Girls U14 Plate final
It was a blustery Colts Park for the meeting of Claremorris RFC & Ballinasloe RFC in the Connacht U14 plate final. The conditions were near perfect despite the wind, but the pitch was immaculate after it’s recent grooming. Both teams turned up with steely determination in their eyes on a momentous occasion of the first Colts girls team to line out for a game on the new pitch after Claremorris had won home advantage after a coin toss because a neutral venue was unavailable.
The game started at a blistering pace with both sides running with the ball in hand at every opportunity and some no holds barred tackles made by both sides before Lauren went in practically under the posts for a well worked try and was confidently converted into the breeze by Grainne Hahessey, the girls tackled ferociously and stemmed the Ballinasloe attack at each outset and their efforts paid off when our stalwart scrum half Ruby Phillips went in for our second. Ballinasloe nipped one back before half time leaving the 12-5 at half time.
The girls didn’t need much encouragement during the team talk as the determination was bubbling out of them and they picked up in the second half where they left off with pressure on the attacking threats, they capitalised when substitute Sarah McDonald, new to the game, went over after an excellent jinking run. Ballinasloe pulled another one back, but this was as close they came to the Colts as Grainne Hahessey went over for another before Allanah Fitzpatrick converted a penalty to round off our scoring tally at 25 points. The Colts used their 4 impact subs of Molly Barrett,Alisha Hannigan,Ella Walsh & Sarah McDonald to maximum effect throughout the game but Ballinasloe weren’t finished yet however and thanks to the ever dependable Ruby Phillips who gave the opposition scrum half a day she won’t forget for a while with in your face pressure and with the back up of her younger sister Isabelle (smaller only in stature and not in heart ) who protected the short side fearlessly for the duration, along with Lisa Murphy, Sarah Gleeson, Grainne and Allanah helped keep them at bay for the majority but they struck with minutes remaining but the attempted conversion saw time up and jubilant celebrations from the home team and supporters alike.Colts 25 Ballinasloe 15.
Special mention to 3 integral members of the squad all year and who were absent on the day through illness,injury and other commitments respectively Cloe Moran,Amber Collins and Ellie Maguire. Thanks to Ballinasloe RFC and the referee for a truly cracking game of rugby played in the true spirit of fairness of the game,to all the travelling, home supporters and parents who supplied food for the occasion. The future is bright for girls rugby in Claremorris RFC. #goColts.
