Women: AIL Week 6 – St Mary’s v Cooke

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Six weeks in and we’ve covered every team in the league except UL Bohemians, that’ll soon be put right as Cooke and UL Bohs go head to head twice in November, but it does look as though I’m starting to get a grip on the teams with another four out of four for this week’s match predictions!  😯  😈  😀 

St Mary’s 7 Cooke 34

Cooke were bolstered by the return of Irish Internationals Claire McLaughlin and Ashleigh Baxter for their trip to St Mary’s and the visitors started the game in fine form as they set about pounding the home team’s line for most of the first quarter. 

Unfortunately Cooke only had a Jemma Jackson penalty to show for their dominance and on the 20 minute mark a superb break by Paula Fitzpatrick was finished off by Orla Fitzsimons, converted by Saidhbhe O’Riordan, to give the home side a 7 – 3 lead. 

Cooke hit back almost straight away with Emma Jordan crossing out wide. The try went unconverted and Cooke took a 7 – 8 lead into the break. 

The game opened up in the second half as Jordan crossed for her second try of the afternoon and a quick flurry of scores from McLaughlin and Jackson put the game to bed with Jackson converting both. 

McLaughlin crossed again with the last play of the game, converted by Jackson, to give the visitors a convincing 7 – 34 win. 

Highfield 17 Galwegians 22

Highfield put in another big performance at their base in Cork this time though they went down to Galwegians by the odd score in the 17 – 22 defeat. 

Once again it was Mairead Coyne who saved the day with a late score to push the visitors clear after the game was tied at 17 all.  These Connacht girls really like to go to the wire, by my reckoning that 10 league points they have picked up this season with the last play of the game. 

UL Bohemians 25 Blackrock 7

Bohs continued on their merry way at the top of the league with a no fuss bonus point win at home against Blackrock. 

An early try from Bohs was quickly overturned when Blackrock youngster Eimear Corri broke from deep to score under the posts for a converted try to push the visitors into the lead. 

From then on though it was all one way traffic, as far as the scoring was concerned, a rejuvenated Niamh Kavanagh grabbed a brace, scoring at the end of each half, and Ciara Griffin and Niamh Briggs also crossed in between Kav’s double. 

Poor old Railway finished up on the wrong side of a one score game for the fourth time this season, this time going down by five points to Old Belvedere. 

Old Belvedere 17 Railway Union 12

First half tries by Ulster’s Nikki Caughey and Katie O’Dwyer saw Railway defend a 12 – 10  lead deep into the second half. However a late penalty was kicked to the corner by Nora Stapleton and Jennie Finlay barged over from close range from the resulting lineout. 

Stapleton converted and despite intense pressure from the visitors Belvo held on for the win. 

We now go into a weeks break for International and Provincial camps but the next two rounds, in November should prove interesting as all the teams play back to back fixtures, no doubt shorn of their international players. The next two set of prediction could be ropey! 

Pictures below from St Mary’s v Cooke.

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