U16 Girls Leinster Premier League Semi-Final

Enniscorthy 49

Portdara        7

Enniscorthy’s U-16 Girls rugby team qualified for a first ever Leinster Premier League final with a convincing and hard fought win over a tough Portdara outfit. Captain and scrumhalf Katie Whelan was the undoubted class act on the field with an all action 4 try display in attack and a huge tackle count in defence. Not far behind her was openside Aoife Wafer with a pair of tries and an equally high tackle count. Mia Kelly ended up with 18 points from a try, a penalty and 5 conversions. While not on the scoreboard, both No8 Miria O’Dowd and centre Ciara Boland were both hugely influential throughout.

Portdara kicked off into a very strong wind and indeed dominated the game for the first 8 minutes with a very effective game plan starving the Ross roaders of possession but the always alert Aoife Wafer punished a ruck penalty on half way when she took a quick tap and showed huge determination to break a number of tackles to score under the posts and leave Mia Kelly with a simple conversion. The Laois girls regained their composure and really put it up the home team for the next 10 minutes, however a storming run by the excellent Miria O’Dowd brought play to the Portdara line and great defence kept out efforts by Ciara O’Leary, Miriam Knoblauch and Jessica Wickham. Whelan released her backs and great hands by out-half Aoife Codd, and Ciara Boland opened the door for Mia Kelly to power over from 20m out. Mia converted for 14 nil. 3 minutes later, good work from Wafer, O’Dowd and Brid Kavanagh won a penalty in front of the posts that was converted by Kelly. Right on half time another great O’Dowd carry brought play to the line. Good hands from the backs set up Mia Kelly who was held up just short. Great support from the always lively Lucy Egan and Taragh Cooper opened the door for Whelan to power over from 5m for her first try with Kelly adding the extras for a 24 nil half time lead.

With the strong wind at their backs, the visitors needed an early score to get back in the game but in full back Lauren Delaney, the home team have a class full back who was coolness personified throughout the second half and dealt brilliantly with all that was thrown at her. Her back 3 partners, Kaci O’Connor and Erin Cahill were rock solid all day. 10 minutes into the new half, good carries by Kelly, Kaci O’Connor, Wafer and O’Dowd brought play the length of the pitch. Quick ruck ball won by an increasingly dominant home pack allowed Whelan pick from 15m out and touch down in the dressing room corner. A great burst by O’Dowd gave Whelan her hat trick off a 5m scrum with the conversion by Kelly. Portdara got their only score after Enniscorthy failed to deal with the kick off and gave away 2 penalties to concede a converted try. Whelan cantered in for her fourth try before good carries by sub Elaine Oladirin and O’Leary opened the door for Wafer to score her second 5 pointer with Kelly adding the extras in the last minute to leave the final score 48-7.

Eamon Whelan’s charges face great rivals Tullamore in the Leinster final to be played on March 30 and one thing is for sure, it will be a far tighter affair than this one sided semi-final, the winning streak now stretches to 23 games.

Team and subs: 1.Brid Kavanagh 2.Lucy Egan 3.Jessica Wickham 4.Taragh Cooper 5.Ciara O’Leary 6.Miriam Knoblauch 7. Aoife Wafer8. Miria O’Dowd 9. Katie Whelan Capt 10.Aoife Codd Capt, 11. Kaci O’Connor 12.Ciara Boland 13. Mia Kelly, 14.Erin Cahill 15. Lauren Delaney. Replacements: Jessica Blythe, Chloe McGrath, Ellen Rogan, Katie Bates, Amelia Morycka, Hannah Byrne, Mikayla O’Leary, Elaine Oladirin, Chelsea Ajaya, Rioghna Hourihan, Laura Doyle.