U16 Girls Munster Cup Semi Final: Ennis RFC 0 - 10 Killarney RFC (Venue: Lees Road Ennis)

Match Report by Diarmuid O’Malley

Photos by Anne Gabbett

Compiled by Liam Murphy

The Killarney u16 girls kept up their recent good form to win a very closely contested Munster Cup semi-final in Ennis last Sunday. Having defeated Ennis in the Munster U16 league final in January both teams knew it was going to be a tough battle and that it was from the very start of the game!

Killarney started the game very well and with some clever interplay by both backs and forwards a good scoring opportunity was created for the flying Killarney winger Niamh Dorian, but a last-ditch Ennis tackle just prevented the winger from registering the first points of the game.

After a series of good strong runs by second row Joanne O’Keeffe and Ava O’Malley eventually Ella Guerin forced her way over the line for the first score of the game. Ennis asked a lot of questions of the Killarney defense, but just couldn’t find a way through a resolute Killarney defense, whose line speed was of the very highest standard.

Just before half-time the Ennis fly-half was very close to equalising, but a brave tackle by the Killarney skipper Fia Whelan prevented her opposite number from scoring.

In the second half Killarney started to make their dominance pay off, initially The Killarney centre Bronagh Dorian made a superb break and was stopped close to the Ennis line. next up Whelan made a superb break and again the last line of the Ennis defence made a great try saving tackle.

Still leading by only five points, Killarney knew the importance of scoring next, and they duly did. Holly O’Sullivan gathered a loose Ennis clearance and showed the Ennis defence a clean pair of heels to go over for an outstanding try, which wasn’t converted.

Killarney finished the game very strong with their replacements Jess O’Sullivan, Kate Mangan, Isabelle O’Leary and Grainne Kennedy all making telling contributions to the a very solid team performance.

The Killarney coach Diarmuid O’Malley added “this team is getting better and better as the season goes on, their defensive effort today was just phenomenal, with none of the girls taking a back seat from the first minute to the last, their appetite for work was brilliant. What’s very pleasing from Josh and my perspective, was the contribution from the girls off the bench, they have worked hard all year and it’s great to see some of the girls who are still very new to rugby developing so quickly. The club is building something very special with the pipeline of girls coming through and days like today make it all worthwhile. We now have a Munster Cup final against Shannon to look forward to in two weeks’ time and we will be doing everything we can to ensure we do the league and cup double, but we will require another step up on today’s performance to make that dream a reality”.

The Killarney Team lined out as follows:

1) Annie O’Reilly

2) Ella Guerin Crowley

3) Molly Gabbett

4) Joanne O’Keeffe

5) Melissa Mc Carthy

6) Katie O’Donoghue

7) Clodagh Foley

8) Ava O’Malley

9) Robyn Landers

10) Fia Whelan (Capt)

11) Ali O’Donoghue

12) Bronagh Dorian

13) Holly O’Sullivan

14) Niamh Dorian

15) Marina Eager

16) Miriam O’Sullivan

17) Isabella O’Leary

18) Grainne Kennedy

19) Lucy O’Sullivan

20) Jess O’Sullivan

21) Kate Mangan

Coaches: Diarmuid O’Malley, Josh Whelan

If anyone wishes to start rugby in Killarney, what are you waiting for? boys and girls up to 12 years of age train each Saturday morning in Aghadoe at 10am and the U14s, 16s and u18 girls train on Wednesday night at 6.45pm new members always welcome.

For further information contact:

Liam Murphy, Minis coordinator 087-4145662

Anne Gabbett, u16s Girls manager 086-3125722