Leinster Girls U16 Bowl

FINAL

Saturday 30th March 2019

Navan RFC

Mullingar 26

Westmanstown 17

LEINSTER BOWL CHAMPIONS 2018/19

Mullingar's Under 16 girls played Westmanstown in their league final in Navan Rugby Club on Saturday, and the side put on a performance that well justified the personal pre-match messages from the notable figures of Ireland Internationals Keith Earls, Katie Heffernan and Sophie Spence, and then a further word of encouragement on the morning of the match from the other side of the world by none other than Joe Schmidt himself!

Although the two sides were evenly matched the Mullingar girls exhibited a relentless defensive effort that made scoring opportunities for Westmanstown a rare occurrence, and a collective attacking platform that from the back of the breakdown allowed the gaps to open up for Kara Mulcahy to bust through final defences for three very well finished scores.

Although a relaxed lead-up to this game involving concerts and discos instead of training might have suggested  an air of complacency, nothing could have been farther from reality. Play begun with both sides running hard at each other, and a level of contact that will have produced a large volume of bruises that will go nicely with some of the remnants of fake tan still evident from the weeks social events. 

After taking a particularly heavy hit in the first few minutes Rachael Daly unfortunately had to be side-lined which brought on the more than capable Becca Forde, Daly will at least have an impressive black-eye to match her equally impressive season. Being the teams goal kicker however, Daly being taken off could have had an even bigger impact on the game had there not been the rising star of Aine Hayden waiting to casually step up to the mark, shrug off any pressure expectations,and slot 3 out 4 from tricky positions, in her first season and in a Final to boot!

Mullingar scored first only 6 minutes after kick-off, but was squared up shortly afterwards when Westmanstown broke away into the corner from close to the try line. The action continued at a fast pace when Mulcahy got her second only minutes later on the back of the now familiar driving play from the Mullingar girls rugby sayings and analogy's are many but “15 working together to put 1 over the line” is something this group has adopted admirably.

Halftime saw Mullingar ahead 12–5 which isn’t a big margin by today's standards, but the talk and feedback at the break was enough to settle initial nerves, and at the re-start a greater element of control was evident. 

Mulcahy's 3^rd score came on the 40 minute mark, with Hayden's conversion and the score at 19 - 5 the Mullingar girls really started to assert themselves over the next period of play. 

Mullingar's backline was operating well with some great exchanges between Molly Swanson and Capt. Caoimhe Ryan, and despite some fine runs set up to winger Evie Daly from fullback Gemma Faulkner, the Mullingar girls couldn’t find scores on the outside. 

Mullingar's final score did come from the back line however with Caoimhe Ryan switching her line and crashing in between the posts. Another sweetly struck conversion from Hayden put the score out to 26–5 with 16 minutes to play.

Although perhaps slightly prematurely, Mullingar's coaching team started ringing in a few changes, and almost immediately the slight figure of Aoibhin McDonald put a not-so-slight tackle on her opposite winger that brought a cheer from all who’d seen it, giving raise to another common rugby law that size means very little compared to technique and determination, Michele Lynn on the other wing finished the game equally as well.

Westmanstown came back into the game strongly towards the end finishing with two scores through the middle close to time, but warrior-like performances from the likes of Isobel Clerk, Neo Tlou, Orlaith Wallace and Sophie Treanor, backed up by an entire squad of girls who appear to take things easy before they cut you in half, had pretty much ensured the result before taking a well-earned break.

Final score 26–17, a fitting end to a fantastic season and much thanks and credit must go to the parents group for their endless support and encouragement, without which the results wouldn’t have been possible.

Team; Neo TIol, Aine Hayden, Rachel Daly, Isabella Eivers,  Isobel Clerk, Kara Mulcahy, Sophie Treanor, Orlaith Wallace, Robyn O'Brien, Molly Swanson, Evie Daly, Caoimhe Ryan (Captain) Alanna O'Connor, Isobel Hunt, Gemma Faulkner, Rose Grimes, Caitriona Duffy, Donna Weir, Michelle Lynn, Aoibhin McDonald, Abbey Norris, Isabella Ripley, Rebecca Forde, Anna Scanlon, Leah McCormack.