Bank of Ireland

The Lions forwards took a firm grip on the game, using their forwards Melissa Quirke, Orla Wafer and Carla Cloney to carry through tough conditions. The problem ...

Mullingar moved in front from Butler-Clyne’s first breakthrough, converted by Emily Murtagh. The Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Girls Cup and Plate finals day took place at SETU Carlow sports campus, on Saturday, 7 January with a host of silverware up for grabs. Ultimately, a neat move to the front of a lineout allowed Cosgrove to ghost through in the final play of the game. Straight away, the athletic Zucchini broke the line and showed the speed to make it home from long range for 19-12 in the 32nd minute of the 50-minute match. However, the Louth club were able to steady the ship with a try in the last play of the half when Helena Zucchini won a turnover. It didn’t look too good for them when Wicklow struck for tries by Maeve Ledesma, converted by Flo Dunne, and Alannah Delahunt to make it 12-0 by the 14th minute. Wing Molly-Jane Dempsey scooted over on the left and out-half Lilly Brophy crashed over at the posts for the second and third tries to make it 15-5 at the interval. SCORERS: The advantage of the strong wind at their backs enabled Wexford to apply pressure from which Kubiliute used the pick and go in the 36th and 41st minutes to narrow the difference. In fact, it was a story of hat-tricks as the Mullingar centre and Wexford’s Viktorija Kubiliute shared six of the eight during the hour. There was light at the end of the tunnel for PortDara when the excellent Niamh Murphy stole home in the 33rd minute. As it turned out, it wasn’t nearly enough in the face of a super-focused Wicklow outfit who looked to their bench for impact.