge focus fell back on the IRFU for their posting of a six-month part-time contract for a women’s international coach.
Players across the country donned white armbands with the word ‘LEGACY’ to highlight the legacy of recent the world cup and protest to the IRFU.
There were mixed emotions for the Rathdrum senior women as the Division 1 side suffered their first defeat whilst the Division 4 side made it a convincing two from two with a convincing win over neighbours Wicklow.
To the Division 1 clash first and a valiant Rathdrum effort wasn’t enough as they came up short to Dublin outfit Old Belvedere.
Rathdrum got off to the perfect start when their right winger Patricia Byrne brilliantly finished off a back line move in the right corner after four minutes. But for the rest of the half and much of the game Belvedere dominated possession and territory and kept the Drumettes pinned inside their own half.
To Rathdrum’s credit they defended brilliantly overall but the concession of a try just before half time was a major blow and they succumbed to two more in the second half as Belvo claimed the match points, denying Rathdrum even the consolation of a losing bonus point.
It was Rathdrum however who started on the front foot. Playing towards the club house end they got an early foothold inside the Belvedere 22 as scrum half Lisa Cahill exploited numbers down the blind side of a right sided scrum on the half way.
Cahill released full-back Caitlin Olahan who darted through a gap and seemed destined to speed her way through for a try. Unfortunately for Drum the away sides blindside flanker Lorna Barton made a last ditch cover tackle at full stretch to stop her short.
Drum wouldn’t half to wait long for their early pressure to be rewarded. They worked the ball wide to the left and although Neassa Clisman was hauled up inches short of the white wash they executed a blindside move from a scrum under the posts. Patricia Byrne showed great strength to power past her opposite winger and dot down on the right side to give the Drummete’s the early lead. Mo Dowling was just short with the difficult conversion effort.
From thereon in the first half the away side owned the ball. Their scum a big weapon and they turned one against the head inside the Drum half. What followed was a 10 minute period of sustained pressure inside the Rathdrum22. Winger Gemma Matthews picked an incisive line which almost cut open a hole in the Rathdrum defence but out half Mo Dowling made a crucial tackle with the try line in sight.
Rathdrum’s defence held firm and worked well as a unit. They didn’t attempt to overturn the rucks, instead opting to fan out and back their defensive structure and individual tacklers.
Kellie Fennell and Hannah Geoghegan made bone shuddering hits to dislodge the ball but in some instances they were their own worst enemies as they failed to sufficiently clear their lines.
On one occasion a solid scrum on their own 22 almost paved the way for a break out but they got too flat in attack and a 2 player overlap was squandered. On another they missed a penalty to touch allowing Belvo keep the pressure on.
Rathdrum remained disciplined and resolute in defence but the pressure finally told in the 37th minute as a swift exchange of long passes from the left touchline, along the 22, saw the visitors outside centre Laura Mahon dart in for a try.
The kick was missed to leave the scores level at the break but if Rathdrum were to prevail they would need to play more in their opponents half, as the territory stats must have been close to 90% in the away side’s favour.
Alas, it wasn’t to be for the home side.
They restarted on the front foot as a slick backline move put Caitlin Olahan into space and she made serious headway before being brought down inside the 22. Drum kept the pressure on but after a decent scrum saw a promising move worked wide, the ball was knocked on to relieve the pressure on Belvedere.
It was the story of the game really for the Drummete’s as knockons at pivotal moments cost them dearly.
Belvedere worked their way up field with their strong line-out platform proving crucial and after a period of sustained pressure scrum half Anna Bolger showed good strength to get over the line in the right corner. No extras were added but the Dublin side now held a lead which wouldn’t be relinquished.
The match was sealed by a piece of individual brilliance from winger Aisling McCaffrey. Centre Grace Miller released McCaffrey with a deft offload but the speedster still had a huge amount of work to do from all of 60 yards. She showed a combination of strength and searing pace to skoot in under the sticks and seal the win for belvedere.
The conversion was missed to leave the score 5-15 in favour of the away side.
That was how it finished as despite a gusty final effort Rathdrum couldn’t convert a promising attack into points as the final whistle blew.
A disappointing day for Rathdrum but not without positives. Their defence was outstanding and looked really solid as a unit with the likes Nicola Fennell, Noelle Ward and Ellen Fox really standing out.
Their attack also looked threatening with limited supply of ball and but for some untimely knockons there could well have been another try or two.
Mo Dowling, Laura Kavanagh and Patricia Byrne were the pick of the backs.
Rathdrum: Hannah Fennell, Aoife Byrne, Aine Geoghegan, Aoife McGrath, Nicola Fennell, Ellen Fox, Kellie Fennell, Noelle Ward, Lisa Cahill, Mo Dowling, Laura Kavanagh, Sammy McCoy, Neasa Clisman, Patricia Byrne, Caitlín Olahan. Subs: Lindsay Madge, Stephanie Ward-Windsor, Emily Ryan, Nicola Souster.
Old Belvedere: Peri Reed, Grace McDonald, Niamh Tyrell, Heather Harie, Fraujke Bosman, Jarr Carroll, Lorna Barion, Amy Howie, Anna Bolger, Fiona Smiddy, Gemma Matthews, Grace Miller, Laura Mahon, Aisling McCaffrey, Milly Croman. Subs: Ailish Stack, Lena Bishop, Alex Pop, Alice Hopkins, Fionnuala Gleeson.