Women's Senior Leinster League Division 1 

Naas 31
New Ross 12

Match Report: Phillip Jordan 
Photos: Michael Linehan 

Competitive rugby is back at Forenaughts with a bang! 

After the incredible result for their male counterparts the previous day, and both the J1’s and J2’s being successful in their fixtures, it was the turn of the Naas Women’s team to get their season underway. This was no ordinary first game of the season either, this group of talented athletes were given the honour of representing their club in their first ever Division 1 fixture in the Leinster League, only 6 years after formation.

On a day where weather forecasts threatened the spoil the game as a spectacle, Naas elected to play ‘up the hill’ in the first half and their enthusiasm soon began to shine through as, from the kick off, Naas’ first defensive block was quickly turned into attack as a trademark strip from Sheena Hubbard, put the home time on the attack early.

Poor ball retention allowed New Ross to hack the ball in to home territory, Cliodhna O’Connor showed off her footballing skills in defence before taking a more conventional approach, setting off on a mazy run, frustrating and harassing the New Ross defence before sheer desperation resulted in an unfortunate and unintentional high tackle. 

The resulting yellow card allowed Naas a numerical advantage which they took full advantage of. After a short period of sloppiness and unforced errors, Ali Miley took matters into her own hands off first phase from a scrum on Naas 10m line, as her pace and running lines allowed her to burst through the defensive line and round the fullback to dot down under the posts, making the conversion by Amy McGuire a formality. 

Soon after, Naas put in one their best periods of possession where backs and forwards combined with great hands and interplay to gain huge territory and find themselves camped on the visitors tryline.Great composure and calm heads allowed Ellen Murray to burrow over from a few inches to further increase the scoreline, again converted by Amy McGuire for a 14-0 lead. The lead, however, didn’t last long as New Ross promptly pounced on a lack of concentration from the home team at the restart for Carol Kavanagh to take full advantage, cutting the deficit and adding the extras for a 14-7 scoreline.

Sheena Hubbard then reproduced her party trick and duly stripped the ball from the New Ross ball carrier to allow Naas to put the visitors under renewed pressure. However New Ross stood firm in defence and would have felt that they had completed the job with a booming clearance kick.What they didn’t rely on was Zoe Dunbar counterattacking with some venom. Once the defence had dealt with that issue on one touchline, they were confronted with another immediately on the opposite touchline as superb handling and a rather sublime chip and from Ali Miley allowed her to canter in under the posts to increase the lead, Amy McGuire again converting to leave the score at the break, 21-7.

The second half began much the same way as the first, with Naas scoring off 1st phase from a scrum on the left hand side. Iif the first try of the match was a result of pure pace and power, this score was much more on the side of finesse, skill and sheer sleight of hand as the 10-12-13 axis of McGuire, Hubbard & Miley combined to great effect. They created an overlap which Dunbar duly ignored to crash over.

The next score of the match came as the result of excellent work by Ellen Murray, whose work rate in counter rucking resulted in a penalty that was duly dispatched to touch. 

However, the score went to the tenacious visitors, who disrupted the lineout and pounced on the loose ball then raced  up the pitch allowing flanker, Niamh Buggy, to score leaving the scoreboard at 26-12.

The final scoring action fell to Cliodhna O’Connor, but much like the preceding scores, it contained the team-work, skill and incredible handling that this group has shown in abundance throughout this fixture. Again, 1st phase off a scrum and the 10-12-13 axis to the fore, gave Cliodhna O’Connor far too much space for somebody with her pace not to score. This was a fully deserved score as Cliodhna had been a thorn in the side of the opposition from the 1st minute and her endeavours created acres of space that her teammates took full advantage of again and again.

The little time remaining in the match fizzled out as the much heralded weather began to blow a gust. The forwards provided an excellent platform from which the backs excelled. Led ably by Jane Fallon from back row, further strong performances came from Ellen Murray, Asta Rowe and Cleo Hubbard. Aoife Furlong excelled at scrum half, providing a constant threat around the fringes with excellent distribution skills to allow the remaining aforementioned backs to shine.

This was a hugely encouraging performance from the entire squad and with further experienced players to return and add to the competition, it bodes well for the season ahead. The coaching team of Michael Barton and Franco Bartorelli will be delighted with the skill, endeavour and workrate on show, but will be conscious that words will need to be had about soft turnovers whether it be from set piece, the breakdown or restarts but such lapses may be forgiven at such an early juncture in the season.

Overall, this was a hugely encouraging start for this talented squad who showed that they are more than capable to compete in this division. 

Women’s rugby in the club is certainly on a high at present with past players Erin King & Ruth Campbell making their debuts for Ireland in the recent 150th Anniversary game against the Walleroos and this current squad are determined to play their part. 

Next game for the women is an away game to neighbours Clondalkin on Sunday 6th October.

15. Zoe Dunbar

14. Jamie Garland

13. Ali Miley

12. Sheena Hubbard

11. Cliodhna O'Connor 

10. Amy McGuire 

9. Aoife Furlong

1. Emma Tully

2. ⁠Ellen Murray

3. ⁠Katie Halpin

4. Asta Rowe 

5. Beverley Mahon

6. ⁠Cleo Hubbard

7. ⁠Jane Fallon (C)

8. Jess Weld

16. Rachel Clarke 

17. ⁠Karen Plunkett

18. Sorcha Nolan 

19. Julie McCullagh

20. Steph Gleeson 

21. Anna McGrath

22. Emma Kelly

23. Laura O'Brien