Tallaght R.F.C. 5

Try: Aisling Pyke

Wicklow R.F.C. 24

Paul Cusack Cup
Tymon Park
05/09/2021

The Tallaght women’s team played their first competitive game for 18 months after the covid enforced break. New head coach Sean Bishop sent out a team with six players making their first senior start.

Tallaght began brightly and captain Martina Fitzpatrick led from the front with some forceful carries. Wicklow were the first on the scoresheet when their speedy backs broke away for a try which they converted to make it 7-0. They followed up with two more tries, one of which they converted to make it 19-0.

Tallaght didn’t let their heads drop though. Chloe Conroy and Emma Irvie both made strong breaks and challenged the Wicklow defence. The Tallaght number eight Aisling Pyke took a quick tap from a penalty and broke two tackles to score an excellent try to make the half-time score 19-5.

In the second half Wicklow threatened to break away to score a few times but Tallaght kept tackling well to keep them scoreless until five minutes from the end when Wicklow scored the only try of the half to make the final score 24-5. Unfortunately both Grainne Flood and Emma Irvin took heavy knocks towards the end of the game and hopefully they will both make swift recoveries.

Head Coach Sean Bishop was delighted with the performance of his team. “Considering it was our first game in 18 months and several of the team were playing their first game of rugby, I was delighted with how we went. That was a strong Wicklow team but we competed really well with them for long stretches of the game. There is definitely plenty we can improve on so we need to get everyone training to work on those areas. Emma Irvin made her first senior start and was excellent and was so unlucky to get injured at the end of the match. Eileen Shanahan tackled very well but our woman of the match was Aisling Pyke who was phenomenal as is as tough as nails.

Woman of the match: Aisling Pyke

Tallaght RFC

1. Larissa Marinelli Perreira
2. Emma Irvin
3. Martina Fitzpatrick
4. Aimee Travers
5. Hilary Allen
7. Louise Leonard
8. Aisling Pike
9. Eileen Shanahan
10. Grainne Flood
11. Jelizaveta Maguire
12. Chloe Conroy
13. Erica Keegan
14. Lisa O’Connell
15. Sorcha Burns

Report: Jim O’Connor