"Kilkenny Women Dominate Tallaght in 21-3 Home Victory Under the Lights"

Kilkenny RFC 21-03 Tallaght RFC

Leinster Womens League Division 3

By Marianne Jordan

On Friday night, the Kilkenny Women’s rugby team faced Tallaght under the lights in a thrilling home match. Tallaght quickly gained ground with an early penalty, bringing their line-out to Kilkenny's 22. However, Kilkenny responded with a crucial turnover, and Clara Whelan Fox regained valuable territory up the pitch. Soon after, Tallaght reclaimed possession and scored the first points with a penalty kick in front of the posts, making it 3-0. Kilkenny, undeterred, ramped up their defensive pressure, moving quickly off the line to challenge their opponents.

After Kilkenny regained possession following a kick, a scrum on the 22 showcased the strength and dominance of Kilkenny’s pack. Tallaght attempted a kick downfield, only to be thwarted by Rachel Brickell’s tenacious defense and counter attacking ability.

Kilkenny continued to demonstrate their physicality, with a powerful double tackle by Lorna McMahon and Eve Cronin. Just moments later, however, a yellow card was issued to Kilkenny. Shortly afterward, Eve Cronin seized an opportunity with an impressive 65-meter sprint towards the try line, only to be stopped by a high tackle from Tallaght. This led to a penalty try, putting Kilkenny ahead at 3-7.

Tallaght quickly restarted, but the ball fell short, allowing Kilkenny to play on and bring play into the opposition 22. Following a scrum, Karen Delaney broke through, finding a gap at the halfway line and passing to Eve Cronin, who sprinted down the sideline to score Kilkenny’s second try. Emily Kenny converted, bringing the score to 3-14.

Tallaght pressured Kilkenny with a scrum close to the try line, but Kilkenny’s pack forced a turnover. Clara Whelan Fox cleared Kilkenny’s 22, and the team systematically advanced up the pitch, leading to Kilkenny’s third try of the match. Another successful conversion by Emily Kenny extended the lead to 3-21.

The second half began with Tina Wright making an impact, carrying the ball down the wing. Kilkenny dominated a subsequent line-out, with Wright again barreling forward to gain crucial meters. Kilkenny’s scrum strength remained unmatched, with Tallaght struggling to counter the pack’s power. Even when Tallaght attempted to peel off the back of a scrum, Tina Wright’s fierce tackle halted their momentum.

The game continued in a tense back-and-forth. Tallaght tried to increase the pressure, but Kilkenny met them with equal intensity, shutting down their advances. Although Kilkenny received a second yellow card, they held their ground until the final whistle.

Kilkenny Women celebrated their first win of the season with a decisive 3-21 victory on home turf, showcasing their resilience and teamwork.