Rugby ladies get back to winning ways | Kelly McGuinness
UCC played host to Carlow IT on Wednesday, November 28th, a day which provided perfect conditions that guaranteed an entertaining game of rugby.
From the first whistle, UCC received the kick off and dominated the game. Zoe Grattage took on the ball and broke the defensive line which Carlow struggled to maintain throughout. The UCC backs got to work on their set plays which soon saw the Munster side enter Carlow’s 22. UCC were rewarded for their efforts when winger Jill O’Donnell broke through two tackles and crashed over the try line. A failed conversion kick from hooker Grattage left the score 5-0 in UCC’s favour in the opening five minutes.After a Carlow penalty miss, UCC set the tempo for the rest of the match making hard breaks and keeping their competitors on their toes. They soon found themselves back where they started, in the Carlow 22. Grattage was rewarded for her massive work rate in the opening half when she charged over the try line making the score 10-0 to UCC.Carlow began feeling the pressure and fought hard against the determined home side, but to no avail as UCC soon found their way back to the try line when O’Donnell once again broke through the Carlow defence. However a second movement cancelled out the try.UCC flanker Hannah Lane made life very hard for Carlow IT in their line out, winning the ball for her team on half-way. This soon resulted in number eight, Eimear Galvin thundering to, and over, the try line making the score 15-0 to the home side.An unfortunate UCC offside meant Carlow received a penalty which they used to their advantage. Their number ten saw an opportunity to go blind off of their scrum which resulted in a try for the deflated Carlow side. A successful conversion kick left the score at 15-7 at half time.The home side were determined to put more points on the board when the second half began. Mairéad Ní Chathasaigh tore through the Carlow defense but the try was controversially disallowed as being held up. The following five-meter scrum saw Clíona O’Shaughnessy burst over the try line to make the score 22-7 after a successful conversion kick by Grattage.Solid kicks from Aoife O Halloran soon meant that UCC were back in the Carlow 22, as UCC slowly continued to dominate on their home soil. Ní Chathasaigh saw a gap in the Carlow defence and broke through their defensive line once again. O’Halloran dummy passed the ball and side stepped through the opposition resulting in another successful try for UCC.
With the score now 27-7 and the bonus try successfully retained, UCC did not begin to lack focus. The determined home side relentlessly fought hard to dominate throughout the entire match shattering the Carlow IT defence. Galvin added further to the score line with impressive leg drive from the back of the scrum making the score 32-7.Ní Chathasaigh, still determined to return to the Carlow try line after her disallowed try, made a fantastic break which saw her finally ground the ball successfully, resulting in a 37-7 UCC win.This was a welcome victory for the home side after two previous losses in the past two weeks. UCC travel to Rossa Avenue to play a friendly against CIT on Thursday at 7pm.