Laois players central to North Midlands clinical display when overpowering Metro
The North Midlands team that totally overpowered Metro in their Sarah Robinson Cup game at Togher on Thursday
Thursday saw North Midlands and Metro meet in Portlaoise in the second round of the Sarah Robinson (Girls’ U/17 Development Programme) Cup, with the home side producing an outstanding all-round performance in front of a large crowd.
Back at near full strength, North Midlands settled quickly into their rhythm and imposed themselves from the opening kick-off. Their attacking structure, handling skills and work rate without the ball were evident throughout, while a fierce defensive effort ensured Metro spent very little time inside the North Midlands 22.
Both sides contributed to an entertaining contest, with the battle at the breakdown a particular feature. Forwards and backs alike showed their willingness to compete on the ground, producing some excellent examples of rucking and clear-out work. However, a series of penalties for over-enthusiasm around the breakdown led to a warning from the referee as discipline became an issue for both teams.
North Midlands opened the scoring after just three minutes when Caoimhe Murphy (Portarlington) crossed for the first of her two tries. Metro battled hard to contain the home attack and produced a number of strong defensive moments, with Lexi Higginbottom and Sophie Naughton delivering several big tackles to halt North Midlands momentum.
The pressure continued to build and Lucy Keely (Naas) doubled the lead after ripping possession at a breakdown before showing her pace to race clear. Metro looked dangerous whenever they gained territory, with Ava Kirwan (De La Salle Mary’s) and Tali Neill (Wesley College) combining well to release winger Ellen Treacy (Old Belvedere), who tested the North Midlands defence on several occasions.
North Midlands captain Lily Brophy (Portlaoise) then demonstrated why she has become such an influential figure in the squad. Combining strength, footwork and determination, she powered her way through to score her side’s third try. In midfield, the centre partnership of Catherine Murphy (Athy) and Caoimhe Murphy continued to dominate, carrying strongly in attack and controlling matters around the breakdown.
The bonus-point try arrived through Catherine Murphy, who crashed through the heart of the Metro defence from close range. Lucy Keely added the conversion to push the score out to 24-0. By this stage North Midlands were producing some impressive rugby, moving the ball confidently through multiple phases and displaying excellent handling skills across the pitch.
The back-row trio of Isabelle Doyle-McDonagh (Newbridge), Robyn O’Connor (Naas) and Captain Brophy were central to that dominance, consistently winning collisions and securing quick possession. In the set-piece, Ciara Lacey (Clane) and Mila Mihajlovic (Portarlington) controlled the lineout exchanges and disrupted Metro possession whenever opportunities arose.
Further tries before the interval from Lucy Keely, Caoimhe Murphy and out-half Aoife Murphy (Portarlington) capped a superb first-half display and left North Midlands with a commanding 43-0 advantage at the break.
Both management teams made extensive use of their benches during the second half, ensuring valuable game time throughout their squads. Importantly, the standard of play never dipped despite the changes, highlighting the depth of talent available within both panels.
One of the standout performers after the restart was Saffron Adams (Portlaoise). Displaying excellent handling skills, awareness and finishing ability, Adams repeatedly took advantage of turnover ball and loose possession to score a remarkable four tries. Her contribution was not limited to attack, as she also put in several strong tackles in midfield and continued to drive her side forward.
Metro continued to battle throughout and were unfortunate not to create more scoring opportunities. Defenders Siofra McGlynn (MU Barnhall) and Christina Greenwood (Seapoint) produced a number of textbook tackles to deny Juliette Flanagan (Cill Dara) and Ellen Moran (Naas), whose efforts deserved greater reward.
Adams completed the scoring late on to round off a dominant North Midlands display. It was a performance built on strong defence, control at the breakdown, quality set-piece work and clinical finishing, providing another encouraging step forward for the squad in this season’s Girls Player Development Programme.
Scorers, Saffron Adams (4 tries), Lucy Keely (2 tries, 6 conversions), Caoimhe Murphy (2 tries), Catherine Murphy (2 tries), Aoife Murphy (2 tries) and Lily Brophy (1 try).
Lily Brophy, Chloe Kavanagh, Jessica Delaney, Aoibheann Conroy, Saffron Adams, Molly Fitzpatrick (all Portlaoise); Caoimhe Murphy, Aoife Murphy, Mila Mihajlovic (all Portarlington), Kate Watchorn, Emily Julian, Ellie McCabe, Catherine Murphy (all Athy); Ellen Moran, Lucy Keely, Amelie O’Toole-Drieux, Robyn O’Connor (all Naas); Juliette Flannagan, Lucy Noons, Molly Ryan (all Cill Dara); Isabelle Kavanagh, Ciara Lacey (both Clane); Isabelle Doyle-McDonagh (Newbridge).
