Clondalkin Women’s Rugby headed into the final regular match of their Leinster League Division 1 campaign lying in fourth place, one place outside the playoff position which was held by their opponents for the day, Tullow. The match was played at home in Gordon Park, Kingswood on a very misty afternoon, with the sun trying hard to make its presence felt.
Clondalkin won the toss and chose to play away from the club house. The game kicked off at a frantic pace with both sides trying to better the other with power through their packs or by spreading the ball wide to the backs. But try as they might, the game remained a tense scoreless affair until the twenty seventh minute when the Tullow first centre intercepted a Clondalkin pass just outside the Clondalkin 22 and raced over for the opening score. The conversion was successful.
Clondalkin applied a tremendous amount of pressure from the kick off and six minutes later were rewarded for these efforts when wing forward Fiona Tighe forced her way over the try line for Clondalkin’s opening score which was converted by outhalf Gael Stowe. Both sides tried to gain the upper hand but it was Clondalkin that headed into the break in the lead with a good opportunistic try from centre Sara Phelan who raced under the post for Gael Stowe to convert. 14 to 7 to Clondalkin was the half time score.
When the sun eventually did come out to cover the pitch in sunshine at the start of the second half, the game did not lose any of its intensity and both sides once again set to their tasks with admirable determination – the ball moving from one end of the pitch to the other but it was to be Clondalkin that scored next with a tremendous drive by Fiona Tighe that the Tullow pack could not stop as Fiona twisted and turned to ground the ball backwards over her head. Gael Stowe once again converted.
Clondalkin continued to apply pressure searching for the fourth try and the valuable bonus point that may prove key in the determination of who is to progress to the playoffs. This try came once again from Fiona Tighe who took the ball on the right side of the pitch some 15 meters out to race over the try line just inside the corner flag. Despite a huge effort on the part of Tullow, that was to be the final score with Clondalkin running out the worthy winners on a 26 to 7 score line.
The four points for winning plus the bonus point for the four trys saw Clondalkin move into third place ahead of Tullow. Tullow have one match remaining – at home against Mullingar on February 22nd and just one point from that match will see Tullow take the final play-off spot. But for the moment, Clondalkin are where they want and deserve to be.
Clondalkin Womens Rugby Team: Caroline Conway, Niamh Farrelly, Helen Gillen, Mairéad Holohan (captain), Brid Holohan, Melissa Kavanagh, Debbie Kinsella, Ciara Lennon, Emma Lewis, Amanda Madden, Kerrie O’Halloran, Sara Phelan, Nicola Smyth, Gael Stowe, Siobhan Tierney, Fiona Tighe, Laura Wall, Claire Winters and Anne Marie Whelan.
