CAITRÍONA FINN RETURNED from Ireland duty to run in an 83rd-minute match-winning try, as UL Bohemian beat Blackrock College 32-29 to claim an epic Energia All-Ireland League three-in-a-row at the Aviva Stadium.
Repeating their late heroics from the 2025 Women’s Division decider, UL Bohs scored in the final play to deny Blackrock who had led 16-8 at half-time, 24-15 on the hour mark, and 29-27 late on thanks to a Jill O’Toole try.
Replacement O’Toole’s 78th-minute effort had Blackrock within reach of their first All-Ireland League title since 2022, but Bohs ran a couple of penalties during the dying embers, and their persistence paid off when Finn broke through after linking with Ava O’Malley.
The last-gasp victory, bringing back memories of Eilís Cahill’s score right at the death against Railway Union last year, saw table-topping UL lift the trophy in Sarah Quin’s first season in charge, and become the first three-in-a-row champions since Old Belvedere in 2015.
Playing in their first-ever final at the home of Irish Rugby, Blackrock led by eight points at the interval thanks to tries from Sam Brackett (21 minutes) and Ireland international Méabh Deely (36), and two Ella Durkan penalties.
Ciara O’Dwyer had crossed to give UL Bohs a brief lead, and Kate Flannery also booted a penalty. Knock-ons and costly penalties were thwarting their progress, though, and Clodagh O’Halloran’s sin-binning also hurt them.
The Red Robins re-emerged from the dressing room with a vengeance, O’Dwyer piling over the try-line again to profit from a yellow card for Maeve Óg O’Leary, Blackrock’s captain in the unfortunate absence of the injured Hannah O’Connor (foot).
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An Andi Murphy try, coupled with a third Durkan penalty, turned the game back in ‘Rock’s favour, only for Bohs, who lost Ciara McLoughlin to the sin-bin, to bounce back brilliantly. They outscored their opponents by three tries to one during a frantic final quarter.
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and Player of the Match Alana McInerney both crossed during a three-minute spell, and despite O’Toole replying for Niall Neville’s side, the Bohs bench, which included Finn and flying winger Chisom Ugwueru, had the biggest impact of all.
UL Bohemians' Chisom Ugwueru celebrates after the final whistle. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
UL Bohemian scorers:
Tries: Ciara O’Dwyer 2, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Alana McInerney, Caitríona Finn
Cons: Kate Flannery 2
Pen: Kate Flannery
Blackrock College scorers:
Tries: Sam Brackett, Méabh Deely, Andi Murphy, Jill O’Toole
Pens: Ella Durkan 3
UL BOHEMIAN: Aoife Corey; Clara Barrett, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Stephanie Nunan, Alana McInerney; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Ciara O’Dwyer, Lily Brady, Ciara McLoughlin, Clodagh O’Halloran, Claire Bennett, Caoimhe Murphy, Ava O’Malley, Chloe Pearse (capt).
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Finn scores 83rd-minute winning try as UL Bohemians claim AIL three-peat
UL Bohemian 32
Blackrock College 29
CAITRÍONA FINN RETURNED from Ireland duty to run in an 83rd-minute match-winning try, as UL Bohemian beat Blackrock College 32-29 to claim an epic Energia All-Ireland League three-in-a-row at the Aviva Stadium.
Repeating their late heroics from the 2025 Women’s Division decider, UL Bohs scored in the final play to deny Blackrock who had led 16-8 at half-time, 24-15 on the hour mark, and 29-27 late on thanks to a Jill O’Toole try.
Replacement O’Toole’s 78th-minute effort had Blackrock within reach of their first All-Ireland League title since 2022, but Bohs ran a couple of penalties during the dying embers, and their persistence paid off when Finn broke through after linking with Ava O’Malley.
The last-gasp victory, bringing back memories of Eilís Cahill’s score right at the death against Railway Union last year, saw table-topping UL lift the trophy in Sarah Quin’s first season in charge, and become the first three-in-a-row champions since Old Belvedere in 2015.
Playing in their first-ever final at the home of Irish Rugby, Blackrock led by eight points at the interval thanks to tries from Sam Brackett (21 minutes) and Ireland international Méabh Deely (36), and two Ella Durkan penalties.
Ciara O’Dwyer had crossed to give UL Bohs a brief lead, and Kate Flannery also booted a penalty. Knock-ons and costly penalties were thwarting their progress, though, and Clodagh O’Halloran’s sin-binning also hurt them.
The Red Robins re-emerged from the dressing room with a vengeance, O’Dwyer piling over the try-line again to profit from a yellow card for Maeve Óg O’Leary, Blackrock’s captain in the unfortunate absence of the injured Hannah O’Connor (foot).
An Andi Murphy try, coupled with a third Durkan penalty, turned the game back in ‘Rock’s favour, only for Bohs, who lost Ciara McLoughlin to the sin-bin, to bounce back brilliantly. They outscored their opponents by three tries to one during a frantic final quarter.
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and Player of the Match Alana McInerney both crossed during a three-minute spell, and despite O’Toole replying for Niall Neville’s side, the Bohs bench, which included Finn and flying winger Chisom Ugwueru, had the biggest impact of all.
UL Bohemian scorers:
Tries: Ciara O’Dwyer 2, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Alana McInerney, Caitríona Finn
Cons: Kate Flannery 2
Pen: Kate Flannery
Blackrock College scorers:
Tries: Sam Brackett, Méabh Deely, Andi Murphy, Jill O’Toole
Pens: Ella Durkan 3
UL BOHEMIAN: Aoife Corey; Clara Barrett, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Stephanie Nunan, Alana McInerney; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Ciara O’Dwyer, Lily Brady, Ciara McLoughlin, Clodagh O’Halloran, Claire Bennett, Caoimhe Murphy, Ava O’Malley, Chloe Pearse (capt).
Replacements: Saoirse Crowe, Niamh Corless, Mary Maher, Anaïs Jubin, Chisom Ugwueru, Abaigeal Connon, Caitríona Finn, Holly O’Dwyer.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Méabh Deely; Andi Murphy, Ella Durkan, Catherine Martin, Maggie Boylan; Abby Moyles, Lauren Farrell McCabe; Aoife Moore, Sam Brackett, Christy Haney, Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair, Kate Jordan, Nikki Gibson, Carrie O’Keeffe, Maeve Óg O’Leary (capt).
Replacements: Ann-Marie Rooney, Megan Brodie, Ava Fannin, Eimear Corri Fallon, Lisa Mullen, Sarah Moody, Cara Martin, Jill O’Toole.
Referee: Jack MacNeice (IRFU).
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