Girls remain unbeaten
THE ENNISCORTHY Under-16 girls’ rugby team made it nine straight wins in the Leinster Premier 1 League after a pulsating victory against arch-rivals Wicklow in perfect conditions on Sunday in front of a large and appreciative crowd of home and away supporters.
The first 15 minutes were nip and tuck, with both teams probing for a weakness in defences that never yielded. Then a series of defensive errors opened the door for the away team to take a deserved lead with a well-taken try.
Two penalties for high tackles, one for hands in the ruck, a loose kick and a number of missed tackles all allowed Wicklow to benefit with a five-pointer.
Five minutes later, good work from Bríd Kavanagh, Mikayla O’Leary and Taragh Cooper helped win a penalty 30 metres from the Wicklow line.
Aoife Wafer took a quick tap, made 15 metres, and quick ruck ball allowed captain and scrumhalf Katie Whelan to throw a brilliant 20-metre cut-out pass to centre Ciara Boland who did really well to pull in a couple of defenders and time her pass to her centre partner, Mia Kelly, who ran powerfully from 20 metres out to touch down 15 metres to the right of the posts for a great score. Mia converted her own try to give her team a 7-5 lead.
Enniscorthy pushed hard for another score before half-time, with Kaci O’Connor threatening and, just when it seemed to be coming, the Wicklow centre intercepted metres from her own line and broke free.
A try looked certain but out of nowhere prop Jessica Wickham made a magnificent 60-metre cover tackle that guaranteed her team a lead going into half-time.
Five minutes into the second-half, Enniscorthy put into a scrum 30 metres out and to the right of the posts. Scrum-half Whelan and centre Boland combined beautifully with a training ground wraparound move that put Whelan in for her team’s second try and a 12-5 lead.
Ten minutes later a powerful run by replacement Elaine Oladirin opened the door for Mia Kelly to charge within inches of the line. Taragh Cooper was held up just short, but good work from the forwards opened the door for second row Ciara O’Leary to drive over from close range, making it 17-5 to the home team.
A blocked down clearance kick allowed Wicklow score their second try despite heroic defensive work from Lucy Egan, Aoife Codd, Elaine Oladirin and wing forward Miriam Knoblauch.
Shortly afterwards the away team kicked a penalty to get within four points at 17-13. That was as good as it got for the Garden county girls as Whelan’s charges upped the pace and dominated the remainder of the game.
Try four came after good work from Wafer, Kelly, Boland, Oladirin and Whelan opened the door for Ciara O’Leary to get in for her second five-pointer. Kelly added the difficult conversion.
Rock-steady full-back Lauren Delaney almost scored the try of the day after her 50-metre scything run out of defence was stopped with a last-ditch tackle just when it seemed she was going to run the length of the pitch.
Whelan went in for her second try after an intelligent break from the back of the scrum 15 metres out. Kelly added the extras to leave the final score 31-13.
Replacements Katie Bates, Jessica Blythe, Amelia Morycka, Lara Freeman, Hanna Byrne and Chelsea Ajayi all contributed from the bench.
This outstanding group of girls have won all their 20 games this season, but so far no titles have been won.
Over the coming weeks they will contest a Leinster semi-final and South-East League final.
Team: Bríd Kavanagh, Jessica Wickham, Mikayla O’Leary, Taragh Cooper, Ciara O’Leary, Miriam Knoblauch, Aoife Wafer, Lucy Egan, Katie Whelan (capt.), Aoife Codd, Kaci O’Connor, Ciara Boland, Mia Kelly, Erin Cahill, Lauren Delaney. Replacements: Katie Bates, Chloe McGrath, Jessica Blythe, Hannah Byrne, Elaine Oladiran, Amelia Morycka, Lara Freeman, Chelsea Ajayi, Rioghna Hourihane, Laura Doyle.