Under-18 Girls Connacht Cup Semi-Final: Creggs RFC 46, Ballinasloe RFC 17

Creggs Under-18 Girls have qualified for their first ever Under-18 Connacht Cup Final, which will take place on the Easter Bank Holiday Monday (April 18th).

They scored a comprehensive victory over Ballinasloe in the semi final last Sunday in Creggs.

This was a tight affair for the first half with Creggs getting the first score through Jennifer Morris before Ballinasloe equalised with a try of their own. Creggs then regained the lead after 20 minutes when Sarah Purcell went over for a try in the corner, but again Ballinasloe responded with a try of their own after a quick taken penalty.

However, just before half time Creggs regained the lead when a well taken intercept pass by Sarah Purcell saw her race clear to touch down under the posts which Eabha Dowd converted for a 17-10 half time lead for the Creggs girls.

The second half saw the Creggs girls up the intensity. There were hard carries upfront from Ella Brady, Roisin Maher, Nadine Fitzmaurice and the inform Gabrielle Kilcommons, We also saw brilliant recycling from Emily Murray, and excellent distribution from Aoibhinn Murray at 9. It all combined and we saw the Creggs girls putting the ball wide at every opportunity, scoring three excellent tries in the corner through Mary Ann Jordan after excellent hands from Rachel McDonald, Rachel Gormey and Caoimhe Walsh set her free.

Two more scores came from Jemima Adams Verling and both of those tries were converted by Eabha Dowd. In Defence Eadaoin Walsh Grace Hanly and Grace Scanlon were excellent and on their introduction Eabha Conroy, Jean O’Boyle, Roisin Shanagher, Julie Ann Fahy and on her debut Faye Loftus all played a huge part in this victory. Well done to all the girls and their coaches.

Creggs will play Sligo RFC in the Final of the Connacht Cup in the Sportsground in Galway on the Easter Bank-Holiday Monday, the 18th of April.