Killarney u18 Girls win their 1st home league game

Killarney 24 – Clonakilty 05

Report by Diarmuid O’Malley, Photos by Liam Murphy/Anne Gabbett

Played in very blustery conditions in Aghadoe last Saturday, the girls from Killarney and Clonakilty played a very entertaining competitive game.

Killarney started off very strong and had the majority of the possession for the first five minutes but couldn’t break down a very resolute Clonakilty defence. After 11 minutes a moment of brilliance from the killarney centre Ali O’Donoghue opened up the Clonakilty midfield and went in under the posts to get the first score of the day, which was duly converted by Fia Whelan. Clonakilty were next to score a very good try in the corner to leave the game 7-5 to Killarney.

Next up to score was the killarney number eight Ava O Malley who ran a very good line to break two tackles to score a fine try. Katie O Donoghue was very close to scoring just at half time but the referee deemed her to be held up over the line, to leave the score 12-05 at halftime.

Killarney started off the second half well and Whelan used the strong wind to her advantage with some very good positional kicks. After 12 minutes the hard working Becci Fleming got a very good try after some good strong  carries by O’Malley, Molly Gabbett and Lilly Morris which was converted by Bronagh Dorrian.

Clonakilty fought back very bravely but the killarney defence stood very strong and made a huge amount of tackles to keep there line intact. Killarney finished the game on the ascendancy and Lilly Morris got the fourth try of the day after a very good run by Emer O’Keefe.

The Killarney co-coach Diarmuid O’Malley commented “Clonakilty are a very strong team and we needed to play well today to get out on top. We never had it out own way and that’s a tribute to the Clonakilty defence, it’s great to get the win but we showed we have a lot to work on. It was fantastic to have a recent new joiner Hayley O Callaghan make her debut and we very much have an open door policy to any other new recruits, to pop up on a Wednesday evening at 7pm to give rugby a try”

The Killarney team on the day was:

1. Lilly Morris (joint captain)

2. Becca Mc Grath

3. Molly Gabbett

4. Becci Fleming

5. Orna Driver

6. Katie O Donoghue

7. Clodagh Foley

8. Ava O Malley

9. Robyn Landers

10. Fia Whelan (joint captain)

11. Niamh Dorrian

12. Bronagh Dorrian

13. Ali O Donoghue

14. Molly Jenkins

15. Marina Eagar

16. Emer O Keeffe

17. Keelyn O Leary

18. Hayley O’Callaghan

19. Olivia Gaffey

20. Ellen Considine

Coaches: Diarmuid O’Malley, Josh Whelan, Liam Murphy.
Manager: Jenna Moynihan