A tough challenge
Wicklow beaten at home by strong Old Belvedere side
OLD BELVEDERE just had a little bit too much for Wicklow on the day in this women’s AIL clash, the south Dublin club leaving Ashtown Lane on Saturday evening with a 12-25 victory.
‘Belvo’ started the contest all gun’s blazing scoring all their 25 points in the opening 40 minutes. Vanessa Hullon, Emma Tilly, Grace Tutty, Jess Keating all crossing the whitewash for the visitors.
Youngster Ciara Short and the speedster Naoise O’Reilly provided the tries for the hosts, who put in a valiant effort.
Jason Moreton’s charges will be hoping for a strong finish to the season, looking to improve on their performances each week.
This was the start of the second half of the regular AIL campaign. It’s been a challenging few months for the Wicklow women who haven’t quite reached the heights of last season.
They’ve been without the services of some influential players. Ella Roberts, Aoibhin Stone, Sarah Gleeson and Jessica Schmidt all emigrated to Australia, while the talismanic scrum-half Erin McConnell has been on duty in the Celtic Challenge for the Wolfhounds.
Old Belvedere have also been hit by noticeable absentees in the last couple of months, with a bunch of key players missing due to international and representative call-ups. Their selection on Saturday included the legendary Alison Miller, who scored the famous try against New Zealand in the 2014 World Cup, where Ireland finished as runners-up.
The sides were evenly matched in the opening quarter. Only three points separated them after 20 minutes. Backrow Short and ‘Belvo’ winger Hullon traded tries. An Aine Donnelly penalty made the early difference, giving the away team an 5-8 advantage
The experienced Dublin outfit upped the tempo, keeping the pressure on their opponents. They did the damage on the scoreboard. Their backline was on-form, winger Tully emulated the early achievement of right winger Hullon when she scored in the corner. Centre Tilly and scrum-half Jess Keating also touched the ball down to secure the try bonus point before the interval.
Their pacey attackers gave them that ability to break at speed, collecting easy metres and scoring the important tries. ‘Belvo’ had a 20-point cushion at the half-time break, 5-25.
The second half was low-scoring affair. The hosts had more of a foothold in the game. Captain Caoimhe Molloy once again led their efforts. Robyn Johnston and Short, who have been solid performers throughout the season, also put in steady shifts.
Leinster player O’Reilly used her acceleration to score the only try of the second half. Beth Roberts added the extras. Neither side managed to land another meaningful punch.
It finished 12-24. Wicklow make the trip to Stradbrook to face defending AIL champions Blackrock
College on Saturday. It’s going to be another stern test for this young group.