Five-try Ballina are crowned champions of Connacht
The Ballina team after winning the Connacht Rugby Bank of Ireland Under 18 Girls Cup Final at Dexcom Stadium, Galway. Pictures: INPHO/James Lawlor
A narrow league win over Tuam/Oughterard earlier in the season was replicated when the stakes were much higher, as Ballina were crowned Connacht U18 champions after tight, tense, hard-fought battle at the home of Connacht Rugby.
After an equally tough semi-final that saw them overcome home side Creggs, Ballina made the trip to the Dexcom Stadium with a squad of 30 players for the cup decider against Tuam/Oughterard.
Conditions were wet and windy but both sides got stuck in from the off, with Ballina trying to get their quick backline moving whilst Tuam/Oughterard were opting to keep it tight among the forwards. With fine running from Emma Tolan, Grace Kennedy, Grainne Moran and Emily Foley, the Mayo girls always looked dangerous so it was no surprise then when Ballina struck first with a fine try from out-half Ciara Golden which was converted by Leah Hopkins to give them a 7-0 lead.
That advantage was short-lived however, as Tuam/Oughterard had squared things up only five minutes later. Ballina settled themselves again and regained the lead on 25 minutes with a fantastic team try finished off by the impressive winger Grace Kennedy.
The score went unconverted but some ferocious tackling from Ailish Quinn, Zoe Fox and captain Etain Rowland, to name a few, continued to create turnovers which would pay dividends against for Ballina when Emily Foley crossed the line, following an initial break from Eimear Collins. Leah Hopkins converted to leave the score 19-7.
Ballina, who brought with them a tremendous support on the day, almost had a fourth first-half try as Foley dribbled the ball from almost the halfway line only to be taken down metres from the line with the referee only awarding a penalty. Just before half-time, Tuam/Oughterard scored a deserved second try to leave the score 19-14 at the break and all to play for.
Ballina had the breeze in the second-half and were using it well, with most of the early stages seeing the majority of the play in the Tuam/Oughterard half. It was little surprise then that, following some sustained pressure, Ballina eventually crossed in the corner with Kennedy getting her second try of the day. And the Moysiders had a fifth moments when Grainne Moran crossed over to give Ballina some breathing space, leaving the scoreboard reading 29-14 with only 10 minutes to play.
To their credit, Tuam/Oughterard never lost hope and a fine team try cut the lead to eight points. Ballina thought they had another try a minute later only for the referee to call it back for an earlier infringement.
Ballina’s defence was excellent in the final seven or eight minutes with Tuam/Oughterard camped in the Ballina half yet outside the 22 for the remainder of the match, as excellent tacking from forwards and backs saw the Mayo side lift the U18 cup.
With 25 of the 32 players available throughout the season all underage next year, Ballina will have a great starting point in a bid to retain the title. The team included Irish U18 captain Ailish Quinn and her international teammates Grainne Moran and Emily Foley, with no fewer than ten of the squad selected to represent Connacht at the upcoming 7s inter-pros at either U16 or U18 level.
Irish international Caelan Doris took time out of his busy schedule to meet some of the victorious Ballina players at the clubhouse on Creggs Road.
Ballina squad: Etain Rowland, Leah Hopkins, Beibhinn Gill, Roisin Foody, Eimear Foody, Aoife Kelly, Zoe Fox, Ailish Quinn, Emily Mescal, Ciara Golden, Grace Kennedy, Emma Tolan, Emily Foley, Émer Collins, Grainne Moran, Shauna Donnelly, Jane Bourke, Kathy Langan, Alicia Campbell, Isabel Lynott, Tori Markwick, Emma Murphy, Jane Gilvarry, Abbey Barrett, Aoibhe Donnelly, Sally Feeney, Chloe Rochford, Ruth Kenny, Evie Kennedy, Kate Gallagher, Lilly Higgins, Ria O’Horo.
