Lucy helps Ireland to magnificent seventh
CROSSBRIDGE’S Lucy Mulhall guided the Ireland’s women’s Sevens team to a seventh place finish in the penultimate round of the Women’s Sevens Series in Canada on Sunday night.
The seventh-placed finish is Ireland’s best ever performance in a single event, and all but guarantees Ireland’s spot as a Core Team in next season’s World Sevens Series.
After a second-placed finish in Pool C on Saturday, Ireland entered the knockout phase of the Langford Sevens in Canada with a hope of reaching the latter stages of the Cup competition.
Anthony Eddy’s side lost 19-5 to France in the quarter-finals with Stacey Flood scoring Ireland’s only try.
The teams were tied 5-5 at halftime, before France pulled away in the second half.
In the fifth-place play-offs, Ireland lost 19-0 to Russia, before a match against England to finish in seventh place. Ireland had previously played in two seventh-place play-offs this season in Sydney and Las Vegas, but lost both.
Against England, Ireland trailed 5-0 at half-time, before two converted tries in the second half guaranteed victory.
Louise Galvin and captain Lucy Mulhall both scored, with the Wicklow woman converting both tries, to give the side a 14-5 lead, before England scored a late consolation try.
Ireland’s win means the team look all but certain to finish in ninth place in the World Series with one Round to go.
Next month, Clermont-Ferrand hosts the final round of the 2016-17 World Series with Ireland hoping to end the historic season on a high.