The Claremorris girls headed to Ballina on a cold misty grey Saturday. As the troops gathered they noticed they were down a few of their team mates from the last battle and that great win against Tuam/Galwegians. However that didn’t damping the spirits.
The home side started strong and seemed to catch the Claremorris girls cold. With some fine running lines the locals went 10-0 up. The Colts needed someone to get them going and who better than the captain Nicole Mullee to do just that. She tackled and rucked her way into the game and led her troops on the road to a comeback.
Assisted by Hannah Duffy and Lara Quirke the forwards set up the platform for some fine play which set up Kaytlin Mullaney for her first try of the day. Molly Ager was very unlucky with the conversion which came back off the post.
Both teams were trying to play rugby which was not easy due to the underfoot conditions. The Colts forwards again led the charge with Aine Mangan and Louise Reaney working hard to allow the hard working no 8 Hannah Duffy crash over the try line to bring the teams level. Again Hannah saw her conversion attempt come off the posts.
Ballina hit back with a well worked try. From the next scrum the Colts scrum half Kaitlyn Mullaney seem to skip across the mucky pitch to score one of her now famous tries from the back of the scrum as it finished 15-15 at half time.
As the second half began the Colts faced into a cold stiff breeze. The second half was a great display of attacking and defensive rugby from both sides. The game went over and back with neither side taking any prisoners. Emma McGing cleaned up a lot of loose ball and got the Colts back line into the game. Vicky Jennings and Ellyn McHugh put in a lot of big hits to keep Ballina attackers at bay.
However as the game wore on and the conditions took their toll & the home side started to find the gaps and slipped in for two tries. But back came the Colts with determination and the M&M twins Muireann and Micheala Gormley putting their bodies on the line with some crushing tackles. The last Colts try came from great team play, started by Rebecca Flemming the ball went across the pitch and with great hands from Hannah Duffy she sent Kaitlyn Mullaney in for her hatrick.
By the end of the game it was hard to tell the two teams apart as both were carrying a heavy layer of muck. A great game of rugby with Ballina pulling away at the end to win 34-20. The Colts are improving with every game and are learning on the job. A special mention has to go the Colts captain Nicolle Mullee who put in heroic performance today.
Colts: Molly Agger, Aine Mangan, Lousie Reaney, Nicole Mullee, Lara Quirke, Hannah Duffy, Kaitlyn Mullaney, Vicky Jennings, Muireann Gormley, Michaela Gormely, Ellen McHugh, Rebecca Fleming, Emma McGing.
