BANN WOMEN ARE HISTORY MAKERS!

BANBRIDGE WOMEN 21

CLOGHER VALLEY WOMEN 10

Like the opposition, Clogher Valley, Banbridge only started playing competitive rugby at the start of last season and made their first entry into cup rugby this year.

It was a huge achievement for both teams to make the final and they played out an exciting and hard-fought game in front of two sets of very enthusiastic supporters.

But, in the end it was the Rifle Park squad that triumphed 21-10.

Storm Kathleen did its very best to disrupt the game, a gale force wind adding another element for the players to compete with, alongside their first ever experience of playing on

a 4G pitch.

And with the teams not having met previously, the opening exchanges saw each testing the other’s defence and looking for chinks in their armoury.

Banbridge centre Shauna Bennett was first out of the blocks, catching the kick-off and running 50 metres around the stretched Clogher defence.

Banbridge quickly found their shape and threatened to find a gap, but good defence from Clogher saw them able to exit in the end.

No 8 Laura Graham had Bann on the front foot in an attack from a lineout, while strong carrying from Tori Moffett and Sophie Ferris had Valley struggling to cope.

Hard tackling was making for a very even contest, with Valley employing the strong wind at their backs to keep Banbridge pinned in their half.

Following one of these kicks, Valley went close, only for a try saving cover tackle from Bennett which forced a foot in touch.

Bann needed a good lineout to exit, and the combination of hooker Shana Murphy and flanker Aine O’Dowd produced the goods.

A dominant scrum on Bann’s own five metre line saw Valley cough up possession.

Scrum-half Alana Kerr intercepted and made a break, linking with Lilly Campbell to put Elaine Rooney in space, the winger running it all the way out of Bann’s half to ease the pressure.

Twenty minutes had been played before the deadlock was broken.

Out-half Jemma Farrell took a quick tap penalty, her trademark dummy wrong-footing the defender as she set off on a 15-metre run before linking with partner Kerr.

The scrum-half went close to scoring before Lilly Campbell pounced on the ball to make sure it was over the line, Farrell’s conversion taking her side 7-0 ahead.

Relentless defensive work was creating a platform for Bann to show their attacking capabilities.

Great work by Chloe Ferris set full-back Eimheir Toal off on a blistering run which saw her evade the tackles of several defenders before it was brought to a halt by a superb cover tackle inside the Valley “22”.

When play moved back into Bann territory, Valley worked off the back of three consecutive penalties to force their way over for a try in the corner, just reward for the great attacking rugby they had shown glimpses of during the half.

And with just two minutes remaining, and again using the wind to their advantage, they picked up a second try, their hard running centre making a burst and linking well for their full-back to score in the right hand corner.

With neither try converted, Bann went into the break facing a 7-10 deficit.

Now enjoying the benefit of the elements, Bann began to play with more structure to their game.

Strong carries by Abbie Gray, Toni Weir and Alannah Stephens had them on the front foot, working their way steadily into the Valley “22”.

Farrell’s dummy took her into space and an offload out the back had Kerr racing over the line for her side’s second try, the Farrell conversion taking the score to 14-10.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, Adele Buller and Emily Leen joined the fray to add energy and strength, with Buller making an immediate impact as several breaks threatened to take her over the line.

The forwards began to lay siege to the opposition line. Moffett, Stephens and Murphy came close to punching their way over before Farrell was able to carry two would-be tacklers across the line and score Banbridge’s third try, adding the extras to make it a two score game.

Bann’s focus was now on containing Valley in their own half and they used the wind to good effect as the fast-paced game began to take its toll on both sets of players.

Buller was dragged down just short of the try line before a final flourish from Valley was brought to a halt by a penalty which Farrell kicked into the stand to finish the game.

The large travelling Banbridge support and players exploded in delight, job done!