Bantry Bay Women Enjoy Weekend Success

Bantry Bay enjoyed two wins over the weekend at Under 18 and Senior level.

Match Reports courtesy of Damien Hicks, Bantry Bay RFC.

U18 Girls: Carrick On Suir 15 v Bantry Bay 43

The Bantry Bay U18 girls took on Carrick On Suir yesterday at their home grounds in Tybroughney, Co. Tipperary.

Due to injuries and prior commitments we were travelling with bare numbers however this did not deter our girls who wanted to put down the marker from the outset.

In the first 10 minutes both defences were tested but held up under pressure. Then the Bantry pressure told and Yvonne O’Shea broke through the defence to score a try, converted by Enya Breen.

Just 5 minutes before half time Laura Cato spotted the gap and punished Carrick by crossing the whitewash with the half time score remaining 12-0 to visitors.

As the second half got off the Bantry Bay girls had a brief lapse in concentration which Carrick On Suir utilised and crossed to score a try.

This was closely followed by quick thinking from Breen who took a quick tap penalty and crossed the line and converted. Again both defences were tested but the Bay girls managed to break through and O’Shea scored her second try.

This was quickly followed by Captain Rachel Crowley crossing the whitewash assisted by a superb offload by Clare Coombes.

Another lapse in concentration by the Bay girls left Carrick run in two tries. O’Shea was quick off the restart and ran in for a hat-trick, converted once again by Breen.

In the dying minutes of the game, with fantastic team play, the ball was worked wide to O’Shea who crossed the whitewash, converted by Breen to cap off a fantastic day with a final score 43-15.

The scoreline tells a different story to the hard work and focus displayed by each of the Bantry Bay girls. There was no let up in pressure from Carrick but our girls showed their guts, determination and team spirit to carry it through to the end.

Bantry Bay U18 Girls Team:

1. Danielle Murphy
2. Caroline Downey
3. Rachel O'Sullivan
4. Grace Crowley
5. Clodagh Burke
6. Ellie Hutchinson
8. Clare Coombes
9. Rachel Crowley (Capt.)
10.Enya Breen
11. Kate Sheehan
12. Yvonne O'Shea
13. Laura Cato
14. Jessica Cronin
15. Fiona Cronin

Bantry Bay 12 v Abbeyfeale 7

The Bantry Bay senior ladies took on Abbeyfeale on Saturday in their second home game of the season.

After an away defeat to Bandon in their second fixture the Bantry Bay ladies set out to put a few wrongs to right.

Welcoming two ladies who have come through the Club’s Under 18 ranks helped add a bit of experience and composure that was maybe missing in the last game.

The ladies knew the fixtures was going to be tough challenge and though it took a while for both teams to settle Abbeyfeale started to really apply pressure shortly into the game.

Thanks to a couple of try saving tackles and fantastic organisation in defence from the home side, the Bantry Bay women slowly worked their way towards the Abbeyfeale line. With great efforts from the forwards and quick ball, Christine spotted a gap and accelerated through brushing off a couple of tackles to score the first try converted by Máirín bring the half time score to 7-0.

Following a Bantry Bay restart, Abbeyfeale ran the ball back with great determination and broke through a few tackles to score under the posts which they then converted.

Bantry regrouped and immediately started applying pressure on the Abbeyfeale line. Phase after phase the ladies kept pressing for the next score but Abbeyfeale kept them at bay until finally, Eilish managed to get some quick ball out to Christine who again cut through the defence to cross the line.

The conversion was missed but from then on the Bay ladies controlled the game and were unlucky not to add to the score.

In their first competitive season and with every game played the Bantry Bay ladies are learning and developing as a team. With a few more fixtures and the return of players from injury there is no doubt ladies rugby in Bantry has a very bright future.

New players are always welcome at Bantry Bay. Training is Wednesday and Fridays. For more info please contact Damien on 0863872877 or through the Bantry Bay facebook page.