League Table
IRFU Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division 1 2022-23
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackrock College | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 372 | 84 | 288 | 6 | 38 |
| 2 | Railway Union RFC | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 380 | 52 | 328 | 7 | 35 |
| 3 | Old Belvedere | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 250 | 64 | 186 | 4 | 28 |
| 4 | UL Bohemian | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 174 | 156 | 18 | 3 | 23 |
| 5 | Wicklow RFC | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 127 | 155 | -28 | 3 | 17 |
| 6 | Galwegians | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 183 | 182 | 1 | 5 | 15 |
| 7 | Suttonians | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 97 | 301 | -204 | 2 | 12 |
| 8 | Ballincollig | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 61 | 367 | -306 | 0 | 6 |
| 9 | Cooke | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 44 | 327 | -283 | 0 | 0 |
League Table Compiled automatically from results in References [1-3]. For Official League Table please visit the IRFU website at: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/women/league-tables/ [Last Accessed 30 October 2022]
Women’s Conference Finals Results & Fixtures
| Match Day Conference Semi-Finals |
|---|
15 - 10Galwegians vs Suttonians |
46 - 12Wicklow RFC vs Ballincollig |
| Match Day Conference Final |
22 - 17Wicklow RFC vs Galwegians |
Results Compiled from results in References [8]. For Official Results please visit the IRFU website at: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/women/fixtures-results/ [Last Accessed 30 October 2022] Please click on Results Scorers in matches.
Women’s Division Finals Results
| Match Day Division Semi-Finals |
|---|
13 - 8Blackrock College vs UL Bohemian |
34 - 19Railway Union RFC vs Old Belvedere |
| Match Day Division Final |
27 - 7Blackrock College vs Railway Union RFC |
Results Compiled from results in References [8]. For Official Results please visit the IRFU website at: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/women/fixtures-results/ [Last Accessed 30 October 2022] Please click on Results Scorers in matches.
Results
Results Compiled from results in References [1-3]. For Official League Table please visit the IRFU website at: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/women/fixtures-results/ [Last Accessed 30 October 2022] Please click on Results from round 7 onwards for Scorers in matches.
Round by Round Reports
Round 6 (22 October 2022)
After six rounds of the 2022-23 IRFU Energia AIL All-Ireland League Women’s Division 1 Railway Union RFC and Blackrock College were both undefeated after five games with Railway Union RFC holding the advantage with five bonus points to Blackrock College’s four. On 24 points also with Blackrock College, although having played one game more were Old Belvedere who lost 10-19 to Blackrock College in Round 6. Galwegians and Wicklow RFC were both on 13 points in mid-table and UL Bohemian had made a step up the ladder after a 19-7 win at Ballincollig to go to nine points. Suttonians dropped back to seventh with a bye week and Cooke’s 10-20 loss to Wicklow RFC in Belfast left them still seeking a first win. Railway Union RFC took over top spot from Old Belvedere with their 57-7 victory in Galway over Galwegians. [References: 1-3]
Round 7 (5 November 2022)
Blackrock College scored a 71-7 victory over Ballincollig with eight players going over for a try plus a penalty try to secure the bonus point to move level with Railway Union at the top of the table on points after Railway Union could only score three tries against Old Belvedere in a 15-11 win. Old Belvedere were five points behind the two pace-setters on 24 points after the bonus point loss. Wicklow RFC moved up into fourth on 17 points leap-frogging Galwegians after an historic first ever win over the Connacht club thanks to three penalties and a conversion by Beth Roberts. UL Bohemian joined Galwegians on 14 points as five players gained tries in a bonus point 43-5 defeat of Suttonians who remain in seventh on seven points. Ballincollig and Cooke were still looking for their first victories at the foot of the table. [References: 1-3; 5]
Round 8 (12 November 2022)
The battle of the two undefeated teams went Blackrock College’s way in the most exciting game of the season so far as the ‘Rock defeated Railway Union by 19-17 with missed conversions the difference between the teams as each scored three tries. Old Belvedere finished the League with a 17-8 defeat of Wicklow RFC who fell into fifth behind UL Bohemian after the Limerick team won 55-12 at Cooke RFC. Suttonians defeated Ballincollig 24-12 in the other game. [References: 1-3; 6]
Round 9 (19 November 2022)
Blackrock College went into the break undefeated with a 79-0 defeat of Suttonians, scoring 13 tries in the process including a hat-trick each from Michelle Claffey and Hannah O’Connor. Railway Union took second place at the break thanks to a bonus point 22-5 victory over Wicklow RFC which ensured UL Bohemian qualified for the Division Semi-Finals with the Limerick team cementing their place in the top four with a hard-fought 13-7 victory over West Coast rivals Galwegians who finish sixth. Ballincollig defeated Cooke RFC 15-3 to make the Conference Semi-Finals. [References: 1-3; 7]
Semi-Finals (3 December 2022)
In the Conference Semi-Finals Wicklow RFC scored eight tries on their way to defeating Ballincollig 46-12, while Nicole Fowley scored a try, conversion and penalty for Galwegians in their 15-10 victory over Suttonians.
The main event, the Division Semi-Finals witnessed UL Bohemian keeping league-stage champions Blackrock College scoreless at halftime before Blackrock came out 13-8 winners by the final whistle. The holders Railway Union had to do it the hard way, coming from 19-5 down to defeat Old Belvedere 34-19. [References: 8]
Conference Final (10 December 2022)
Wicklow Rugby Club won their first ever National Title, in only their second year in the All-Ireland League, having finished bottom of the table in 2021-22. Two tries from Meagan Parkinson and one from Sarah Gleeson in the first 16 minutes ensured a fast start, however, yellow cards for Rachel Griffey, Naoise O’Reilly and Caoimhe Molloy let Galwegians close the gap to 17-14 at halftime following tries for Elizabeth McNicholas and Grace Browne Moran. Galwegians Captain Nicole Fowley scored an early second half penatly to level the game at 17-17 but Naoise O’Reilly’s try on the hour mark gave Wicklow the victory, 22-17 the final score. [References: 9]
Division Final (17 December 2022)
Blackrock scored five tries to win the IRFU Women’s All-Ireland title by 27-7 and avenge 2021’s defeat to Railway Union in the Final. Maeve Liston scored two tries for ‘rock, the first after five minutes, however Molly Scuffil-McCabe equalised for Railway Union and with Nikki Caughey’s conversion Railway Union were 7-5 up at Halftime. In the 45th minute Ella Durkan set up Dorothy Wall for the second try and five minutes later Enya Breen went past three players and with the conversion the score was now 17-7. After Caughey saw yellow for Railway Union, Blackrock worked the ball wide for Anna Doyle to score from the resulting scrum, making the score 22-7. Christy Haney took an overthrown lineout with eight minutes to go and Natasja Behan provided the assist for Maeve Liston’s second try to finish off the scoring at 27-7. [References: 10]
About the IRFU Energia AIL All-Ireland League Women’s Division 1 2022-23
The 2022-23 Energia-sponsored IRFU All-Ireland League Women’s Division 1 is the top level of Women’s Club Rugby in Ireland and features nine teams: Old Belvedere from Dublin City North, Railway Union RFC from Dublin City South, Blackrock College from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Suttonians from Fingal (all Dublin, Leinster), Wicklow RFC (Wicklow, Leinster), Ballincollig (Cork, Munster), UL Bohemian (University of Limerick, Munster), Cooke (Belfast, Ulster) and Galwegians (Galway, Connacht). The nine teams play each other once during the Autumn and Winter for eight games in total. The season runs from 10 September 2022 to 19 November 2022 after which the playoffs start. [References: 1-3]
About the IRFU Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is the governing body for Rugby Union on the island of Ireland. Each affiliated club or school nominates a member to their Provincial Branch Committee who then elect members to IRFU Committee. [References: 4]
Photograph of Ireland Women’s Rugby Union Team in Action
References
[1] IRFU (2022) All-Ireland Leagues [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues/ [Accessed 15 October 2022]
[2] IRFU (2022) All-Ireland Leagues Women’s Fixtures & Results 2022-23 [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/women/fixtures-results/ [Accessed 15 October 2022][Last accessed 23 November 2022]
[3] IRFU (2022) All-Ireland Leagues Women’s League Tables 2022-23 [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/women/league-tables/ [Accessed 15 October 2022][Last Accessed 23 November 2022]
[4] IRFU (2022) IRFU Committee [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/irfu/about/irfu-committee/ [Accessed 30 October 2022]
[5] IRFU (2022) Irish Rugby Football Union Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division Round 7 Results Round-Up [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/11/05/energia-all-ireland-league-womens-division-round-7-results-round-up/ [Accessed 6 November 2022]
[6] IRFU (2022) Irish Rugby Football Union Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division Round 8 Review [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/11/14/energia-all-ireland-league-womens-division-round-8-review/ [Accessed 23 November 2022]
[7] IRFU (2022) Irish Rugby Football Union Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division Round 9 Review [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/11/19/energia-all-ireland-league-womens-division-round-9-review/ [Accessed 23 November 2022]
[8] IRFU (2022) Irish Rugby Football Union Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division Semi-Finals Results Round-Up [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/12/03/energia-all-ireland-league-womens-division-semi-finals-results-round-up/ [Accessed 8 December 2022]
[9] IRFU (2022) Wicklow Cement Season Of Great Progress With Conference Title [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/12/10/wicklow-cement-season-of-great-progress-with-conference-title/ [Accessed 12 December 2022]
[10] IRFU Rugby (2022) Blackrock Storm Home to Win Elusive League Title [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/12/17/blackrock-storm-home-in-second-half-to-win-elusive-league-title/ [Accessed 4 January 2023]
Image References
[P-1] Photo Contributor: D. Ribeiro (2022) April 10th, 2022, Cork, Ireland – Womens Six Nations: Ireland 29 – Italy 8. [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/april-10th-2022-cork-ireland-womens-2145443287 [Accessed 30 October 2022] [Added Text by Enda Mulcahy for eirball, 30 October 2022]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to Larrisa McCloyne, Lorna Rose Masterson & Sarah Jane Masterson
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish All-Sports Archive
Last Updated: 4 January 2023
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