We’re just over a third of the way through the regular season fixtures and it looks as though the Women’s All Ireland League is continuing to split as the top four continue to pull away from the bottom four. 

I’m afraid our featured team, Cooke Women RFC, continue to remain planted in the bottom half, slipping to 6th place after a comprehensive defeat by Old Belvedere at Shaw’s Bridge on Sunday afternoon. 

Cooke, resplendent in their new kit, got off to the best of starts with Eliza Downey crossing and Jemma Jackson converting to give the home side a 7 – 0 lead. 

However Old Belvedere kicked it up a gear and hit back with scores from Maria Kenny, Linda Djougang and a brace from Alison Millar to take the score to 7 – 31 at the break. 

A more even second half saw Miller complete her hat-trick before Shannon Davidson sneaked in for a second try for Cooke, again converted by Jackson. It was the visitors though that had the final say as Nora Stapleton grabbed a try, to add to her six conversions and a penalty, to give a final score of Cooke 14 Old Belvedere 45.  

Pictures below from Cooke v Old Belvedere by Ian Humes.

Team	P	W	D	PD	BP	PTS
U.L. Bohemian	5	5	0	100	2	22
Old Belvedere	5	4	0	127	4	20
Galwegians	5	4	0	51	4	20
Blackrock	5	3	0	0	2	14
Railway Union RFC	5	1	0	-14	4	8
Cooke	5	1	0	-47	3	7
St. Mary’s	5	1	0	-121	2	6
Highfield	5	1	0	-96	0	4