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Details

Date Time Competition Season
18 November 2023 5:30 pm AIL Womens Div 1 2023/24

Match Report

Flannery Penalty Keeps Robins Unbeaten

Kate Flannery’s second half penalty proved to be the deciding factor as UL Bohs continued their unbeaten run with a narrow win over Railway Union.

Railway had built up a 7-0 lead shy of half time but a strong comeback in the second half by the hosts changed the dynamic of the contest and the outcome.

Eilis Cahill crossed from close range in the second half as UL got on the board with Flannery levelling matters from the tee. A few minutes later Flannery was accurate from close range of the tee to put three between the teams and from there the hosts battled hard to keep their lead.

Weather conditions made play tricky in the first half, from the start Railway pinned Bohemians into their own half and struggled to make it out of their own half.

A stiff breeze gave Flannery a tough time in trying to clear the lines as wave after wave of Railway offence was causing issues. The electric combination on the wings of Chisom Ugwueru and Clara Barrett were trying their best to race down the channels but were given few yards by the Dubliners.

Numerous handling errors cost UL Bohs in that opening stanza, when they did get forward and pinned Railway back it failed to materialise a score as the ball was turned over at the breakdown. Railway were hitting ground well and Nikki Caughey was launching the ball into the UL half that was testing Aoife Corey at full back.

Aimee Clarke was just one of their electric runners who was trying to force the opening score, with a strong lineout game always playing into their hands, the visitors were looking menacing when they launched an attack.

The pressure told shy of the break Railway using their forwards to put intense pressure on the Bohs backline and Molly Boyle powered her way over for the games opening try. Caughey landed the extra points on offer for a big momentum shift for the visitors.

Bohs were littered with errors in the half and towards the latter stages of that period of play tried to score prior to the break but again they lost possession and had to build again after the half time deliberations.

Fiona Hayes made a string of changes at the break as Eilis Cahill, Lily Brady and Jane Clohessy came on to help strengthen the pack while Aoibhin O’Flynn came in to replace Barrett who suffered a knock.

Ugwueru was another injury worry going off for Laoise McGonagle late in the opening half, the strength of depth and never say die attitude was an intense performer as UL shone in the second half.

The changes in the pack caused Railway nightmares at scrum time, UL applied pressure early and having got close to the try line a scrum on the quarter of an hour mark in the second stanza would soon spell trouble for Railway.

Penalty after penalty going the way of the hosts as Railway were doing everything to keep the hosts out. In the end they saw yellow for Patricia Doyle and down to 14 Bohs smelled blood. Confining their savage onslaught on the Railway backline the pressure was too much and Cahill powered her way over for the Bohs try. Flannery converted and we had a level game.

Five minutes later UL kept that savage pressure on with the numerical advantage in hand they were doing their best to create another score another infringement awarded a penalty for the hosts and Flannery wasted no time dissecting the uprights and scoring her 68th point of the campaign so far.

Railway threw everything but the kitchen sink at trying to take the contest, using their bench also as Niamh Byrne made her return for the first time this season to try influence the way but Bohs just had enough in the tank.

It was not just an individual performance from the hosts that got them over in this one, 1 to 22 they showed savage work rate from start to finish and with seven wins in succession are a serious prospect this season.

UL Bohemian

15Aoife Corey Full-Back
14Clara Barrett 20 Winger
13Alana McInerney Centre
12Stephanie Nunan Centre
11Chisom Ugwueru 22 Winger
10Kate Flannery Fly-Half 65'
70'
9Abbie Salter-Townshend 21 Scrum-Half
1Ciara O’Dwyer 19 Prop
2Beth Buttimer 17 Hooker
3Fiona Reidy 16 Prop
4Sarah Garrett Lock
5Claire Bennett Lock
6Eva McCormack Flanker
7Clodagh O’Halloran 18 Flanker
8Chloe Pearse No. 8
16Eilis Cahill 3 Prop 64'
17Lily Brady 2 Flanker
18Jane Clohessy 7 Flanker
19Brianna Heylmann 1 Flanker
20Laoise McGonagle 14 Winger
21Aoife O’Shaughnessy 9 Centre
22Aoibhe O’Flynn 11 Winger

Railway Union

15Aimee Clarke Full-Back
14Rhiann Heery Winger
13Maddy Aberg Centre
12Kayla Waldron 22 Centre
11Ava Ryder Winger
10Nikki Caughey Fly-Half 40'
9Claire Keohane 20 Scrum-Half
1Grainne O’Loughlin 17 Prop
2Meabh Keegan Hooker
3Kirstie Stevenson Prop
4Keelin Brady Lock
5Faith Oviawe Lock
6Deirdre Roberts Flanker
7Molly Boyne Flanker 40'
8Lindsay Peat No. 8
17Patricia Doyle 1 No. 8
18Salome Trauth Flanker
19Leah Tarpey Centre
20Dani Franada 9 Full-Back
21Sarah Browne Scrum-Half
22Niamh Byrne 12 Winger

Past Meetings

(Cup Final)
28 - 12
Energia Cup Series
Templeville Road

Railway Union V UL Bohemian

(Round 8)
55 - 17
Energia Cup Series
Willow Lodge

Railway Union RFC v UL Bohemian

(Round 2)
5 - 24
AIL Womens Div 1
UL 4G

UL Bohemian v Railway Union RFC

(Cup Final)
51 - 12
Women's All-Ireland Cup
Templeville Road

Railway Union v UL Bohemian

(T4 - Round 4)
14 - 31
AIL Womens Div 1
UL 4G

UL Bohemian v Railway Union RFC

(T4 - Round 1)
14 - 10
AIL Womens Div 1
Willow Lodge

Railway Union RFC v UL Bohemian

(Round 4)
37 - 10
AIL Womens Div 1
Willow Lodge

Railway Union RFC v UL Bohemian

Ground

Annacotty
Oak View, Mulcair Dr, Garraunykee, Annacotty, Co. Limerick

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.