Aisling Pyke

Naas R.F.C. 64

Tallaght R.F.C. 19

Tries: Aisling Pyke 3
Con: Caoimhe Hogan 2

Women’s League Division 4
Pitch 100, Firhouse
13/01/2019

Tallaght took on the unbeaten league leaders Naas in their first match after the Christmas break. Tallaght were hampered by losing Angelika Gertz and skipper Ciara McLaughlin to injury early in the match. This forced them to play with one player less than Naas and the home team ruthlessly exploited their advantage out wide. Naas raced into a 28-0 lead at half-time but in the second half Tallaght got it back to 28-14 on the back of two tries from the immense Aisling Pyke both of which were converted by Caoimhe Hogan.

Naas responded like the champions they will surely become. Their coach and Ireland international Jenny Murphy brought on some fresh legs and they ran in a few more tries to settle the game as a contest. However Tallaght showed great heart and refused to give up. They got back down the field again and laid the foundation for Aisling Pyke to force her way over for her hat-trick try which was hugely deserved for her all round performance. The final score was 64-19 to Naas but Tallaght emerged from the game with huge credit for the way they took the match to the Kildare women.

Tackle coach Adam Nolan was delighted with his team’s performance. “Naas are the class team of the league so we were always up against it. Before today they’d only conceded 64 points in ten games combined but we scored 19 points against them. They had the beating of us out wide and like all good teams they exploited that but we really took it to them up front. We scored three tries against them and gave them problems they’re not used to facing. Now we just need to build on this and take this form into our last three league games of the season.”

Tallaght

15. Megan Fogarty
14. Angelika Gertz
13. Ciara McLaughlin (Captain)
12. Eileen Shanahan
11. Lisa O’Connell
10. Caoimhe Hogan
9. Shauna Power

1. Martina Fitzpatrick
2. Lisa Kennedy
3. Karen Corrigan
4. Seana Greenhalgh
5. Lisa Connors
6. Vicky Cobbe
7. Ciara Corcoran
8. Aisling Pyke

Replacements:

16. Anne Kavanagh

Report: Jim O’Connor
Photos: Anne Kavanagh & Cathy Reavy