PRIDE of place in this column falls to UL Bohemians who captured a second AIL Women’s League in succession after a thrilling final win over Railway Union in the Aviva Stadium.
It was a hectic display of rugby with the lead varying throughout the game.
It looked as if Railway had won it when Katie O’Dywer scored from close range and Caoimhe McCormack’s conversion made it 24-22, but in injury time the Limerick side showed what they were capable of, playing the ball brilliantly the full length of the field and Eilis Cahill, in dramatic fashion, grounded the ball over the whitewash. Kate Flannery famously landed the conversion.
It was also a successful weekend for Thomond, earning the limelight with an awesome victory away to Omagh Academicals, an outcome that returns the club to the Energia All-Ireland League next season.
The Soda Cakes have been putting together a promising squad of local talent in recent seasons that have seen them win the Munster Junior League twice in succession and now they have filled the gap to rise to a greater status.
The success, following the disappointment of the defeat the previous weekend against Bective Rangers, will raise Thomond RFC to a new height and with players such as Jamie McGarry, Kian McGrath, and Jake Connolly, as well as Jason Kiely, who is a brilliant place-kicker and has shown to be an all-round half-back in recent seasons, the Royal Blues will certainly fit in well on their welcome AIL return.
On the URC front, the refereeing of Ginluca Gnuecchi in Munster’s defeat at Cardiff must be questioned.
The result now means that Munster really have to win the tie against Ulster at Thomond Park on Friday week (May 9).
Every single point now matters. A Munster versus Leinster clash in the play-offs cannot be ruled out.
