North Down Women progress in Suzanne Fleming Cup

Queens started the game strongly as they attached the visitors with powerful carries from their back row sucking the defence in tight and providing space out wide for their pacey back line. However, North Down Women (NDW) gradually settled into the game and started to press hard in defence. This cut down the Queens space and eventually led to a penalty just outside the NDW 5 metre line. Out-half Eimear Campbell spotted that Queens were expecting that she would kick for touch. Instead she opted to take a quick tap and go. As Queens reacted she offloaded from the tackle putting full back Mollie Moore through the gap. Moore powered clear of the defence, and with a deft change of direction managed to avoid the tackle covering tackle from the pursuing Queens inside centre, to touch down between the uprights. Campbell followed up with the extras. Score 0 – 7.

From the restart Queens pressed hard and went straight back on the offensive. A surging run from their open side flanker took them deep into the visitors 22 metre area, but were penalised for not releasing when the NDW forwards spotted an opportunity to counter ruck at the breakdown. With big carries from Liv Brown in the back row, and Hannah Toner in the centre NDW worked their way back up into the Queens half where they set up a series of pick and goes. This sucked in the Queens defensive line and left space down the blind side. Eve Millar broke left from the base of the ruck, and fed the ball to left wing Carly Lack. Lack committed the last defender and off loaded putting Sam Smallwood right winger Sam Smallwood in for an unconverted score in the left corner. Half time score 0 – 12

The second half was much of the same but, with increased intensity in defence it looked as though neither side would be able to break through to the try line. While Queens were dominant at the lineout, NDW bossed them in the scrums, and further increased the pressure at the breakdown. With around 10 minutes left on the clock the Stacey Marshall made good ground before slipping the ball to Megan Gallogly from the tackle. Gallogly then punched a hole and offloaded to Liv Brown who continued the move . Captain Dani Perry got in on the action as the forwards surged deeper and deeper into the Queens half. Unfortunately the move broke down when the ball was knocked, but NDW again piled on the pressure at scrum time giving scrum half Georgie Montgomery to hustle the queens half backs and force a poor pass resulting in a knock on.

At the scrum NDW were poised to move the ball to the right wing, but Queens recognised the threat and at the last minute pushed their backline out wide. No. 8 Sam Lowry spotted the movement in the defensive line, picked from the base of the scrum, and powered over to the left of the posts. Score 0 - 17

This time NDW ensured that the ball was secured from the restart where the forwards set up a solid platform. The ball was moved to outside centre Angie Eadie who stepped inside the queens defender, broke clear of the tackle and moved the ball on to Moore who was coming at pace from full back. At the breakdown Queens looked certain to steal possession, but as the visiting forwards surged forward the ball was dropped giving NDW the scrum just to the right of the posts outside the Queens 10 metre line. The backline again broke down the blind side with a training field move to take play deep into Queens’s territory where they were awarded a penalty following an accidental high tackle as Queens scrambled to defend their lines. Eve Millar took the quick tap and surged through to score just to the right of the posts. Again Campbell added the conversion. Final score 0 – 24.

North Down team: Tash Thurby, Stacey Marshall, Dani Perry, Kay Jenkins, Courtney Jamison, Megan Gallogly, Victoria Presho, Eve Millar, Eimear Campbell, Carly Lack, Hannah Toner, Angie Eadie, Sam Smallwood, Mollie Moore, Pauline Moore, Sam Lowry, Georgie Montgomery

[Report courtesy of Gary Presho]