Double success for Portlaoise girls

Leinster GIRLS U-18 League

Portlaoise at home to Portarlington defended a reputation built on previous seasons’ performances and its record at Leinster level.

In the event, four of Portlaoise’s Leinster players were unavailable, but the strength of their bench saw them produce a hat-trick from Orlaith Phelan, a brace from Eimear Corri, and a try each from Tara Buggie and Aoife Murphy. Murphy added to the total with a creditable three conversions as a replacement kicker.

This was a commensurate team effort led by captain Abigail Mullen. In their debut game, Ellen Booth hit the ground running and Elaine Dunne was impressive.

Ellen Rainsford, Ava Drennan, Maeve Mannion, Emily O’Flaherty, Emma Caulfield and Sorcha Mathews consolidated their performance from the previous match. Stalwarts Aoife McNeill, Emma Startin, Róisín McWey, Mairéad Keogh, Lauren Roberts and Robyn Mullen were outstanding in their play.

Once the ball was made available from the powerful pack to the talented backline it was a merely a question of who was going to score. Tara Buggie, a role model as a utility player in the ruck and in the line, showed a huge increase in pace dashing to the line crashing through a rugged Portarlington defence for a try. Aoife Murphy’s latent evasion skills out-smarted the opposition allowing her to score.

The Scoil Chríost Rí relay team duo of Eimear Corri and Orlaith Phelan showed they can off-load the ball with the same ease and understanding as passing the baton.

Portarlington were well worth their try in the dying minutes having applied immense pressure in the final quarter.

U-15 GIRLS DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

Portlaoise’s U-15 Girls’ development team fielded four exciting new players in their match with Portarlington at Togher on Saturday.

Emily Gowing, Emma Caulfield, Glory Amundu and Eabha O’Brien experienced their first full contact tackles and rucks at this age grade.

Aisling Page took no time to put Portlaoise’s stamp on the game, crossing the try line in the opening three minutes. Blistering runs by Sarah Miller left no doubt of her connection to Portlaoise’s international star Alison. Aoife Doyle, Niamh McGlynn, and Áine Camphuijsen were the play makers in the first half. Glory Amandu and Georgia Mullen ploughed through a tough, organised defence while Emma Caulfield turned over possession from the rucks.

Eabha O’Brien then marked her debut with a fine individual try. Portarlington replied with a try but Georgia Mullen scored before half-time giving Portlaoise a 15-5 lead.

Áine Campuijsen switched from play maker to scorer in the second half impressively running in two tries. Portarlington again replied with a try. A second try Georgia Mullen and a second try from Clodagh Behan put the match beyond doubt at 30 - 10.

Girl of the Game went to Eabha O’Brien.