Under-18 Girls Beat Combined Northwest/Northeast side

Our U18’s girls were on the road again today with a trek to Ballymena RFC.

Awaiting them were the North West/North East Baa Baa’s. A scratch side with an impressive line up from City of Derry/Limavady/Letterkenny/Ballymena/Randalstown and Ballyclare Rugby Clubs. Our girls soon knew they were in a contest when the talented and recently Ireland capped Mya Alcorn broke challenges and scored a solo effort from the half way line.

The girls soon found their rhythm though with Lucy making a break to gain much needed territory. From the resulting scrum on the opposition 5 yard line, it was the ever present threat of Moya Hill who latched on to a crash ball to score and give Cora an easy conversion to take the lead 5-7

The first half ebbed and flowed with neither side gaining an upper hand with great defensive play from both sides; they cancelled each other out with no further scores.

The second half saw a more enthused performance from the girls with Lauren taking a neat pick up and backed herself to cross the whitewash with a cracking try.

The following ten minutes saw our girls pile on the pressure with constant possession in the Baa Baa’s half, which paid off with Lauren scoring again and converted by Cora for a 19-5 lead and some clear daylight between the two teams started to show.

Moyà Hill, who had been running some great lines all afternoon, made her own break, was well supported by Lucy and in turn Sophie Barrett who scored in the corner.

A highlight for all in attendance was a try saving tackle by Sophie B on the ever dangerous Mya toward the close of which epitomised the graft of all the girls to maintain a second half clean sheet.

Our girls closed out the game with a great backs move from their own half for Lucy to break from the half way line to score under the posts with Cora again converting to round off the scoring 31-5.

Our girls showed great maturity to build on the lessons learned in a hard fought first half to come back the stronger side in the second. The game was an excellent advert for the quality of play in the Province and the girls will relish a repeat against the same opposition at home in two weeks’ time. It should be one for everyone’s diaries.