The first week of the Women’s All Ireland League featured home wins for Cooke, Old Belvedere and UL Bohemians with Galwegians the only team to record an away win, beating St Mary’s at Templeville Road.
Cooke 14 Railway Union 7.
Our featured match was the closest game of the afternoons offering with Cooke coming out the right side of the scoreline with a 14 – 7 win. The result was something of a turnaround for the Belfast outfit who lost 62 – 5 against the same opposition in the final league match of last season.
Cooke’s coach Grace Davitt has recruited well over the summer and new starts Jemma Jackson, Lauren Maginnes and Emma Jordan all had impressive debuts, Maginnis in particular racking up a lot of yards with the ball in hand.
However it was “old stager” Eliza Downey who was the difference between the two teams in the first half having a hand in both of Cooke’s scores.
Railway Union got off to an impressive start keeping Cooke pinned in their own half for the first ten minutes until a break down the right by Downey set up Beth Cregan for the opening score on the 13th minute and it was a second Downey break that led to the referee awarding a penalty try after a high tackle meters from the line. Jemma Jackson converted both to give Cooke a 14 – 0 lead at the break.
Railway Union battled their way back into the game with a penalty try of their own midway through the second half after a last gasp charge from Downey was ruled illegal. However Cooke regained control for the remainder of the half and were able to see out the game in reasonable comfort.
Old Belvedere 24 Blackrock 0.
Alison Miller was the star of the show for Old Belvedere as they wrapped up a bonus point win against Blackrock.
The ex Portlaoise flyer topped and tailed the scoring, crossing for Belvo’s first try after 15 minute and finished off the game late in the second half with her second to give Old Belvedere a bonus point win.
In between Roisin O’Donnell and Franziska Klappoth crossed for the home side, Jackie Shield’s adding two conversions to complete the scoring.
St. Marys 5 Galwegians 41
St Mary’s suffered a tough opening encounter with Galwegians running riot in the first quarter with Mairead Coyne causing the home side all sorts of problems. The Irish international eventually crossed for four tries and she was joined on the scoresheet by Ciara O’Connor and Nicole Fowley with the Connacht outfit also awarded a penalty try.
Despite conceding six tries in the first twenty minute St Mary’s stuck to their task and played out the remaining sixty minutes as a 5 all draw, center Shayne Richardson crossing for the home side.
UL Bohemians 55 Highfield 0
It was another high scoring game at Annacotty with UL Bohs running in nine tries against Highfield to finish the day on top of the league.
Niamh Kavanagh opened the scoring with Aine Staunton (2), Niamh Briggs and Edel Murphy all crossing in the first half. Briggs converted one to give Bohs a 27 – 0 lead at the break.
Kavanagh and Murphy both crossed again in the second half and they were joined on the score sheet by Liz Burke who completed the scoring after an earlier penalty try. Edel Murphy took over kicking duties in the second half, converting all four tries.
League Standings
After week one the table looks like this:
Featured Gallery: Cooke v Railway Union.
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