The Front Row Union Sport - AIL Women: Old Belvedere 57 Malone 12

AIL Women: Old Belvedere 57 Malone 12

Oct 4, 2021

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Ollie Campbell Park was the venue for the last game |The FRU’s southern correspondent attended so it was fitting that his first post-apocalypse report should be from the same hallowed grounds. The maestro would have approved of much of what the home team produced, in particular the boot of Hannah Tyrell who sent over a number of very impressive conversions as her side ran out comfortable winners over visitors Malone.

Report and images by John Crothers

Thankfully, the forecast wind and rain failed to materialise and we were treated, instead, to a glorious autumn evening with the ground bathed in golden sunshine for much of the match.

Sarah Carty slides in for the first of her hattrick against Malone

Belvo didn’t hang around and were on the board in the 7th minute when right wing Laura Carty crossed for the first of her hat-trick.

Sadly, we lost a Malone player and Belvo’s Jenny Murphy to injury before Carty pounced for her second as she collected Hannah Tyrrell‘s cross-kick with the fly-half adding the first of those excellent conversions from out wide.

Tyrell, Jemma Jackson, Elise O’Byrne-White and Vic Dabanovich O’Mahony all crossed for the home side before the interval and a half-time score of 40-0 looked very ominous indeed for the visitors who had fought gamely but still had nothing to show for their efforts.

The second half looked as if it was going to continue in much the same vein as tries from Katie Whelan, Clare Gorman and Carty’s third sent the scoreboard operator scurrying to keep up as the home side stretched it out to 57-0 with the hour approaching.

Malone players congratulate No 1 Sarah Murphy who went over for the first of her brace against Belvo.

The last quarter saw the visitors rally as a raft of Belvo subs came on and the home side lost a little of their earlier fluency. Malone got a firm foothold in opposition territory for the first time in the game and benefited from two yellow cards as the referee lost patience following a number of high tackles. Loosehead Sarah Murphy powered over for a brace with Alexa Grudgings adding a conversion as the last act of the game.

OLD BELVEDERE: Grace Miller; Laura Carty, Elise O’Byrne-White, Ailbhe Dowling, Clare Gorman; Hannah Tyrrell, Jemma Farrell; Alice O’Dowd, Rachel Murphy, Vic Dabanovich O’Mahony, Jan Carroll, Clodagh Dunne, Ivanna Dempsey, Erin King, Jenny Murphy (capt). Replacements: Melissa Hayden, Emma Buckley, Ciara O’Dwyer, Katie Whelan.

MALONE: Holly Brannigan; Anna Stanfield, Sophie Armstrong, Peita McAlister (capt), Fern Wilson; Alexa Grudgings, Rachael McIlroy; Sarah Murphy, Neve Jones, Niamh McCloskey, Jasmine Ward, Hannah Beattie, Rebecca Smyth, Shirelle Wilson, Lauren Maginnes. Replacements: Ashleigh Currie, Aoife Cahill, Emma Taylor, Erin Jones, Cara O’Neill, Jill Stephens, Ella Durkan.