Munster Clubs Girls Cup Finals Roundup

It was a busy day in Virgin Media Park as the Munster Clubs Girls Cup finals took place.

There was action in the U14, U16 and U18 cups with three exciting games providing the entertainment for the supporters in attendance.

Richmond RFC were crowned winners in the U14 Cup, Clonakilty RFC in the U16 Cup and Killarney RFC in the U18 Cup. See below for a round-up of the three finals today.

Munster Clubs Girls U18 Cup Final

Killarney 21 – 19 Clonakilty

It took 25 minutes for the opening try of the game and it went the way of Killarney when Clodagh Foley powered through some Clonakilty tacklers to put her side into the lead. Fia Whelan converted to put Killarney 7-0 in front.

With just a few minutes to go in the first half and with Clonakilty camped in Killarney territory, the Kerry side won a breakdown penalty. Lily Morris took a quick tap on her own 10m line and broke through the Clonakilty defence and ran the length of the field to score under the posts. Whelan’s conversion put her side 14-0 in front.

Clonakilty responded with another period camped in the Killarney 22 and their defence was finally breached when Emer Moroney powered through a tackle from close range to score. The conversion was wide as Killarney took a 14-5 lead into half-time.

Killarney extended their lead at the start of the second-half when Cara Reilly picked up the ball at the base of the ruck and went through a gap to bring play deep into the Clonakilty 22. On the next phase, Ali O’Donoghue slalomed her way through a number of Clonakilty jerseys to score next to the posts. Whelan’s conversion put her side 21-5 in front.

Killarney suffered a setback when Ella Guerin Crowley was sent to the sin bin and the West Cork side struck soon after.

Clonakilty got themselves back into the game when scrum-half Caoimhe McCarthy spotted a gap close to the ruck where she was brought down just short of the line. However, the ball popped out into the hands of Rachel Twomey and she crossed the line for a try. Rachel Twomey landed the conversion to leave the score at 21-12 with more than 10 minutes remaining.

The large Clonakilty support in Virgin Media Park increased the decibel levels soon after when speedster Clodagh McCarthy got away from Whelan to score under the posts. Twomey added the extras to put just two points between the sides with minutes remaining.

Clonakilty then made their way from their own half into the Killarney 22 but Emma Dunican stole the ball at the breakdown as Whelan kicked it into touch to signal the end of the match and the cup for her side.

Killarney RFC: Marina Eagar; Niamh Dorrian, Ali O’Donoghue, Cara Reilly, Mary Ellen McDonnell; Fia Whelan, Bronagh Dorrian; Annie O’Reilly, Emma Dunican, Emer O’Keeffe; Joanne O’Keeffe, Melissa McCarthy; Ella Guerin Crowley, Clodagh Foley, Lily Morris.

Replacements: Molly Gabbett, Sara O’Connor, Jasmine Dwyer, Katie O’Donoghue, Holly O’Sullivan, Nell Crowley.

Clonakilty RFC: Solene Skupiewski; Tara Fleming, Ella O’Sullivan, Kate Nolan (c), Clodagh McCarthy; Rachel Twomey, Caoimhe McCarthy; Sara O’Sullivan, Aoife Godwin-Coombs, Amy Giles; Leona Arra, Kate Verling; Roxanne Llewellyn, Kate Burton, Emer Moroney. 

Replacements: Emily Moloney, Alison McCarthy, Alison Brennan, Olivia Lawlor, Orlaith Finn, Eavan Boyle, Annabel Tapia, Eanna Hickey. 

Munster Clubs Girls U16 Cup Final

Clonakilty 30 – 0 Killarney/Listowel/Iveragh

Clonakilty opened the scoring just five minutes into the first half when out-half Jo McCaughey intercepted a pass to race clear and score under the posts. McCaughey converted her own try to give her side an early 7-0 lead.

The West Cork side went further ahead when a lovely display of offloading led to Laura Sexton stepping back inside and crossing for her side’s second try. McCaughey converted to stretch Clon’s lead out to 14-0.

Killarney/Listowel/Iveragh dominated possession thereafter but couldn’t get out of their own half due to Clonakilty’s determined defending. It was this tenacity in defence that led to a loose ball being picked up by Clonakilty’s Erin McCarthy who raced clear to score under the posts. McCaughey converted to give her side a 21-0 lead.

Clonakilty got their fourth try on the stroke of half-time when the ball whent through the hands out to Elva McAuley who dotted down. McCaughey converted for a 28-0 lead.

The West Cork club extended their lead early in the second half when Ciara O’Driscoll powered over from close range with McCaughey just wide with the conversion.

Clonakilty continued their dominance for the remainder of the game with tries from Erin McCarthy, Keelin McCarthy, Julie Finn and McCaughey but Killarney/Listowel/Iveragh never let their heads drop and battled throughout.

Killarney RFC/Listowel RFC/Iveragh Eagles RFC: Ellan Moriarty; Sarah Mangan, Keelin O’Shea, Orla Murphy, Hannah Collins; Eliza O’Sullivan (c), Muireann Vivier; Holly Barrett, Lily Mae Donnelly, Kerry O’Shea; Rhianna Russell, Emma Looney; Ciara Eagar, Isabell O’Shea, Danielle Naughton.

Replacements: Nell Thompson, Maggie Walsh, Leanne Griffin, Brooke O’Sullivan, Amy Horgan, Lucy Guiney, Sadbh Coleman.

Clonakilty RFC: Maria O’Donovan; Elsa Quirke, Erin McCarthy, Elva McAuley, Laura Sexton; Jo McCaughey, Julie Finn; Meghan Coakley, Ciara O’Driscoll, Maya McMahon; Aideen O’Sullivan, Chloe Galwey; Phoebe Buttimer, Amie Millen, Niamh Hilliard.

Replacements: Sinead O’Callaghan, Sophie Bell, Ava Sexton, Emily Bell, Seodhna Walsh, Shona Fleming, Leah Egan, Keelin McCarthy.

Munster Clubs Girls U14 Cup Final

Clonakilty 7 – 21 Richmond

Richmond’s Róisín Doyle fired an early warning shot with her acceleration and pace causing Clonakilty problems but the West Cork side’s Aoife Walsh was on hand to execute an excellent tackle to stop what looked to be a certain try.

Clonakilty spent the next 10 minutes camped inside the Richmond 22 but were unable to get over for the game’s opening try with Richmond’s openside Hannah Clancy getting over for two crucial breakdown turnovers to halt Clon’s momentum.

Richmond’s Eden Waters produced a powerful carry from a tap penalty to give her side some good territory before Clancy managed to use her strength to cross in the corner for the opening try which was converted by Ali McNamara

Doyle then produced an incredible try for Richmond when she took off from the halfway line, evaded a number of Clonakilty defenders before dotting down in the corner. McNamara’s conversion saw Richmond take a 14-0 lead into half-time.

Richmond went further ahead early in the second half when Doyle received the ball out wide before putting on the afterburners to score her side’s third try which was converted by McNamara.

Clonakilty hit back soon after when the ball was shifted out to Rachel Buttimer who used her strength to power over for a crucial try which she converted herself.

Clonakilty’s Isabelle Aherne then made a superb line break as she sprinted towards the try line but Richmond’s Doyle produced a try-saving tackle to thwart the danger.

Richmond were able to hold off further Clonakilty attacks before the referee blew his whistle to signal full-time.

Clonakilty RFC: Aoife Walsh; Sadbh Hart, Ailbhe Byerley, Siún McCarthy, Ella Haughney; Lara Twomey, Matilda O’Donovan; Claire Scanlan, Lucy McCarthy, Róisín O’Brien; Molly Deegan, Rachel Buttimer; Clodagh O’Regan, Caoimhe McCarthy, Isabelle Aherne. 

Replacements: Emily Williamson, Leah Ní Dhonnabhain, Sally McAuley, Thea Bell, Jenny O’Donnell, Lily Allman, Lauren Murphy, Ciara Coakley. 

Richmond RFC: Róisín Doyle; Lexie O’Donnell, Alanna Loughman, Rachel Barry, Julia Oss; Ali McNamara, Gracie Walters; Brooke Earls, Mia Kennedy, Evie Griffin; Lucy Hughes, Gabbie Hartery; Saoirse Madden, Hannah Clancy, Eden Waters.

Replacements: Katelyn Nolan Molloy, Ava Carey, Megan Clancy, Megan Ryan, Makayla Fitzgerlad, Aimee Griffin, Fay Moore.