Portlaoise 20 Rhinos 7
Leinster Girls Rugby Legaue Division 1
The Rhinos charged into Portlaoise Rugby FC to take on an unbeaten Portlaoise side for the their last game of the year at the weekend.
The Rhinos are based in Carlow and are a combination of Carlow and Tullow rugby clubs which joined together in 2020.
Molly Jane Dempsey would get proceeding under way and immediately The Rhinos would be under pressure.
The Rhinos are easily the best team Portlaoise have encountered this season. Great discipline, strong runners and impressive tacklers. Portlaoise would press throughout, led impressively by Faye Scully and Orlaith Costigan.
Portlaoise got a scrum 10 metres out in the 10th minute and Jessica Delaney peeled off the back of the scrum which caught The Rhinos off guard and allowed her to plough her way over the try line for the opening try of the game.
The Rhinos would not lie down but Portlaoise defence was solid with nothing getting passed Lilly Brophy and Saffron Adams whose tackle count was easily in double numbers.
Aoibheann Conroy led the next attack for Portlaoise deep into The Rhinos territory. Quick ball from Emily Harvey released Molly Jane Dempsey on the wing to score the second try of the day into the corner.
The Rhinos would regroup and began to smell that this Portlaoise team were starting to get a little comfortable. They charged into the Portlaoise Half and stayed there for the last ten mins of the game. Portlaoise were holding out, Tara Peavoy and Ciara Cuddy making impressive try saving tackles.
The Rhinos’ constant bombarding of the Portlaoise defence would eventually pay dividends and they would get their just reward and score their first try with a conversion to leave it 10-7 at half.
The second half began like the first with Portlaoise on the attack. Molly Fitzpatrick stretched The Rhinos defence with her running on the wing and this created space for Freya Stanly to find the necessary room in the middle to slice The Rhinos open and score Portlaoise’s third try of the day and give a little breathing space.
Sara Cunningham’s use of the ball would allow Portlaoise to take control of the game now. Amy Peters won ever line out putting more and more pressure on The Rhinos defence.
Daisy Whitten’s ball carrying would lead Portlaoise into The Rhinos 22. Sara Keane would break a tackle which would create space for the off load to Molly Jane Dempsey to cross the line for Portlaoise to get their fourth try of the day and secure the win.
Portlaoise would bring on Meabh Dooley, Emma Ging and Cara Deegan to see out what was a very entertaining game.
PORTLAOISE: Jessica Delaney, Daisy Whitten, Amy Peters, Chloe Kavanagh, Lilly Brophy, Molly Jane Dempsey, Saffron Adams, Freya Stanley, Kate Ging, Kate Dowling, Emily Harvey, Molly Fitzpatrick, Abbie Delaney, Aoibheann Conroy, Tara Peavoy, Ella Sherlock, Emma Heffernan, Faye Scully, Orlaith Costigan, Ellie Mahoney, Grace Pearson, Ciara Cuddy, Emma Fitzpatrick, Sarah Cunningham, Muireann Thompson, Sarah Keane, Jessica Horan & Meabh Dooley.
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