Strong defence key to girls’ win
IF EVER a game emphasised the importance of a strong defence, this girls’ Under-16 Leinster League Premier 1 clash was it.
Despite leading 31-0 midway through the second-half, Enniscorthy relied on their excellent defence to keep a very good Tullamore scoreless.
Tullamore dominated possession for much of this game but superb tackling led by outstanding half-backs Aoife Wafer and Katie Whelan kept the midlanders at bay.
The Ross Roaders didn’t help themselves by turning over possession time and time again with a combination of kicking possession away, unforced knock-ons, and playing directly into a strong Tullamore pack. However, the defence held strong and when they did get the opportunity to attack, they were clinical.
Katie Whelan was the first to touch down after a great break from halfway. Next up was Elaine Oladiran who showed admirable strength to get over from a tap penalty.
Captain Whelan picked up a loose ball to sprint over again from 40 metres out, and excellent number 8 Miria O’Dowd left the half-time score at 26-0 with a powerful break from a scrum 15 metres out.
Midway through the second-half, O’Dowd repeated the dose with a carbon copy of her first touchdown.
At 31-0, the home side emptied the bench, giving all six replacements a well-deserved run. Tullamore showed what they could do in the last ten minutes with the two best scores of the game to leave the final score 31-10.
Once again, Lauren Delaney was rock solid at full-back, and wingers Kaci O’Conner and Ellen Rogan, while not getting much go forward ball, never missed a tackle all day.
Centres Mia Kelly, who kicked three conversions, and Ciara Boland are developing into a great partnership both in defence and attack.
Prop Bríd Kavanagh and blindside Taragh Cooper continue to do the simple things to perfection. Second rows Lara Freeman and Ciara O’Leary battled throughout, with O’Leary carrying and tackling like James Ryan on a good day.
Open side, German student Miriam Kno- blauch, despite only taking up rugby in August, showed what a good number 7 she is. Rioghna Hourihane came off the bench for her first-ever game.
While Whelan was player of the match with a great all-round display, she was pushed all the way by hooker Lucy Egan who gave a superb performance from start to finish and was stopped just short of the line on at least three occasions.
If ever a player deserved to score, it was Egan after an all-action display.
Enniscorthy remain the only unbeaten team at Under-16 level in Leinster with eleven wins on the trot, but they will be under no illusions that they are now the team everyone wants to beat. Next up is a tough away fixture to Greystones who have only suffered one defeat all season.
Enniscorthy: Katie Whelan (capt.), Codie Dunne, Ciara Boland, Lauren Delaney, Miria O’Dowd, Ciara O’Leary, Mia Kelly, Taragh Cooper, Lucy Egan, Jessica Wickham, Elaine Oladiran, Jessica Wickham, Aoife Weafer, Kaci O’Connor, Ellen Rogan, Lara Freeman, Bríd Kavanagh, Chloe McGrath, Laura Doyle, Miriam Knoblauch, Rioghna Hourihane.