Portlaoise 44 Kilkenny 0
Leinster U-16 Girls Cup Quarter Final
Portlaoise welcomed Kilkenny to Togher for the quarter-final of the Leinster U-16 Girls Cup.
The weather was noticeably warmer than in previous weeks, with the sun shining and a slight breeze at Portlaoise’s back in the first half.
As Kilkenny kicked off, the ball fell to Amarachi Obi, who made her trademark run along the touchline, evading tackle after tackle before finally being brought to ground.
A brilliant clear-out from Chloe Kavanagh and Jessica Delaney secured the ball, allowing Portlaoise to continue their attack.
Emily Harvey fired a quick pass to Molly Fitzpatrick, and slick handling through the backs released Molly Jane Dempsey, who gathered at speed and skipped past last-ditch tackles to touch down for the first try of the game.
Portlaoise maintained their pressure from the restart, with captain for the day, Aoibheann Conroy, instrumental in attack.
Blaithnaid Kehoe made huge gains with her direct running, while Kate Ging and Abbie Delaney rampaged through the middle.
This dominance set the stage for sisters Emma and Kate Scully to combine beautifully, with Kate finishing off the move for Portlaoise’s second try. Molly Jane Dempsey added the extra two points.
With their tails up and the wind at their backs, Portlaoise continued their onslaught. This time, Ciara Cuddy made the hard yards before Elisha Gilligan executed a well-timed pass out to Molly Jane Dempsey on the wing, allowing her to run in Portlaoise’s third try of the game to leave the home side leading 17-0 at half time.
As the second half kicked off, Portlaoise looked to build on their tally. Mary O’Hara picked up the ball inside her own half, embarked on a looping run, and outpaced all defenders to touch down for Portlaoise’s fourth try, with Saffron Adams converting.
To their credit, Kilkenny battled hard, showing strong running through the middle, but time and time again, they were met with perfectly timed tackles from the entire Portlaoise team.
With Molly Kelly slotting in at scrum-half, the second half took on a new dynamic. Orla Costigan was excellent at the breakdown, while Faye Scully battled through the middle.
Sarah Keane and Amy Peters combined to carry the ball deep into the Kilkenny 22, setting up Lily Brophy to join the attack and score Portlaoise’s fifth try.
From the sidelines, the Portlaoise bench—along with the injured quartet of Elaine Hyland, Erin Powell, Freya Stanley, and Tara Peavoy—cheered the girls on.
Fresh legs from the bench saw Grainne Ramsbottom and Abbie Fitzpatrick inject energy into the attack, creating space for Mary O’Hara to run in the sixth try.
With Saffron Adams running amok in the centre, gaps started to open. A brilliantly timed pass from Daisy Whitten sent Lily Brophy on a strong run, which she finished superbly for try number seven.
Sensing another score, Saffron Adams continued to exploit her freedom with evasive footwork.
And as if Lily Brophy hadn’t already done enough running, she did it again—this time producing another fantastic burst to touch down in the corner for the eighth and final try of the game.
