Women’s First XV v Lansdowne FC

The Mary G’s faced an away trip to Lansdowne in their third game of the season last weekend. This proved a somewhat historic occasion as this was Lansdowne’s first home game in their inaugural year as a senior women’s team. On a blustery day in the shadow of the Aviva stadium, both teams battled the elements to produce a rip roaring game of physical rugby.

It was the visitors who drew first blood after 10 minutes with some lovely offloading work in midfield, following an impressive carry by second row Erica, allowing Scho to dot down under the posts. The try converted by Rhya despite the cross wind. Another 50-50 spell of play ensued for the remainder of the first quarter but after that the home team hit a purple patch that saw them record 3 tries, 3 of which were converted to give them a 19-7 lead as half time beckoned on the horizon.

Nevertheless, the ever determined Mary G’s were not to be found wanting, and took the game by the scruff of the neck before the break in play. A lovely move involving all the backs saw Erika release down the left wing and looking certain to score in the corner only to be denied by a very questionable intervention by one of the Lansdowne second rows. Having been playing an advantage, however, the team reset and a barnstorming run by Rosemary saw her crash over for our second try of the day despite the attention of three Lansdowne defenders. Half time score of 19-12 gave the Mary G’s a pit of pep in their step and this continued into the second half as the ladies picked up right where they had left off.

After another impressive carry in midfield by AJ, patience was key as the Mary G’s worked through the phases as front rows Jaffa and Sarah impressively linked up to win hard yards and retain possession despite a resolute counter-ruck effort by the home. Eventually it fell to Anna to pick off the base and crash over for our third try of the day which to leave the girls just 2 points adrift of the hosts.

Lansdowne tried to hit back over the next period only to be denied by a brilliant defensive effort, especially from debutant Aoife who made several key interventions coming in from her wing to kill Lansdowne getting any go forward momentum. And that defensive effort was eventually rewarded with a scrum being awarded to the Mary G’s after a huge tackle in midfield by Rosemary forced a knock on some 15 metres from the Lansdowne line.

From the resulting play, Rhya spotted a gap as she picked from the back of the scrum and dotted down for a text book scrum-half poacher try to give us the lead. Minutes later, another impressive attack down the left wing saw some wonderful play by Erika and AJ as they both, one after the other, managed to skirt the touchline but stay in play and recycle the offload through Aoife to keep the ball going forward. Some lovely quick hands by the forwards moved the ball quickly into midfield where it found Scho running a beautiful inside line to shatter the Lansdowne defensive line and allow her dot down under the posts for the second time on the day. Rhya duly slotted the conversion to give the Mary G’s an unassailable lead. Lansdowne pressed hard late on but the Mary G’s defence held firm and refused to break.

The game did end on a sour note though with Anna picking up an injury late on. All her friends in club wish her a speedy recovery, as we do the Lansdowne outhalf who picked up a bad leg injury in the first half.

Final score, Lansdowne 19 – Mary G’s 29.