Women’s AIL – Top Four, Round Two
Kick-off 5pm Saturday unless stated
RAILWAY UNION (2nd) v BLACKROCK COLLEGE (1st), Park Avenue
It is almost two years on from Blackrock College’s 16-12 victory over Railway Union at Stradbrook. Hannah O’Connor scored all of their points that day, and the goal-kicking number 8 remains a key figure for the Top Four title run-in.
Ireland starlet Dorothy Wall makes a timely return from a hand injury, as she targets a run of games in advance of the Women’s Six Nations. She packs down at blindside flanker for Blackrock.
Anna Potterton is also added to the hosts’ pack, while Ballinasloe natives Meabh Deely and Aoibheann Reilly come in at full-back and scrum half respectively. Natasja Behan switches to the right wing and Lisa Mullen is at out-half.
Lindsay Peat starts at loosehead prop for Railway, following the announcement of her international retirement. The reigning champions’ pack also includes the freshly-introduced Sonia McDermott, Keelin Brady and Molly Boyne.
Railway director of rugby and head coach, John Cronin, has made five changes to the starting XV, the last of them seeing Aoife O’Shaughnessy and Ava Ryder returning to the back-line.
“We’ve won both games so far this month without playing particularly well, yet we had a really positive week of training this week,” Cronin explained.
“We got a lot of clarity on how we want to play and there was a buzz at the end of every session. All of the players coming in have been performing at training and they deservedly get their opportunity this week.”
UL BOHEMIANS (3rd) v OLD BELVEDERE (4th), UL Arena
Ireland international Eimear Considine is back on the left wing for UL Bohemians’ second round encounter with Old Belvedere at the UL Arena. Both teams had losing starts to the Top Four series.
Bohs boss Niamh Briggs also swaps in Muirne Wall for Louise Costello at scrum half. The Red Robins beat Belvedere 46-17 at the same venue in October, when ‘Belvo captain Jenny Murphy was red carded.
Johnny Garth’s charges will be eager to create more opportunities in attack after being held scoreless by Blackrock. They have not scored more than one try per game since losing 38-26 at Galwegians in late November.
Women’s AIL – Conference
GALWEGIANS (1st) v COOKE (5th), Crowley Park, 2.30pm
Conference leaders Galwegians, who have won five of their last seven fixtures, will have Emma Keane and Aoife Williams at half-back, and exciting youngster Faith Oviawe at lock, for the visit of Cooke.
The Belfast side are boosted by the return of Ulster’s Kelly McCormill at inside centre. They are much changed from last week’s disappointing 37-13 reversal at home to Suttonians.
Cooke’s ever-reliable captain Aishling O’Connell, who bagged a brace off the bench to take her season’s haul to six tries, returns at tighthead prop. There are also starts for Teah Maguire, Hannah Downey, Fiona McCaughan and India Daley.
SUTTONIANS (2nd) v MALONE (4th), JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds
In-form Suttonians are chasing their fourth win in five games and their second of the Conference campaign. Mary Healy and Emily McKeown, two of their top try scorers, will have impact roles off the bench tomorrow.
Malone head coach Jamie McMullan has kept faith with the same 15 players who started last week’s frustrating 17-15 defeat to Ballincollig. Full-back Holly Brannigan now has five tries to her name.
When Sutts visited the Cregagh Red Sox last month, they prevailed 13-12 in nail-biting fashion. With the squad rotated this week, there are seven changes and a new second row pairing of Grainne Tummon and Aislinn Layde.
WICKLOW (6th) v BALLINCOLLIG (3rd), Ashtown Lane
Both clubs will have been targeting this IRFU-live streamed game since before Christmas, particularly Wicklow who, on the back of four successive defeats, are fiercely determined to get back to winning ways on home turf.
Wicklow could not take advantage of Ella Roberts’ rapid counter-attacking runs last Saturday, something they hope to rectifying against Ballincollig. The visitors have a speedster of their own in Heather Kennedy, the scorer of two crucial tries at Malone.
That tense two-point triumph in Belfast gave ‘Collig an early New Year lift. Head coach Fiona Hayes has rewarded her battlers with an unchanged starting XV. Their mission is to avenge November’s 15-10 loss to Jason Moreton’s youngsters.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Bernard Jackman, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey discuss Andy Farrell’s exciting-looking Six Nations squad; Jason Jenkins’ unexpected interprovincial move; and Bernard’s former player at Grenoble, Jordan Michallet, who passed away tragically this week aged 29