Mullingar 29 Portlaoise 33
Leinster League U-16 Premier Division Semi-Final
Portlaoise returned to the Astro Pitch in Mullingar where they had suffered their first league defeat in years.
It was a closely contested game on the day and the loss was down to small margins on a glorious day, this rematch was always going to be a tight affair.
This time round Portlaoise needed to bring their A-game. Molly Jane Dempsey got the game underway kicking into the Mullingar 22.
Portlaoise applied all the pressure early on in the game as Mullingar could not get out of their own half for the opening ten minutes.
Portlaoise eventually made their efforts count when captain Molly Kelly released Molly Jane Dempsey on the wing to crash over for the first try of the game, with Saffron Admas adding the extra two points.
Portlaoise had their tails up and were quickly back on the hunt for another score. Amarachi Obi making the break this time from a well-timed pass from Molly Fitzpatrick. This time it was Kate Scully adding the conversion.
Mullingar were full of fast runners and worked tirelessly at the break down, leaving Portlaoise under no illusion of the task on front of them.
As they made their way into the Portlaoise half, the hosts probed and probed until they eventually touched down into the corner.
Jessica Delaney and Chloe Kavanagh were brilliant for Portlaoise all day, with Mary O’Hara causing problems on her wing, stretching the Mullingar defence.
As the scrum formed just outside the Mullingar 22, Lily Brophy peeled off the back and slipped through the Mullingar line to touch down under the posts, with Scully adding the extras.
Mullingar battled back with a second try just before the break to trail 21-12 at half time.
The hosts cut the gap soon after the restart with their third try of the game before the sides traded quick tries.
Elisha Gilligan broke a tackle before Emily Harvey released Saffron Adams who raced into the corner for Portlaoise’s fourth try, but Mullingar quickly cancelled that out with a fourth of their own.
A thoroughly entertaining game finished in style when the prowling Aoibheann Conroy intercepted a Mullingar ball and made it all the way to the home side’s five-metre line
The support play was quick to the breakdown and a quick ball to Adams saw her touch down under the posts for her second try.
Adams dusted herself off before slotting her own conversion.
Mullingar replied in kind yet again with the hosts crossing for another try in the corner, but the missed conversion left four points between the teams with less than five minutes remaining.
But it was those missed conversions that proved costly for Mullingar, with Portlaoise landing four two-pointers from five compared to the Westmeath side’s two from five.
Portlaoise will face Arklow in the final on the first Saturday in April.
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