By Site Editor

U18 Girls Premier Cup

Final

NAVAN RFC

Sunday 22nd April

MULLINGAR 27

WICKLOW RFC 0

A pumped up, all business Mullingar U18s girls team turned up in Navan today ready to administer a rugby lesson to a Wicklow team that has put them to the sword twice this year already and who had only lost one game all season prior to today. Mullingar set the pace and standard of the game from early on and asserted their dominance with an early stage. While possession was about even in the first 10minutes, the play was mainly in the Wicklow half. Mullingar`s more accurate and aggressive tackling keeping the Wicklow players at bay when they were in possession. Mullingar reacted quickly to a turnover about 10m inside the Wicklow half with a great break down the right wing. The Wicklow full back put in a good tackle to stop the run, but Mullingar recycled quickly and Meadbh Scally got over for Mullingar`s first try.

 A strong head wind blowing across the pitch made the line out unpredictable so good old fashioned up-the-jumper phase play ensured Mullingar continued to assert their dominance for the next 20 minutes. With five minutes left in the first half, Wicklow managed to get a run and managed to work the ball to the Mullingar 5m line. Mullingar tackling and good defensive work kept Wicklow out and the pressure was relieved. Two minutes after sustaining the pressure on the own line Mullingar were to deliver a killer blow with a try by Ciara Faulkner and conversion by Ava Jenkins to give them a 12-0 lead at half time. 

The second half saw no let-up in the intensity and clinical nature with which the girls played. Scrums were especially strong, seeing 2 turnovers in the scrum and none lost. At ruck time the Mullingar girls were quick to clear through and in defence were equally quick to reshuffle themselves leaving no gaps for Wicklow to break through.The tackling by Mullingar was a joy to watch as from start to finish,the Mullingar girls rarely missed a tackle and always seemed to force Wicklow into conceding penalties. Mullingar were also superior when moving the ball and getting it to the wingers. Barely 3 minutes into the second half Mullingar made it 17-0 with a try by Megan Dowdall and were now looking the more likely team to score tries. Anytime Wicklow got possession however, they rarely got momentum as the tackles from Mullingar were going in fast and accurate. Wicklow despite having a lot of possession in the second half rarely got into the Mullingar 22. Mullingar scored their 4^th try 10 minutes into the second half after some great teamwork, in a move that started around the halfway line and finished off by Meadbh Scally.  It was now looking more and more like it was going to be Mullingar`s day and the final confirmation came with 5 minutes left, when Mullingar scored their 5^th try of the day. Another team effort and ably finished by Ciara Faulkner.

The Wicklow girls were now just playing for pride and hoping for a consolation try. It is rare coming to the end in a game that you know you cannot be beaten, with maybe 5 minutes left, that the players individually or collectively don't ease up and allow the opposition in for a consolation score. However the Mullingar girls were not going to let up in any area of play and played right to the final whistle ensuring a comprehensive 27-0 victory and the first U18s Mullingar girls’ team to lift the cup. An outstanding result and just reward for a very talented hard-working bunch of girls.

Team; Mikayla McCormack, SuzieBurzawa, Ciara Moughty (Captain), Clodagh O'Brien (Vice Captain), Aoife Earle, Ciara Hackett, Aoife Doonan, Meadbh Scally, Lucy Power, Ava Jenkins, Niamh Moore, Ciara Faulkner, Megan Dowdall, Caoimhe Hunt, Ciara Wynne 

Subs; Niamh O'Mahony, Emily O Brien, Chantelle Odenessy, Mathilde MacNamara, Aoibhin Moore, Caoimhe Scally, Carla Gibney, Ciara Foxe, Laura Gaffney, Sinead Hanlon.

Scores; 

Tries; Meabh Scally (2) Ciara Faulkner (2) Megan Dowdall (1).

Conversions; Ava Jenkins (1)