17 Dec Girls Under 18’s Leinster U18 Girls Grading Group D
Navan Under 18 girls secured a dramatic away victory on Saturday, edging past Wolves 24–22 in a thrilling contest played in blustery but dry conditions at Clondalkin RFC.
Wolves, an amalgamation of several clubs, made early use of the strong wind at their backs to open the scoring. Navan responded superbly, keeping ball in hand and moving it the length of the pitch for Sarah Byrne to finish in the left corner.
From the restart, Navan again showed their attacking intent, powering through the middle before Ellen Vuckovic crossed for a second try. Maggie Kerin added an excellent conversion into the wind to give Navan a narrow lead, but Wolves struck back to leave the hosts 10–12 ahead at half-time.
The second half remained fiercely competitive. Wolves regained the lead with a long-range score, only for Emma O’Rourke to respond immediately with a try from a quick tap penalty. Another Wolves score set up a tense finish, but with the final minute approaching, Derinn McDonnell showed great pace to break clear and touch down for the decisive try.
Emma O’Rourke was deservedly named Navan’s Player of the Match after an outstanding performance.
Navan Under 18 Girls Squad:
Aimée Kealy, Dara Brady, Amelia Lynch, Roisin Clarke, Emma Hyland, Maeve Sheehy, Grace Evelyn McWeeney, Amy Kennedy, Shera Creamer, Maggie Kerin, Araceli (Tati) Ayesa Garcia, Emma O’Rourke, Sarah Byrne, Derinn McDonnell, Anna-Mae Tracey.
Replacements:
Oliwia Kozlowska, Ciara Byrne, Katie Lynch, Gráinne Vaughan, Ellen Vuckovic, Evie McDonnell, Sine Curley, Aisling Caffrey.