Killarney RFC – U18.5 Munster League Champions
Ennis RFC 05-08 Killarney RFC
Liam Murphy presented the girls with their tops ahead of the final
Last Saturday, Our Killarney U18.5 girls travelled to Old Crescent RFC in Limerick and defeated last year’s league winner Ennis to be crowned Munster League Final Champions. The U18.5 Final was the finale of the day played in front of a big crowd, following the U14 and U16 league deciders all were played in Old Crescent in what was a terrific day for girl’s rugby in the province.
Our Minis cheer the girls as they depart for Limerick
The girls, coaches and parents left Aghadoe early Saturday morning and were given a wonderful send off by all of the Minis who waved and cheered as the bus departed for the big match. It was wonderful to see our future stars supporting the girls.
The clash of Ennis and Killarney was always going to be battle and that’s exactly what it was! Ennis started the game and kicked deep but Killarney, unfortunately, didn’t deal with the kick off and Ennis won a scrum in a very favorable position on the Killarney 22. After a series of good carries by the Ennis forwards, Ennis scored a try in the corner which wasn’t converted. Ennis 05-00 Killarney, inside the first minute, the perfect start for the County Clare team.
What was very notable was that Killarney took this early set back in their stride and straight away were on the attack. But credit to Ennis their defense held firm after a series of good carries by the Killarney forwards Lily Morris, Ava O’Malley and Clodagh Foley.
On 18 minutes Killarney won a scrum just inside their own half and Killarney number eight, Ava O’Malley, made a super run, linking up with scrum half Bronagh Dorrian. Bronagh passed to Cara Reilly, then the referee blew for an Ennis offside infringement, penalty to Killarney. Knowing it was going to be a tight game and conscious of getting the Kerry girls points on the scoreboard, Co-Captain Fia Whelan consulted with her fellow Co-Captain Lily Morris and elected to take the penalty kick and Whelan slotted over the penalty, Ennis 05-03 Killarney.
After a series of good play by Ennis, their out half elected to kick on several occasions but the back three of Marina Eagar, Holly O’Sullivan and Mary-Ellen Mc Donald dealt very well with the kicks and linked to counterattack on most occasions.
Then with 24 minutes on the clock, scrum to Killarney on the right-hand side of the field. O’Malley again picked from the base and out stripped their defense to make a brilliant run, linked with the onrushing powerful 2nd row Joanne O’Keeffe who made further ground.
Then it was time to show what the Killarney backs could do and they finished a fine move off in style going through the hands of Bronagh Dorrian, Fia Whelan out to Marina Eagar who had joined the back line from full back to link with Ali O’Donoghue who carried well then gave a perfect pass to the Glencar flyer Mary Ellen Mc Donald to finish off a super team try in the corner, which wasn’t converted. Ennis 05-08 Killarney, which was to be the final score of the game and a very fitting match winning score!
The second half of the match was a real battle between two very closely matched teams, who knew the importance of the next score. It was Killarney who did most of the pressing and had several kickable penalties but kept to their natural running style and tried to score a try but on every occasion the Ennis defense held firm.
In the last five minutes of the game, winger Holly O’Sullivan was deemed to be held up over the line and Lily Morris was just short of scoring after a very strong carry. It was a fitting end of the game with the Kerry girls trying to get over and again the Ennis girls tackled so well like they did all day, as did the Killarney girls.
All smiles at the final Whistle
Killarney Co-Coach Diarmuid O’Malley added “this is a very special team, when Josh Whelan and I knew they needed to improve our fitness and play we put on a number of extra training sessions, and the girls always showed up and always looked to improve and put the hard work in, sometimes in life you don’t always get what you feel you deserve but thankfully today we just about came out on top against an excellent Ennis team who had 12 girls playing who won last years u18.5 Munster league.
Co Captains Lily Morris and Fia Whelan are presented with the Cup
We knew we had to show up and play and testament to the girls despite the early set back that’s exactly what they did, we tried to play an expansive game plan that didn’t always work today, but it was fitting that the winning try came from a lovely display of running rugby. This win means an awful lot to us, when leaving the Aghadoe earlier this morning on the bus the boys and girls from the underage teams made a special guard of honour, we can now bring this league back to Kerry and hopefully inspire the next generation of kids in Kerry”.
Winners
The team lined out as follows:
1. Annie O’Reilly 2. Emma Dunican 3. Emer O’Keefe 4. Joanne O’Keefe 5. Ella Guerin-Crowley 6. Clodagh Foley 7. Lily Morris (joint captain) 8. Ava O Malley 9. Bronagh Dorian 10. Fia Whelan (joint captain) 11. Holly O’Sullivan 12. Cara Reilly 13. Ali O Donoghue 14. Mary Ellen Mc Donald 15. Marina Eagar 16. Molly abbett 17. Melissa Mc Carthy 18. Sarah O’Connor 19. Isabella O’Leary 20. Nell Crowley 21. Jess O’Sullivan 22. Jasmine Dwyer
Coaches: Josh Whelan & Diarmuid O Malley Manager: Elaine Clifford
