Clondalkin Ladies first taste of things to come

Clondalkins Ladies team got a bit more than they bargained for at last Sundays Division 3 league game against Wexford. This was the ladies’ first match in their newly promoted division three status and it gave them a taste of what’s to come. True to form though the ladies put their hearts into the match. This was the ladies first time playing contested scrums and despite the worries leading up to the match, there was great scrummaging from our lovely ladies, proving that their good technique in the scrum thanks to the coaching of Ciaran Cullen and Ciaran Collins stood up to the test and they showed that they are capable of making the step up to the higher Division. With a mostly inexperienced pack led by Vice Captain, and Leinster senior representative Rachel Vickers our forwards did their job. With Shelly McKeever, Denise Tierney & Nicola Smyth and Micheala Byrne putting in some big tackles on the Wexford ladies, the teams were evenly matched for the first twenty minutes, with the no score for either side for almost the first half an hour. Our debutants Fiona Tighe and Sandie Healy along with experienced Shelly McKeever put in huge performances in their maiden voyage as the Clondalkin front row – Finally getting the nudge on the larger Wexford pack, and taking advantage of this the quick thinking of scrum half Shona Byrne distributed the ball from a scrum in the 28th minute to the backs, with the every waiting second centre Sara Phelan who used her power and speed to get by 4 Wexford backs with a display of speed and power to add another try to her high tally by touching down under the posts for Clondalkin’s first try. This was then converted by the exact kicking skills of Newbie (Ciara Lennon) putting Clondalkin into an early 7-0 lead. However the joy was short lived as the big Wexford pack managed to score a try in the 30th minute, but did not convert. Coming up to half time the play was all on the Wexford line with Clondalkin another score by some excellent defending by the Wexford team. The first half finished when the play was stopped by a knock on leaving the half time score 7-5. Wexford were quick off the mark in the second half, scoring a try in the first few minutes, but again failing to convert. Despite having three ladies who were playing for the first time (Fiona Tighe, Sandie Healy and Aoife O’Reilly) and playing against an established division 3 team who thankfully kept their burning threats to a minimum this year, the Clonettes rounded. After a change in positions as Shona Byrne came off due to injury and Emma McKeever as usual stepped up to the plate moving to scrum half, an injury to Shelly McKeever saw Sandie Healy come back on and the Clonettes were off again. Wexford were quick off the mark in the second half scoring a try in the first few mins, but again failing to convert. Play continued with our ladies putting in some great defending on the Clondalkin line, with Fiona Tighe, Pam Dolan, Ciara “Newbie” Lennon and Roisin Reynolds showing their skills with some heartfelt tackles. Captain Rachel Vickers having represented Leinster the day before, was suberb in defence and attack. Things took a turn when Newbie came off injured after a massive tackle by 2 Wexford players, and the Clondettes had to finish with 14 while Wexford remained with their full contingent. Shortly after this Wexford scored another try, missing their third conversion bringing the score to 15-7. Not to be beaten the ladies rallied and a fantastic break was made by Captain Rachel Vickers with her intercepting a Wexford pass and making a burst for the Wexford try line in the second half only to have her efforts turned over at the last minute by a dogged Wexford defence. Wexford continued to put us under pressure and Clondalkin displayed some very brave defending by Sandie Healy, Ciara Lennon, Catherine Keane and the Tierney Twins but Wexford managed to score another try the score now stood at 20 -7 in favour of the girls from the Sunny South East, but Clondalkin were not to be silenced, with Catherine Keane, Denise and Sioban Tierney combining their speed and strength to make fast yards on the Wexford try line, and putting Sarah Phelan over for her second try of the day. The conversion was taken by Emma McKeever but unfortunately it didn’t hit home. Thus ending the match 20 – 12 in Wexfords favour. Congrats to our three debutants in Fiona Tighe, Sandie Healy and Aoife O'Reilly who lined out fot the first time for thier Club. It has to be noted that the Wexford Vixens gave the Clondalkin Women a taste of what to expect. It was a tough inauguration for the newly established Division 3 team but the team gave it their all, and are now looking forward to the rest of their season.

Added by Linda November 22, 2010 (1:41PM)

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