Abbeyfeale U-15 Girls Take Munster Title

Munster U-15 Girls Final, March 28: Abbeyfeale 24-5 Listowel-Tralee

A Munster Final, a local ‘derby’ and a cracking game of rugby – what more could one ask for?

Hot on the heels of an exciting 6-Nations finale, this was a game that left the large crowd at Tralee RFC, fully enthused about girls rugby and its positive future.

Although the wet and windy conditions were not ideal, both teams served up great skills, passion and honesty and while the final score might indicate a one-sided affair, this contest wasn’t decided until very late in the game.

Listowel who combined with Tralee, were the ‘young pretenders’ as they are relatively inexperienced at this level when compared to their more established neighbours.

Listowel, playing with the wind, opened strongly with scrumhalf & captain Clare Beasley leading by example. She probed and harried the Abbeyfeale defence and along with speedster out half Muireanna Wall caused havoc. Their partnership combined to send Muireanna across the line as early as the 6th minute for the opening try. 0-5

They continued the offensive for remainder of the opening quarter but Abbey were also getting into the game with outhalf Sophie Moroney and flankers Ava Roche and Diane O’Connor putting in some huge tackles. Carlita Bowden at 9 began to pull the strings and used the strong running Shauna Sheehy to great effect.

The best move of the half came from Listowel when off a 40m scrum, Wall did a double loop with centres Meabh McElligott & Kayla Mulvihill only to be denied a certain try by Abbey fullback Kara Huxley.

Abbey drew level in the 28th minute – soaking up pressure on their own 22, centre Sheehy intercepted and ran to the Listowel where Wall made a great tackle, Roche picked but was held up just short by Hannah Betts but centre Eilish Cotter was on hand to get the touchdown. O’Connor had a great kick but the wind just held it up. 5-5 The remainder of the half was a series of attacks, counter attacks, great tackling and handling.

The second half opened in similar fashion but confusion among the Listowel backs gave Abbey’s Katie Lane a soft try after 5 minutes and her conversion came off the post. 10-5

With the wind at their back and being physically stronger, Abbey began to assert themselves and Bowden was using the power and experience of Madigan, Lane, Sheehy and Cotter to great effect

Listowel to their credit were tackling anything that moved with Betts, Lianne Donnelly and Molly Cluney making telling tackles. However, the pressure was relentless and having conceded a close on penalty, Listowel lapsed for a moment and Katie Lane did a tap-and-go to get the third Abbey try which she converted herself. 17 – 5

This put Abbey in the ascendency and the strength of the subs, Copse, McMahon and Nash didn’t weaken

the effort. Listowel should have scored mid way through when McElligott scythed through the defence only to be high tackled and the physical strength of the Abbey team kept them at bay. Abbey scored their final try when the Amy Cullinane ran from 60m to get the touchdown and Katie Lane converted to leave the final score at 24 – 5.

Credit to Listowel, who came straight back and were agonisingly close to the try line with the last play of the