MÉABH DEELY WAS Blackrock College’s scoring star as they wrapped up the regular season of the Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division with a resounding home win.
Blackrock made it eight straight victories by overwhelming Suttonians by 79 points at Stradbrook, sealing top spot and giving them plenty of momentum ahead of their home semi-final against UL Bohemians in two weeks’ time.
Featuring on the wing, Ireland starlet Deely contributed two tries and kicked seven conversions for a 24-point haul. She is now the division’s second top scorer on 68 points, just two behind fellow international Dannah O’Brien of Old Belvedere.
The other semi-final will see reigning champions Railway Union host former leaders Belvedere. The play-off winners will advance to the TG4-televised decider at Energia Park on Friday 9 December (kick-off 7.45pm).
Blackrock fell at the final hurdle last season, but are going the right way about avenging that defeat. The overworked Sutts defence leaked hat-tricks to Rock captain Michelle Claffey and number 8 Hannah O’Connor, who is back finding form after her recent return to action.
UL Bohemians will be tough opponents though, as they ended the regular season with a fifth win in six rounds. Breakaway first half tries from Alana McInerney and teenage winger Clara Barrett – with her fifth league score – set them up for a 13-10 defeat of Galwegians at Annacotty.
‘Wegians were unable to turn their pressure into points, and despite a try for the Blue Belles from Laoise McGonagle, a second half penalty from captain Nicole Cronin was enough to confirm Bohs’ passage through as fourth place finishers.
Railway Union bounced back to winning ways by beating Wicklow 22-5 at Ashtown Lane. Megan Collis and Ireland internationals Aoife Doyle, Ailsa Hughes and Molly Scuffil-McCabe scored a try each for the title holders.
With prop Linda Dempsey claiming their try, it is a measure of Wicklow’s terrific progress this year that they held the league’s standard bearers to just 17 points. Last season they suffered a 142-point hammering at the hands of the same opposition.
Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division – Round 9 Results
- Ballincollig 15-3 Cooke
- Blackrock College 79-0 Suttonians
- UL Bohemians 13-7 Galwegians
- Wicklow 5-22 Railway Union
Semi-finals (Saturday 3 December)
- Blackrock College v UL Bohemians, Stradbrook
- Railway Union v Old Belvedere, Park Avenue
