Women run out of steam against Railway
RAILWAY UNION WICKLOW WOMEN 31 20
WICKLOW RFC senior women were away in Park Avenue to take on league leaders Railway Union in Sunday’s Leinster League top of the table clash where first played second.
After the biblical downpour of the previous day the pitch was fairly cut up and sticky, but the conditions were dry with a slight breeze and the rugby served up was top notch.
Wicklow in the first half were playing with a light breeze and down a slight slope. The visitors were certainly the quicker to start and after a succession of penalties on the Railway Union line and dominating processions and territory for the first fifteen minutes elected to take the three points on offer.
Out-half Sarah Gleeson knocked over the kick from in front of the posts to give Wicklow a 3-0 lead and to show something for all their early pressure.
Railway Union struck back immediately and one or two missed tackles and some soft penalties gave them territory. Once they were in the Wicklow 22 they were very efficient and clinical and soon crashed over to take the lead 5-3.
Wicklow came back at them, playing some a great mix of strong forward drives mixed with slick hands from backs. Their scrum was extremely dominant and consistently drove the Railway Union pack off their own ball.
It was however off one of these scrums, while down to 14 with their hooker having received a yellow card, that Wicklow were to score. Scrum-half Megan Parkinson linked nicely with out-half Sarah Gleeson to touch down for an unconverted try to make it 5-8 to Wicklow at half-time.
The Wicklow women started strongly again in the second half and after some big carries from Eimear Douglas and Amy O’Neill and a break from Gleeson the backs moved the ball slickly across the line for Rebecca New to score in the corner. This brought the score up to 5-13 for the visitors.
Railway though are not top of the league for nothing and some sloppy defending from the visitors left them back into the game quickly for an unconverted try, 10-13.
Wicklow though seemed to galvanise themselves and off a super ruck steal (one of many) by second row Caitlin Griffey they scored the try of the match.
Beautiful passing and interlinking between the mercurial Ella Roberts and the equally swift Erin McConnell who touched down under the sticks. The try was converted by Gleeson to leave the score at 20-10 with 25 minutes left.
At this stage it was looking good for Wicklow with the pack dominating, some great tackling by wing forwards Rachel Winters and Jess Schmidt and barn storming runs by replacement Becky Condron. Add to this the scrum dominance of Niamh O’Leary and Lauren Barry and some great work around the fringes by replacement second row Andrea Petru.
However, the Dublin side were not done yet and were growing stronger as the Wicklow girls appeared to wilt. A yellow card for the Wicklow replacement prop for a reckless challenge didn’t help the visitors, who while still dominant in the pack started to wilt.
As they tired the penalty count against them increased and Railway, who had been on the back foot for most of the game, started to camp in the Wicklow half. With ten minutes to go they broke through to score a converted try to bring the them within three points of their visitors at 17-20.
From the kick-off the Wicklow girls were again under pressure and again the Wicklow women’s discipline was found wanting. A succession of penalties led to score by the posts to leave Wicklow behind 24-20 with five minutes to go. Worse was to come for the Garden County girls as they were unable to hold out for a bonus losing point and conceded another converted try at the death to lose 31-20.
The Wicklow Women can be very proud of the rugby they played for the first sixty minutes and with a little more fitness and composure they can look to turn the table on the Dublin side in the Metro final in Wicklow on the 31st of January in Ashtown Lane.