Women's Rugby: Two victories achieved on historic day for Navan RFC

Sunday 24th September was a 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 Navan RFC 𝒂𝒔 for the first time two adult women's teams 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 simultaneously 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉es one and two.

MICHELLE CLAFFEY

Senior Women's Update

Leinster Womens Division 3 (Sunday 24th September)

Navan 27

Athy 12

Balreask Old, Navan (H/T: 22-7)

Navan Women's 1st's had their second League game of the season welcoming Athy to Balreask Old. The weather was going to make this a very tight affair with a lot of pressure on the forwards for set piece. Athy were first to strike, nabbing a try in the first two minutes and securing the extra two.

Navan settled into the game. Some strong carries from the forward pack gave Navan an excellent platform to launch their attack. 𝙆𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 managed to draw in to two players to release 𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝘾𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙮 with the winger crashing over in the left corner. Caffrey, fresh from her try scoring duties collected the restart, carried strong up the pitch. Navan resourced their ruck, giving 𝙋𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙖 𝙆𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 quick ball.

Her crisp passing released 𝙀𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙅𝙤 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 who evaded her defender and found herself in space, racing up the pitch. With Navan on the attack 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚 nabbed Navan’s second try of the day, diving from close range.

𝙄𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙣 sliced through the Athy defence after excellent carries from the pack, collecting her third try of the campaign.

The engine room of 𝙀𝙢𝙢𝙖 𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙗𝙮 and 𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 worked tirelessly throughout the afternoon to create space. Edging closer to half-time Navan were hoping to benefit from their possession and White collected the fourth try of the day.

𝘼𝙤𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙍𝙮𝙖𝙣 got her name on the scoring sheet with her conversion. The strong wind picked up in the second half, Athy benefitting from it. Even with many forced changes from both sides defence stayed strong with neither team conceding ground.

Athy broke the deadlock with their winger dotting dot after a prolonged period of pressure. With the time ticking away the Navan scrum gave dynamic No 8 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚 a platform to release 𝙈𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙁𝙞𝙩𝙯𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙙 for the final try of the game, in the last play of the game.

At the final whistle Navan were delighted to collect maximum points against an experienced Athy side.

Navan now sit in first place in Division three after two rounds.

Next Fixture is away to Portlaoise next Sunday, 1st October.

Navan Senior Women's 1st Team Squad:

1) Emily-Jo White, 2) Róisín Watters, 3) Lauren Fitzpatrick, 4) Emma Looby, 5) Mairead Carty, 6) Aoife Ryan, 7) Ava Galvin, 8) Rosie Searle, 9) Paula Keating, 10) Ciara Quinn, 11) Alanna Caffrey, 12) Molly Fitzgerald, 13) Kayleigh Crinion, 14) Shaunagh Keogan, 15) Isabelle Brereton, 16) Racheal Browne, 17) Meabh Sexton, 18) Louise Crinion, 19) Geraldine Lynch, 20) Jackie Shiels, 21) Allie Flynn.

Leinster Womens Division 5 (Sunday 24th September)

Navan 17

Birr 5

Balreask Old, Navan (H/T: 17-5)

Navan Women's J1/2nd's had their first game of their League campaign on Sunday the 24th of September after last weeks walkover over Louth County. It was a wet welcome to Navan for Birr. Birr were first to strike with a try. This spurred the Navan team into action. Winger 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 opened her scoring account with a try in the left corner. This was only possible by the work of the forward pack giving some very good front foot ball. The backs managed to move the ball across the pitch for Moriarty to sneak in in the left corner.

𝘼𝙞𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙆𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙮 was next to strike for a score for Navan. Her solo effort is a contender for try of the season. Kelly collected a restart in her own 22m. She took it to the line and backed her footballing skills with a chip over the top. The bounce of the ball was in her favour and she ran in under the posts unopposed. 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙝 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙨 opened her account, adding to the Navan scoreline, leaving it 12-5.

In advance of half time 𝘾𝙞𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙆𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙙𝙮 managed the pack, working them around the field, with strong carries from 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙖 𝙈𝙘𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮, 𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙝 𝙊'𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣 and 𝙏𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙣. 𝘼𝙗𝙗𝙞𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙣 gave the home side a half time scoring advantage of 17-5 getting her first try of the season. The back three for Navan making use of the space provided to them by their strong pack led by 𝙉𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙆𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙮.

Rolling into the second half Navan continued in their groove, with a strong gust behind them, remained camped in the Birr 22 for a long period of time. Unfortunately, Navan had two tries held up over the line, 𝙇𝙤𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙩𝙩 and Khairy. Birr worked their way down the pitch however 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 on her debut for Navan hit a beautiful 50:22 to give Navan a foot hold back in the Birr 22. Morris managed the game from 10, directing the play and getting Navan into the right areas.

At the final whistle Navan were delighted to collect maximum points against a strong Birr side who had in particular excellent attacking centres.

Navan now sit in first place in Division five after two rounds.

Next fixture is away to De La Salle Palmerston next Sunday, 1st October.

Navan senior women's J1 (seconds) team squad:

Navan - 1) Sarah O'Brien, 2) Chelsea McGroarty, 3) Louise Elliott, 4) Thanuja Dharmasena, 5) Anna Mennis, 6) Tara Quinn, 7) Niamh McManus, 8) Nour Khairy, 9) Ciara Kennedy, 10) Leah Morris, 11) Jessica Moriarty, 12) Michelle Stafford, 13) Anita Lennon, 14) Aisling Kelly, 15) Abbie Thornton, 16) Susan Trehy, 17) Mary-Louise Bridgeman, 18) Eloise Newman, 19) Orlaith Daly, 20) Victoria Quinn.