North Down Women earn cup final place

Queens got the contest under way kicking off into a strong gale which was blowing straight down the Upritchard Park pitch. North Down set up a series of rucks just inside their ten meter line followed by a well-placed kick by captain Shel Laffin, taking play deep almost to Queens 5 meter line. For the next 5 minutes North Down remained camped on the Queens twenty two. The pressure eventually paid off when Ellen Glynn and Emma Coey combined to put in a huge hit on the Queens second row who knocked the ball on in the tackle. Molly Moore stepped forward and hacked the ball through to touch down wide out to the left for an unconverted try.

From the restart, North Down again set up clean ball for Laffin to kick into Queens territory. A good chase again put the visitors under pressure. As they tried to work back out of their twenty-two, Laffin stripped the ball in the tackle. Scrum Half Bex McBratney picked from the base of the ruck, stepped right and popped the ball out to Moore who carved through the defence to touch down for her second try. Score 10 – 0.

The restart was taken cleanly by prop Pauline Moore. Queens now started to get to grips with the wind and set up a great counter attack. Their outside centre showed great pace as she broke down the right wing taking play deep into North Down territory only to be penalised for an infringement at the ruck. Yet again this gave North Down the opportunity to pin Queens back in their twenty-two. Queens kicked to clear their lines, but the strong winds prevented the ball from getting any further than their ten-meter line. Jordan Winters secured the ball at the front of the lineout. Four phases later Mollie Moore found space through the centre and outpaced the covering defence to score her third try just to the right of the posts. Again, the wind played havoc with the conversion attempt. Score 15 – 0.

This time, it was tight head prop Danielle Perry, who fielded the kick and carried the ball back to half way. The ball was recycled quickly and moved to open side flanker Victoria Presho who broke through the first line of defence and was final dragged down by the Queens fullback within touching distance of the try line. Ball was again recycled, but at the next breakdown North Down were penalised when the referee judged the forwards to have gone off their feet at the ruck. Queens decided to take a tap penalty and moved the ball out to the left where they had a four on one. North Down Winger Carly Lack stepped in and wrapped up the Queens centre to prevent her moving the ball. Laffin who was covering across in the line stripped ball in the ruck and drove her way over to touch down for another try.

The gale was now really strengthening, and the restart actually crossed the 10 meter line and then blew back into the onrushing Queens forwards. Presho stole the ball at the breakdown, and two passes later Moore was carving her way through the defence to score her fourth try right under the posts, bringing the half time score to 27 – 0.

Knowing they would have to change their game plan when now playing into the gale in the second half, North Down took full advantage of their bench making several changes at half time. Queens fielded the kick off and immediately used the boot, using the wind to carry the ball deep into the North Down half. The home side used both backs and forwards to carry ball back into Queens territory but were eventually driven into touch giving position back to the visitors. At a breakdown in the mid field Blind Side flanker Coey ripped ball and released Liv Brown who carried forward and set up a clean ruck. The ball was spun quickly to the right wing where replacement winger Sam Smallwood powered past her opposite number to spot the ball down in the corner.

By now handling was becoming very difficult as the wind blew the ball about. The next ten minutes was spent with both sides battling both the conditions as much as each other. Colleen Hutchinson, playing at prop finally broke the stalemate when she stormed through the centre, followed by a secondary carry by Julie Patterson who was stopped 10 metres out from the line, but Queens were penalised for hands in the ruck. North Down took a quick tap to prop Danielle Perry who was driven through the tackle by front row partner Stacey Marshall to score right under the posts. The gale was now so strong that the seemingly simple conversion attempt was blown off course. Score 37 - 0.

Almost immediately from the restart Sam Smallwood found space on the right wing and showed pace to score again in the corner.

At around the 70 minute mark Presho and Brown turned over the ball with a powerful counter ruck. Hutchinson picked the ball from the ruck and broke down the left wing with Anna Robinson and Beth McCamley in support, but was eventually bundled into touch. The students won the lineout and moved ball to the mid field, only to knock the ball on just short of the half way. From the scrum North Down again passed the ball across the back line to the right wing. Smallwood again showed great strength and fought her way through the defence to score her third try of the day.

Queens showed a never give up attitude with a big chase from the restart. The pressure finally paid off when North Down knocked the ball forward just metres from their try line. The Queens number 8 picked the ball from the back of the scrum and slipped down the blind side to score a well-deserved try.

North Down will now have to wait to see who they play in the final as the Lisburn, Dungannon game was cancelled due to water logged pitches.