The third match for Clondalkin Womens Rugby of their Leinster League Division 1 campaign was played at home in Gordon Park, Kingswood against NUIM Barnhall who had a short trip across from Leixlip to fulfill the fixture.
Barnhall exerted the early pressure and most of the first 5 minutes were spent around the Clondalkin 22. In trying to capitalise on this pressure, Barnhall attempted a cross-field kick to the right for their winger but it did not go to hand and was gathered by the Clondalkin outside centre Sara Phelan who pulled away from all potential tacklers and scored under the posts. The conversion by out half Gael Stowe was successful.
Clondalkin maintained the pressure and after a well won scrum on the Barnhall 22, the Clondalkin scrum half and captain, ShónaByrne, spotted an opening in the opposing defence and raced through to score a deserved try despite the best efforts of three defenders. Wing forward Ailbhe O’Nolan was successful with the conversion. Barnhall were then successful with a penalty kick to put their opening points on the board but this was followed by a similar score from Clondalkin with a penalty kick from Ailbhe O’Nolan. The first half ended on a score line of 17 to 3 in favour of Clondalkin.
The first score of the second half went the same as the first with Sara Phelan scoring close to the right corner after a well worked back line move which saw the ball quickly move from left to right. The difficult conversion was missed. The Barnhall cause was not helped soon after by the sin binning of their full back for a high tackle. Clondalkin added to the score board with a try by full back Nicola Smyth after a scything run through the opposition defence and the conversion was once again successful from Ailbhe O’Nolan. Clondalkin then suffered the first of their own yellow cards with second row Ciara Grogan leaving the field for 10 minutes after she was adjudged to have tackled high. Ailbhe O’Nolan added a penalty with some 10 minutes left on the clock but Barnhall hit back with a try in the left corner to signal to all that they were still in the game. The difficult conversion was missed and there followed a hectic last number of minutes with Barnhall making every effort to breech the Clondalkin defence but a valiant effort on the part of Clondalkin kept them at bay and, even though they ended the match with 14 on the field after Gael Stowe picked up a yellow card after another tackle was adjudged high, Clondalkin Womens Rugby ran out well deserved winners on a score line of 32 to 8 with a welcome bonus point for the 4 tries scored which puts them at the top of Leinster League Division 1 having played one more game than their nearest rivals.
The next league match for Clondalkin Womens Rugby will be away to Old Belvedere J1s in Anglesea Road on Sunday, November 3. Your support at this match will be very much welcome.
Clondalkin Womens Rugby Team: Kerryn Buck, Shóna Byrne (captain), Caroline Conway, Louise Dixon, Niamh Farrelly, Naomi Fynes, Aideen Grogan, Ciara Grogan, Sandie Healy, Debbie Hendrick, Mairéad Holohan, Melissa Kavanagh, Amanda Madden, Ailbhe O’Nolan, Sara Phelan, Michelle Rowan, Nicola Smyth, Gael Stowe, Laura Wall, Claire Winters, Anne Marie Whelan,
