Six Wicklow stars named Garden players shine
IT was a fantastic weekend for the Leinster U-18 girls as they kicked off their Interprovincial Championship with a 31-14 victory over Munster with Co. Wicklow playing their part in the fixture.
Six girls – five of them uncapped – were named in the squad for the triumph over Munster at Irish Independent Park on Saturday afternoon.
Flying the flag with pride for Co. Wicklow were Alex McGuinness, Rachel Winters, Ella Roberts (All Wicklow RFC), Emily Slater (Arklow RFC) and Ali Miley & Rachel Murtagh (both Naas RFC but from Dunlavin). Of the six, Miley was the only one to don the blue of Leinster before.
Roberts, Miley and Murtagh were all named in the starting 15, with McGuinness, Winters and Slater all kept in reserve to take advantage of tiring legs as the clock ticked down.
Leinster enjoyed a slender five-point lead at the break (12-7) but turned on the style in the second period as they ran out 31-14 winners.
There is little rest for the wicked though as Leinster return to action again on Sunday with a trip to Portadown to take on Ulster. Kick-off is 11.15am. CONNACHT proved no match for Leinster U-19’s and their band of Co. Wicklow men as the eastern province triumphed 7-31 in Galway on Saturday.
Six men from the Garden County made the squad for the Interprovincial Championship as Leinster raided Connacht and returned home with five tries and five points for their efforts.
Max O’Reilly of St. Gerard’s started as full-back with Wicklow RFC’s Mark Nicholson handed the number two shirt.
Harry Noonan (Greystones RFC), Rory Wilson (St. Gerard’s), Paddy McKenzie (Wicklow RFC) and Michael O’Gara (Presentation College Bray) all began the match on the substitutes bench.
Leinster always looked in control of affairs at the Connacht venue and they were good value for their victory.
The Wicklow men will be hoping to feature for their provincial side yet again on Saturday afternoon as Leinster tackle the men of Munster – who bested Ulster at the weekend – as the sides meet in Energia Park at 3pm.