Portlaoise RFC 41 Wexford Wanderers 7
Leinster U-14 Girls Rugby League Division 1
Portlaoise travelled to play the much fancied Wexford Wanders on Saturday and recorded a comprehensive win.
This was the fifth round of the Leinster League with Portlaoise unbeaten in first place and Wexford in second. The stakes were high but Portlaoise were ready for a stern challenge by their hosts.
Weather conditions were certainly a factor on the afternoon with Portlaoise commencing play into a strong swirling breeze. The breeze limited Portlaoise’s game plan for the first half forcing them to remain ball in hand when in possession.
The home team started strongly and forced Portlaoise back into their 22 where they remained camped for the opening 20 minutes of the game. Portlaoise’s defence was challenged repeated with Wexford battering away time and time again.
Portlaoise had to be courageous, and that they were, managing to hold out their opponents, keeping their line intact.
They say in rugby terms that “defence wins games”. This statement was never so true on Saturday.
The tackle count was through the roof for players such as Jessica Delaney, Daisy Whitten, Lilly Brophy, Amy Peters, Chloe Kavanagh and Aoibheann Conroy before Portlaoise reached a turning point in the game at the 20 minute mark.
Until then, they had to be both patient and resilient before pouncing on Wexford’s first mistake.
On the stroke of twenty minutes, Portlaoise finally lifted the siege and with swift inter play, Emily Harvey cleared her lines to Molly Jane Dempsey.
She used power and pace to race clear as far as the ten metre line before she gifted a well-timed pass to the ever dangerous inside centre, Saffron Adams to set her free to score a fine try under the posts. She too added the extras.
Shortly after the re start, Wexford Wanders, had ideas of their own, and after some clever play they found an overlap before crashing over under the posts for a fine score of their own. Wexford added the extras.
Portlaoise’s pack competed strongly at each and every break down, their persistence paid off after a courageous turnover by duo Faye Scully and Orlaith Costigan before the ball was whipped out by scrum half Emily Harvey to Lilly Brophy who took full advance, setting speedster Molly Jane Dempsey free to dot down under the posts.
Saffron Adams once again nailed the extras to leave the score 14-7 at half time.
At half time there was a change in personnel with front row Tara Peavoy and winger Abbi Fitzpatrick taking to the field.
Jessica Horan move into scrum half and from the off she displayed some crisp passing with the game opening up.
She was rewarded with a try of her own when she snipped in from the base of a ruck at close range.
Wexford were now beginning to feel the pressure as centres Saffron Adams and Aoibheann Conroy and right wing, Abbi Fitzpatrick upped the tempo with every play.
Portlaoise early in the second half now introduced Sarah Keane and Muireann Thompson into the second row to bolster the pack.
Their introductions created an immediate impact. A fine worked rehearsed move executed by Lilly Brophy put centre Aoibheann Conroy through a gap to see her race 40 yards before being hauled to deck.
Clever interplay between Muireann Thompson to Sarah Keane seen Sarah carry strongly deep into the oppositions 22.
Support was there at the break down in the form of Sarah Ging on her shoulder before the ball was quickly whipped out to the back line to full back Molly Fitzpatrick who raced over the line to score arguably the finest try of the afternoon.
Portlaoise were cruising now, with Aoibheann Conroy in fine form ripping through the opponents defence to link up with her counter-part Saffron Adams who dotted down under the posts to compound matters for the home side. She duly added the extra.
In the last play of the match, Ciara Cuddy was rewarded with a fine try of her own after she peeled off from a ruck, she was unstoppable and crashed over the line to conclude proceedings.
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