RANDALSTOWN WOMEN 46 LISBURN WOMEN 10

BY SHONA SULLIVAN

Randalstown Women, sponsored by Galgorm Hotel & Spa, made it a dream start to their Deloitte Ulster Women’s Championship campaign with an eight-try demolition of Lisburn at Waddell Park on Sunday afternoon.

Hooker Sinead Thornton got Town onto the scoresheet with a superb try on debut. Soon followed a brace for Player-of-the-Match, Martina O’Kane playing in the unfamiliar position of centre, with second row Rosemary Hart converting both scores. On the stroke of half-time, Robyn Watt playing lock did really well to claim the bonus-point, crossing the whitewash in the corner to put Randalstown 24-0 up at the break.

The Town side started the second half as they finished the first, with a well-executed score by back-row, Clare Molloy. Lisburn eventually got on the scoresheet after breaking through a resolute Randalstown defence. A moment of magic came when Megan McIntosh ran a fantastic line to make a searing break, powering through two Lisburn tacklers to crash under the posts, before converting her own try. Full-back Jenna Marshall showed great pace to bundle over in the corner for Town’s seventh, before the visitors scored a second try of the afternoon. Emma Orr saw out the game for Town with a final flourish to make the full-time score 46-10.

Up next for Randalstown is a trip to Donaghadee RFC to take on North Down on Saturday 24 September.

Tries: Sinead Thornton, Martina O’Kane (2), Robyn Watt, Clare Molloy, Megan McIntosh, Jenna Marshall, Emma Orr.
Cons: Rosemary Hart (2), Megan McIntosh