GREYSTONES GO TOP
Five tries from O’Carroll helps ’Stones defeat Arklow
GREYSTONES ARKLOW 34 26
IN a game full of twists and turns, five tries from Alannah O’Carroll helped Greystones get the victory against their county rivals Arklow in Dr Hickey park
This game had plenty at stake with both teams wanting to maintain their unbeaten record while getting some bragging rights on their opposition. In wet and windy conditions, it was always going to be a battle between the two garden county clubs for the right to be top of the Leinster League Division 3 table.
Greystones got the ideal start scoring within the first two minutes as full back Alannah O’Carroll ran down the wing for her first try of the afternoon. Stones managed to keep most of the possession in the opening exchanges giving Arklow very little opportunity.
The Arklow ladies grew into the game as they were managing to slow down the opposition ball at ruck time. The visitors brought a strong pack that had a slight power advantage over the home team especially in the back row, some good carries by prop Louise Murphy and centre Claire Nicholson setting up good attacking platform which finished in Louise Murphy claiming Arklow’s first try of the match, kicking the conversion they led 5-7.
The red and black continued to mount the pressure getting a real grip over the fixture. Their fullback Emer Dillon looked like she was in for a try as she went running down the wing but she was smashed into touch by a thunderous hit made by centre Emma Costello. That only delayed the outcome as Arklow
Greystones’ Ashleigh Carton is brought down by Eimear Dillon of Arklow during their Leinster Division 3 clash at Dr Hickey Park last weekend.
got a maul going off the lineout before it was taken out and Murphy fell over the line to get her second try of the afternoon. Arklow looked in the driving seat leading 12-5.
Some could argue Arklow were the better team in the first half however some poor defending and pure speed from O’Carroll left their defence for dead as she scored two tries before half-time securing her hat trick. The visitors were so focused on ruck time that they didn’t spread out properly in defence and with O’Carroll on top form Stones were destroying their opponents once the ball got to the wider channels and into the hands of O’Carroll who was like a fast sports car that was at the try
line in a flash. Stones led 17-12 at the break.
The first half was like a game of tennis with each serving up brilliant responses to their opponents with the lead interchanging numerous times and the second half started no different. With Arklow trailing they got a scrum in the Stones half and this set the platform for centre Claire Nicholson to steam roll her way through the Stones scoring underneath the posts. Arklow regained the lead 17-19.
The back and forth nature of this contest continued once more as the women in green and white pushed themselves back into the lead with two tries scored by Emma Costello and another try
by O’Carroll. Stones led 27-19. It was turning out to be a very entertaining affair with both teams really going at one another. With Costello and O’Carroll standing out for the home side and the visitors backrow putting in an immense amount of work.
The tempo dropped in the game considerably as the second half went on with it getting scrappy and Arklow showing ill-discipline giving away countless penalties as the clock was becoming their enemy, but as they looked dead on their feet they had a late rally and they managed to get a try scored by second row Samantha Dunne. With the final whistle on the horizon it was a one-point game and still all to play for.
The game ended quite like it started with Alannah O’Carroll sprinting down the line securing the victory to the delight of the home crowd.
It was her fifth try in a five-star individual performance.
The game finished 34-26 and both these teams will be no doubt pushing at the top of the table come the end of the season, which is encouraging signs for County Wicklow women’s rugby.
GREYSTONES: Alannah O’Carroll, Alex Dalton, Lindsay Evans, Emma Costello, Noelia Delgado Cordero, Janet Kerr, Niamh Doyle, Hannah Kirwan, Lauren Burke, Eiblin Laffan Downes, Emer Meagher, Ana Iraizoz, Ashleigh Carton, Leah O’Doherty, Sophie Carr, Christina Megannety, Lisa Dallaghan, Jessica Blake, Marta Gonzalez Garcia.
Emer Dillon, Aida Maria Garcia Trujillo, Dilara Sayan, Claire Nicholson, Danielle Kaye, Laura Rice, Megan Meyler, Hannah-Mai Jones, Louise Murphy, Elsa Tully, Samantha Dunne, Lorraine Dunne, KellyAnn Conroy, Stephanie Nicholson, Emily Slater, Tara Gavigan, Rachael Bolton, Sue Hunt, Geraldine Galvin, Emma Flood, Lena Kibler, Kiri McLoughlin
ARKLOW: