The final of the Leinster Women’s League Division 1 was played at the grounds of Edenderry RFC as the last match in a day of Leinster League finals. It saw the top two teams in Leinster Women’s rugby, Old Belvedere J1s and Clondalkin RFC contest for the title.
Even though the rain had stopped just as the two teams took to the pitch, the ground was already extremely sodden from over 24 hours of rain and with the addition of as strong gale blowing from the west, it was always going to be difficult to have a free flowing game of rugby.
Both teams started with great determination but with Old Belvedere applying extreme pressure in the first quarter, they managed to go over for the first score of the match on the left wing. The conversion was missed.
The first half continued in this mode with Clondalkin never really managing to take advantage of the strong wind on their backs and despite huge effort they were never really able to threaten the Old Belvedere try line.
The second half continued as the first with Clondalkin giving as good as they got, constantly trying to open the Old Belvedere defence, looking for that one chance that would allow them get a foothold in the match. And when they were called upon, their defence was heroic, tackle after tackle came in to ensure that the game stayed alive. However, with what was to be the last play of the match, Old Belvedere managed to move the ball wide and it was taken up by their second centre who forced her way over the Clondalkin line for a try. As the conversion was taken and missed, the referee blew his whistle to end the game.
It was a tremendous gutsy effort by the Clondalkin Women’s Rugby team. The breaks never came their way but they never gave up, never stopped battling for each other, for the team and for the club. Club President, Tom Duffy, said after the match that he was extremely proud to be president of a club that had a team who displayed such fine and courageous characteristics. It has been an exciting an challenging road travelled by Clondalkin Women’s Rugby who this time last year had contested the final of Division 3 and now saw themselves losing narrowly in the final of Division 1. They have done themselves and their club proud!
Clondalkin Women’s Rugby Team: Amanda Boland, Shóna Byrne (captain), Kerryn Buck, Caroline Conway, Naomi Fynes, Aideen Grogan, Sandie Healy, Debbie Hendrick, Mairéad Holohan, Brid Holohan, Melissa Kavanagh, Ciara Lennon, Amanda Madden, Kerrie O’Halloran, Ailbhe O’Nolan, Sara Phelan, Michelle Rowan, Nicola Smyth, Gael Stowe, Laura Wall and Anne Marie Whelan.
