Kelly leaves it late
Girls stay unbeaten in thrilling finish
WITH TWO minutes left in this thrilling Under-16 girls’ Leinster Premier 1 league match, Enniscorthy’s 16-game winning streak looked to be over.
Tullamore were five points up and looked like winners in an epic encounter that was a great advertisement for girls’ rugby.
However, the Ross Road girls showed great composure to snatch victory at the death with a try that deserved to win any match.
Time and again the away team’s forwards drove at the line which Tullamore defended superbly. With their defence getting narrow, scrum-half Katie Whelan demanded the ball, and great passes from hard-tackling out-half Aoife Codd, and the always hard-working centre Ciara Boland, put Mia Kelly into space 25 metres out.
She showed great pace to touch down under the posts to level the game.
Mia then stepped up to kick her second conversion to give her team a two-point win.
Whelan touched down early to put her team 7-0 up, but the home team responded superbly and they led 12-7 midway through the half.
A good carry by winger Jessica Blythe set up position in the ‘22, and good carries from Elaine Oladerin, one of many she made, and great battling by outstanding open side Aoife Wafer opened the door for Jessica Wickham to power over in the corner.
Wickham, playing her first-ever full game, had an afternoon to remember, tackling, rucking and carrying like a veteran.
Whelan got her second five-pointer late in the half with another great break from 50 metres.
Her pace and strength is a huge asset and she continued her average of at least two tries per game.
Her charges led by 17-12 at half-time.
Tullamore came charging out in the second-half and scored two more tries to lead 24-17 as the game clock ticked down.
Enniscorthy’s repeated attacks, with Kaci O’Connor, Ciara O’Leary and Erin Cahill probing all the time, were halted by great defence from the home team.
Tullamore relied on an effective kick/chase gameplan while Enniscorthy were content to keep the ball in hand.
It made for a fantastic game that was thrill-a-minute and great entertainment for the large and very vocal group of travelling supporters from Enniscorthy.
And they certainly got their money’s worth, with the result going right to the wire. Match-winner Mia Kelly had her best game yet, involved in everything good her team did.
She was well supported by all her team-mates who dug deep and never gave up, playing to the final whistle and getting the result that their never-say-die attitude deserved.
Well done to both teams for producing a classic that was played in the right spirit throughout.
Enniscorthy: Amelia Morycka, Bríd Kavanagh, Mikayla O’Leary (Laura Doyle, 50), Jessica Wickham, Ciara O’Leary, Taragh Cooper, Aoife Wafer, Elaine Oladerin, Katie Whelan (capt.), Aoife Codd, Kaci O’Connor, Ciara Boland (Chloe McGrath, 20-40), Mia Kelly, Jessica Blythe (Chelsea Ajayi 50), Erin Cahill.