Carlow Coyotes 5, Rathdrum 5
A last minute try by winger Louise Conville secured the Carlow Coyotes women’s rugby side a valuable draw against Rathdrum at Oakpark on Sunday.
Recent games between these sides have been quite attritional and with Rathdrum placed second and Carlow third in Division 1 of the Leinster League, Sunday’s game had a lot at stake. Last Spring Carlow knocked Rathdrum out of the Leinster League final.
In bitter cold conditions Carlow did most of the pressing in the first half but the game was still scoreless at the interval.
In the second period the pattern was reversed and 10 minutes in Rathdrum got through for an unconverted try.
Worse was to come for Carlow when they lost influential centre Catriona Cassidy and scrumhalf Emily McKeown through injury. With only one sub available this meant the Coyotes playing the final 25 minutes with 14 players. Rathdrum continued to dominate territory but the Carlow defense, with backrowers Jenny Ardill and Joyce Mahon outstanding, held firm.
In almost the final move of the final move of the game the Carlow pack brought the game upfield before the ball was spread wide for winger Louise Conville to squeeze through for a vital try.
Next week Carlow Coyotes travel Mullingar while the senior men’s teams travel to Longford.
Coyotes
Maureen Young, Louise Conville, Edel Hayden, Catriona Cassidy, Doireann Bashford, Lisa Doyle, Emily McKJeown, Lisa O Malley, Val Timmons, Tanala Keogh, Fiona Cantwell, Nollaig Lyons, Cloe Byrne, Joyce Mahon, Jenny Ardill.
