Scoil Chriost Ri 12 St Mary’s College Arklow 5
Leisnter Rugby Girls Schools Junior Cup Final
Scoil Chríost Rí relieved St Mary’s of their Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Girls Schools Junior Cup crown in dramatic fashion at Energia Park on Thursday.
The defending champions were able to call on seven starters and three replacements from last year’s winning side.
This experience looked like making a difference for long periods. But slowly, Portlaoise’s running game began to deliver big moments.
From the first whistle, St Mary’s prop Alanna May Kulenovic grabbed a turnover at the ruck for the big carriers to drive at the heart of defence.
The lighter Scoil Chríost Rí side were served brilliantly by out-half Lily Brophy, who snared two penalties at the ruck.
They looked to move the ball wide for the back three speed of Amarachi Obi, Grainne Ramsbottom and Molly Jane Dempsey on the edges.
Number eight Mila Mihajlovic made ground and an exchange of passes between Blathnaid Kehoe and Dempsey was shut down by the scramble defence.
Ellie McCann’s leaping at the front of the St Mary’s lineout provided excellent ball for half-back Ciara Gavighan.
Hooker Emma Gannon carried strongly until out-half Brophy intervened yet again at the ruck only for St Mary’s second row Lara O’Callaghan-Royo to wrestle the ball back.
St Mary’s were first to make an entry into the 22 from effective work by flanker McCann and Gannon, driving the ball to the line where Brophy prevented a grounding to force a goalline dropout.
The kick didn’t travel far enough to clear the danger, Lucy Doyle Farrington making ground and Gannon applying downward pressure to put St Mary’s up 5-0 in the 20th minute.
The Arklow girls came again. McCann, out-half Shyne Leonard and second O’Callaghan-Royo all had a hand in bringing play to the five-metre line where Brophy conquered the ruck yet again.
The advantage Chríost Rí enjoyed at the breakdown had to be turned into points.
Centre Kehoe blazed down the right. Fellow centre Saffron Adams had the speed to round the cover and touch down at the posts to make her conversion easier and give Scoil Chríost Rí a 7-5 advantage at the break.
St Mary’s were keen to retake the lead, sending Gannon, McCann and Leonard headlong into traffic where Brophy was waiting.
A counter from a catch by Kate Doyle almost paid dividends but the Portlaoise fringe defence came up trumps. Openside flanker Tara Preavoy joined Brophy in capturing turnovers at the ruck.
These twin threats frustrated much of the St Mary’s attack. A yellow card to Chríost Rí flanker Abbie Delaney for a high tackle would have to be managed carefully.
They opted to play keep ball. Full-back Obi, centre Adams, Brophy and scrum-half Molly Fitzpatrick all handled well.
Then, Dempsey veered in from her spot on the left wing. The ball came loose and bounced towards the St Mary’s line and centre Doyle was binned for pulling Chawanangwa Gondwepule’s shirt to prevent her from scoring.
It was the opening number eight Mihajlovic needed to power over from a five-metre tap penalty to put SCR ahead 12-5 in the 52nd minute.
A breathtaking break by right-wing Gondwepule turned defence into attack for Chríost Rí but they could not extend their lead.
St Mary’s knew they needed a score. Number eight Doyle-Farrington’s long kick was spilled for a scrum on the 22. All out pressure produced another near miss for the Arklow girls as Alanna May Kulenovic was held up over the line.
There was one last chance. Aoife Kelly flew down the left. Replacement Kate Dowling made the tackle. Brophy rescued a ball on the floor for the umpteenth time. And that was the ball game.
Principal Sean Smyth said: “I’m over the moon. This was certainly one of my best ever rugby days coaching these brilliant girls.
I want to also give great credit to their clubs. Most of the girls play with Portlaoise RFC and will play Arklow in club rugby in the Leinster Cup semi-final tomorrow.”
SCORERS – Scoil Chriost Ri: Saffron Adams try, con, Mila Mihajlovic try St Mary’s: Emma Gannon try
SCOIL CHRÍOST RÍ PORTLAOISE: Amarachi Obi; Grainne Ramsbottom, Blathnaid Kehoe, Saffron Adams, Molly Jane Dempsey; Lily Brophy, Molly Fitzpatrick; Sarah Keane, Emma Finlay, Kate Hosey, Faye Scully, Ella Sherlock, Abbie Delaney, Tara Peavoy, Mila Mihajlovic. Replacements: Chawanangwa Gondwepule for Ramsbottom (ht); Kate Dowling for Obi (58)
ST MARY’S COLLEGE ARKLOW: Niamh Nolan; Aoife Kelly, Ruby Tracey, Kate Doyle, Fainche Stone; Shyne Leonard, Ciara Gavighan; Macarena Jimenz-Garcia, Emma Gannon, Alanna May Kulenovic, Macarena Kowalski Blanco, Laragh O’Callaghan Royo, Abigail Nugent, Ellie McCann, Lucy Doyle Farrington. Replacements: Julia Byrne for Tracey (12), Danii Hayden for O’Callaghan-Royo (23); Laragh O’Callaghan-Royo for Byrne (ht), Julia Byrne for Leonard (35)
