Win number 14 for unbeaten U-16 girls
JUST AFTER the final whistle blew of this Under-16 girls’ Leinster League Premier 1 rugby match in Wicklow on Saturday, all three of the away side’s back row were receiving treatment for cramp.
This was not surprising given the work they had to put in to deny a resurgent Wicklow who have improved considerably since Enniscorthy enjoyed a 40-point victory here only a few weeks earlier.
The back row of Miriam Knoblauch (hard to believe she started rugby only five months ago), Aoife Wafer - who took the game to Wicklow from first minute to last - and two-try scorer Miria O’Dowd, were the difference between the teams. In defence they tackled like demons and in attack they caused their opponents all sorts of problems.
Enniscorthy roared into a 14-point lead after only ten minutes. The first try was scored by livewire hooker Lucy Egan who did really well to take a pass 15 metres out following number 8 Miria O’Dowd’s break off a scrum inside her own half.
A few minutes later, O’Dowd did really well to touch down in the corner after good handling by her team-mates. Mia Kelly expertly kicked both conversions.
From then until half-time, Wicklow dominated as the Ross Roaders lost their composure in defence and conceded two tries.
They weren’t helped by the loss to injury of O’Dowd, captain Katie Whelan and winger Kaci O’Connor. Their replacements - Elaine Oladiran, Chloe McGrath and Ellen Rogan - all put in excellent displays.
Kelly kicked a penalty from 30 metres to leave the away team rather luckily leading 17-10 at half -time.
The second-half began with Ciara Boland doing well to touch down under immense pressure in the corner after good work by the forwards (22-10).
The game was pretty evenly matched at this stage as Wicklow failed to maintain the momentum that allowed them to dominate up to half-time.
With 15 minutes left, Whelan and O’Dowd were fit enough to resume and, in the blink of an eye, the superb Whelan had helped herself to a hat-trick of touchdowns, two of which were breaks from inside her own half, to put the game beyond doubt.
At the death, O’Dowd got her second five-pointer, with Kelly adding the extras. Wicklow did manage two tries and a conversion as the game became loose in the final few minutes.
Head coach Eamon Whelan will be happy to see his team remain unbeaten this season, recording their 14th win on the trot, but he will be concerned by the manner in which Wicklow dominated for long periods and were allowed too much room by a defence that was simply far too passive for much of the game.
On the plus side, all eight replacements got game time and they contributed well to a performance that keeps their team on top of the Leinster League.
Squad: Katie Whelan (capt.), Ciara Boland, Lauren Delaney, Miria O’Dowd, Mia Kelly, Taragh Cooper, Lucy Egan, Elaine Oladiran, Jessica Wickham, Aoife Wafer, Kaci O’Connor, Ellen Rogan, Bríd Kavanagh, Chloe McGrath, Laura Doyle, Miriam Knoblauch, Aoife Codd, Erin Cahill, Mikayla O’Leary, Lara Freeman, Ameila Morycka, Hanna Byrne, Rioghna Hourihane.