UL Bohemian 48-38 Railway Union
Ireland prospects Chisom Ugwueru and Kate Flannery made sure UL Bohemian brought their table-topping form to the big stage, as they got the better of Railway Union in an enthralling Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division final.
The teams made history in the first Women's final to be held at the Aviva Stadium, and electric winger Ugwueru marked the occasion with a hat-trick of tries in an eventual 48-38 victory.
Featuring in the build-up to a number of scores, 20-year-old out-half Flannery also contributed handsomely to a record 14th Energia All-Ireland League title for UL Bohs, who were last crowned champions back in 2018.
Fiona Hayes’ first season back as their head coach had finished with a deserved All-Ireland League and Cup double, beating Railway on both occasions, but the Dubliners can hold their heads high after playing their part in a pulsating eight tries-to-six encounter.
Despite evergreen Lindsay Peat lighting up Railway’s performance with two tries, it was retiring Bohs prop Fiona Reidy who got to bow out with another league winner’s medal, lifting the trophy with captain Chloe Pearse at the post-match presentation.
There was a point between the teams in the final table, and it was the same at half-time after Aoife Corey’s late try, while Claire Bennett was in the sin bin, gave UL a 22-21 lead.
With Ugwueru and Kate Flannery showing the benefit of their recent training time with Ireland, Bohs led on four seperate occasions during a furiously-paced first half.
Aoife O’Shaughnessy, Ugwueru, and replacement Éabha Nic Dhonnacha also crossed the whitewash.Peat, Kayla Waldron, and Maddy Aberg, with her 20th try of the campaign, ran in three impressive individual scores for Railway, who had two brief leads but were unable to hold onto them.
Ugwueru, the 21-year-old player-of-the-match, squeezed over before second row Bennett’s return, and the scoring continued to be tit-for-tat with Railway captain Niamh Byrne and Peat sandwiching a 59th-minute maul effort from Brianna Heylmann.
Stephen Costelloe’s side were only 34-33 behind when Flannery created two crucial scores in the 68th and 77th minute.
Her cross-field kick put Ugwueru racing away to complete her hat-trick, before her run and pass played in Corey, widening the margin to 15 points.
Railway rounded off the scoring past the 80-minute mark, with scrum half Ailsa Hughes sniping over from a close-in ruck.
The 2019 and 2022 champions had their moments, but Hayes’ charges had the answers, particularly during a strength-sapping final quarter.
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