Rachel Nolan

 

CYM R.F.C. 12

Tallaght R.F.C. 5

Try: Roisin Doyle

Women’s League Division 4
Terenure Road North
10/11/2018

Tallaght’s women’s team took on fellow strugglers CYM in Terenure. After an encouraging performance against Tullamore last week, Tallaght were targeting the winless CYM for their second victory of the season. But on a day of constant rain scores were at a premium.

Tallaght started the game reasonably well building a couple of good phases through the strong carrying of the forwards but they couldn’t turn this into points. Despite being bottom of the table CYM were game and they were gaining good ground through their big inside centre. Tallaght got trapped in their own half and after twenty minutes CYM made the pressure tell with a try although the referee somehow missed a blatant knock on in the build up.

Not long after CYM extended their lead with another controversial try as the ball appeared to be dropped by the forward before it was grounded. Again the referee missed it and the try was converted to make it 12-0 to CYM. This sparked Tallaght into life and strong carrying in the forwards by Lisa Connors, Rachel Nolan and Lorraine McManus earned Tallaght a penalty five metres out. They opted for the scrum and number eight Roisin Doyle went off the back and showed great strength to get over the line for the try to make it 12-5 at half-time.

The second half was extremely frustrating for Tallaght. They dominated possession but were continually undone by their passing skills. Time and again they engineered good field positions only to waste them with knock-ons and blind passes hitting the ground to turn the ball over. To their credit Tallaght defended bravely when they needed to and CYM didn’t score in the second half but ultimately neither did Tallaght. After a scoreless second half the game finished 12-5 to an ecstatic CYM side who celebrated their first win of the season. CYM played well and probably just about deserved it but Tallaght will be hugely disappointed to have lost that game.

Coach Adam Nolan was also disappointed for his team. “I can’t fault the effort in defence, particularly in the second half. But our handling skills constantly let us down and this meant we couldn’t get our attack going. Those skills can be brought back to the same level we had last season but the only way we’ll improve them is by training as a unit. In terms of individuals Vicky Cobbe and Lorraine McManus both carried a lot of ball but in only her second game of rugby Lisa Connors had a very strong match. She carried well and also put in a number of big hits. We have two weeks now to prepare for Longford away who we beat earlier in the season. If we can work on our issues then that’s definitely a game we can target.”

Woman of the match: Lisa Connors

Tallaght

15. Marta Hoppe
14. Gemma Segrave
13. Cíara McLoughlin (Captain)
12. Eileen Shanahan
11. Angelika Gertz
10. Caoimhe Hogan
9. Shauna Power

1. Lorraine McManus
2. Lisa Kennedy
3. Karen Corrigan
4. Seana Greenhalgh
5. Lisa Connors
6. Vicky Cobbe
7. Rachel Nolan
8. Roisin Doyle

Replacements:

16. Anne Kavanagh
17. Audrey Fullham
18. Martina Fitzpatrick
19. Therese Prendiville

Report: Jim O’Connor
Photos: Anne Kavanagh

Roisin Doyle makes a tackle

Lorraine McManus