Old Belvedere 19-17 UL Bohemian
Old Belvedere sealed their third league title in a row in a dramatic tussle with UL Bohemian in the Women’s All-Ireland League final at Donnybrook Stadium.
In a game full of twists and turns, Belvo were hanging on to a 19-12 lead for dear life in the closing minutes.
UL Bohs piled on the pressure and Liz Burke's late try gave Ireland captain Niamh Briggs the chance to send the game to extra-time, but she missed a difficult conversion and Belvo hung on to take the glory.
The reigning champions, who finished the regular season in third and beat Dublin rivals Blackrock last weekend in the semi-finals, began the game strongly.
However, due to a number of handling errors and knock-ons, it took until the ninth minute for the Belvo’ girls to register their first score of the evening courtesy of a try from German-born left wing Franziska Klappoth.
Klappoth ran in after a sweet pass from 2015 World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year nominee Sophie Spence, playing at number eight. Outhalf and captain Nora Stapleton failed to add the extras.
Old Belvedere continued to turn the screw on Bohs, who had finished the season top of the table, particularly at the lineout, but the Limerick side had the upper hand in the scrums.
At the 20-minute mark, there was a distinct shift in momentum after some sublime high balls from Bohs' outhalf Briggs.
Then a penalty awarded against Old Belvedere for not rolling away at the ruck led to a lineout for UL Bohemian. Hooker and Six Nations winner Fiona Hayes drove over for the try at 23 minutes. Briggs duly converted to edge her side 7-5 ahead.
This score seemed to spark the Dublin 4 side back into life. Some excellent phase play in the closing minutes of the half with some slick moves from openside flanker Niamh Fitzgerald and right wing Hazel Rooney led to a terrific team try scored by outside centre Emer O’Malley.
Stapleton nailed a tricky conversion five metres from the touchline to make it 12-7 in Old Belvedere’s favour on the stroke of half-time.
After the interval, Old Belvedere continued to show great endeavour, including some fabulous off-loading work from Irish international tight head prop Ailis Egan.
Stapleton then showed her international pedigree to break through the Bohs defence, beating several tacklers on her way to crossing the white wash on 48 minutes. The Donegal woman converted her own try.
This only served as the cue for UL Bohemians to raise their game. It was Pua who scored the 52nd-minute try that put Old Belvedere 19-12 ahead, as Briggs missed the conversion.
With just a converted try separating the two sides, UL Bohemian continued to put their opponents under serious pressure.
They camped on the Belvo five-metre line in the match’s dying moments and left wing Liz Burke, who has been a prolific try scorer all season for her side broke through to score in the final play of the game.
It looked like Bohs would send the game to extra-time but Briggs missed a tough conversion and Belvo prevailed.
Old Belvedere: B O’Donovan, H Rooney, E O’Malley, A Donnelly, F Klappoth, N Stapleton, K Dane, F O’Brien, S Lynch, A Egan, E Dunne, S Moore, R O’Donnell, N Fitzgerald, S Spence.
Replacements: E O’Byrne White for H Rooney, M L Reilly for S Moore (both 40 mins) F Gleeson for S Lynch (64 mins).
UL Bohemian: A Staunton, K English, S Pua, D Nic A Bhaird, L Burke, N Briggs, L Beamish, F Reidy, F Hayes, L Barbour, A O’Sullivan, S Hartigan, M Darcy, S Radic, C Pearse.
Replacements: Claire Keohane for K English,E Murphy for S Radic (both 40 mins), M O’Donnell for D Nic A Bhaird (53 mins), L Galvin for L Beamish (70 mins). Sidney Montano, Robyn Gleeson, Hannah Davey, Louise Galvin,
Referee: Gary Glennon (IRFU)
