Queen’s University bounced back from last weeks defeat at Omagh to resume top spot in the Women’s Premiership after their game against City of Derry was called early with Queen’s leading 43 – 0.

I’d been looking forward to catching up with our friends at Derry after their impressive win against Belfast Harlequins a few weeks ago but by the time I’d battled through the Westlink traffic (wft at 12.30 on a Sunday?) Derry were already trailing 5 – 0 after a Diane Ramsey try in the opening minutes.

Ramsey was at it again, by the time I got sitting down, arcing wide from midfield to finish up under the posts for her second score, this one converted by Shannon Buller, to give Queen’s a 12 – 0 lead after 10 minutes.

The game went through a scrappy 20 minutes after that with neither side finding much consistency in the middle of the park but Queen’s eventually put together enough phases to send Buller over for a try, converted by herself, just past the half hour mark.

The home side were well on top against a disjointed Derry and they got their bonus point try just before the break with Nicole Watterson going over, Buller’s conversion taking the score to 26 – 0 at half time.

A chastened Derry put in a big ten minutes at the start of the second half but when Queen’s Abby Sheridan broke down the right to finish up under the posts, for Ruth Montgomery to covert, pushing the score along to 33 – 0.

The word went out that the option to call the game was going to be give in the deficit went beyond 40 points which spoiled the remainder of the game and should not be used in any circumstances in adult rugby.

As it was, a “missed” conversion from Montgomery, after Sheridan crossed for her second try a stop/start 20 minutes later, gave another 10 minutes of play before Rachel McIlroy wrapped it up with a try to push the final score to 43 – 0 .

The win puts Queen’s University at the top of the Women’s Premiership after three rounds.

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