BUCCANEERS WOMEN 14 N.U.I.GALWAY 12
BUCCANEERS WOMENS team continue to set the pace in the Connacht Womens Development League after a hard-earned 14-12 victory over N.U.I.Galway at windy Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Sunday. They capitalised on two opportunist scores to build a winning platform and then defended heroically as the Students sought to retrieve the situation.
This was Buccettes stiffest test to date against a spunky College outfit. The spritely Students were lively opponents and Buccs, who made three changes to their starting line-up, had to toil earnestly to secure the precious points. All home teams began with the wind to their backs on Sunday but the Athlone girls found it difficult to make headway early on until Colette McSpadden put in a terrific blockdown on a NUIG clearance. She smartly grubber kicked ahead and won the chase to touchdown at the posts for a 7th minute try which she also converted.
They suffered an early temporary setback when Sandra Griffin sustained a nasty nose injury but the feisty scrumhalf soon returned to the fray to make an influential contribution. Buccs dominated play for long spells but indulged in too much lateral running, making it easier for College to defend. One prolonged period of pressure should have yielded a try or two before the visitors’ fullback Katie Kilbane raised the siege with a terrific upfield sally. However, a splendid diagonal kick by McSpadden caused havoc in the NUIG rearguard and, as Tina Kiernan chased up to harry, an unorthodox attempt to kick clear on the left somehow flew into a goalpost pad and Fabienne Cooney was onto the chance like greased lightening to coolly take her try. McSpadden’s conversion put Buccs 14-0 to the good at the interval.
Now it was Buccaneers turn to face the increasingly cold breeze and patches of rain as they strove to protect their lead. NUIG found it difficult to make ground until Griffin was sin-binned on 53 minutes and College set about capitalising on their numerical advantage. Sustained pressure was rewarded when Marie Mongheal squeezed in for a 56th minute try on the left. Buccs maintained their composure and workrate and Lorna Stuart-Trainor made one key turnover inside her own 22 just before Cooney made a blistering break from deep to link up with Kiernan who just could not finish off this counter attack with a try.
Buccs continued to repel the Students with determination and discipline until the final move when NUIG’s best player Kilbane got in for a try wide on the right. The fullback kicked a splendid conversion but Buccs had done just enough to hang on for a narrow 14-12 victory. Katie Bradley and Aislinn Kelleher did well in the forwards exchanges as did sub Mele Kiripati while ‘newbie’ winger Emma O’Brien caught the eye as did Hazel Kilduff.
BUCCANEERS:- F.Cooney: N.Gough, H.Kilduff, T.Kiernan, E.O’Brien; C.McSpadden, S.Griffin; T.Finnerty, C.Mannion, K.Hynes; L.Stuart-Trainor, K.Bradley; A.Kelleher, A.Kemmy and E.Phelan (captain). Replacements:- M.Kiripati (for Griffin, blood sub), M.Kiripati (for Hynes), D.Cromar (for Kemmy), G.Goldrick (for Kiernan), A.Kemmy (for Griffin), K.Downey and M.Babalon.
N.U.I.GALWAY:- K.Kilbane; M.Mongheal, K.Kerrane, R.Julian, R.McGovern; S.Tarpey, E.Kelly; L.Kelly, K.O’Neill, E.Johnston; R.Buckley, E.Howell; A.Hennessy, E.McMahon and L.Fitzgerald. Replacements:- K.Romes, K.Nic Aoghain, C.Kber, B.Oliviera and E.McManus.
CONNACHT COME TO ATHLONE
Connacht Senior squad hold an open training session in Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Friday, November 14th from 10 a.m to 12.30 p.m. All are welcome to come along. Admission is free.
‘YOUR CLUB YOUR COUNTRY’ DRAW
Tickets for the “Your Club, Your Country” IRFU Grand Draw are now on sale from the Underage section of Buccaneers club. Ten great prizes can be won in this super draw including a trip for two persons with the Ireland rugby team to England in 2015 (match tickets, hotel, flights & spending money included). Similar prizes for Ireland’s Six Nations away matches against Italy, Wales and Scotland next year are also up for grabs. A state of the art home entertainment system is another one of the exciting array of prizes on offer. Tickets cost just €10 each and all monies raised from tickets sold by the club goes to the club, so please support.
