Trinity: 5
Balbriggan RFC 2XV: 49
Balbriggan Womens 2nd XV finally kicked off their 2026/27 season with a great win away to Trinity College 2nds last Sunday.
The game was played in perfect conditions and in great spirit, with both teams giving players their first taste of rugby. Balbriggan players sported pink ribbons in their hair in support of breast cancer awareness month.
Balbriggan started brightly with tries from Rachel Fanning and Lou McCleery opening up a 12-0 lead. Sarah Atterbury then went on a one woman mission to hand off as many Trinity players as she could while running across the pitch! She did force her way over the line shortly after but seemed unable to put the ball down so Siobhan Verdon had to take the ball off her to score. Siobhan soon scored again following a mazy run down the wing.
Trinity defended stoutly but were beaten on the outside when debutant Jenna Dempsey, playing her first ever game of rugby dotted down in the corner. There was time for one more score before the break when Sarah Atterbury made a strong break down the wing, drew the full back and then popped the pass to onrushing captain Antoinette Kemmy to finish. Half Time Trinity 0 Balbriggan 32.
Trinity came out strongly in the second half and laid siege to the Balbriggan line. Stout defence, most notably from another debutant, Kina Jackson, kept them at bay. Against the run of play Balbriggan broke away through Lou McCleery who nearly ran the distance but as the defence closed in she popped the ball inside where Aoife Geraghty was running a brilliant support line to collect the pass and score.
To their credit Trinity kept going and went back on the attack immediately. This time they did get their reward with a try after a prolonged period of pressure.
There was still time for a couple more scores for Balbriggan. Lou McCleery made no mistake after another great break to score under the posts. The final score of the game was probably the best try in the match. From a line out Balbriggan spun the ball across the back line with 5 players involved before Jenna Dempsey received the ball and scorched down the wing to score a fabulous try. The game ended with a final score of Trinity 5 Balbriggan 49.
Thanks very much to our hosts for the game and post-match hospitality. We wish them well for the rest of the season.
Huge congratulations to Kina, Jenna, Lilly Bell, and Annie Thomson on making their debuts, we look forward to seeing them many more times in Balbriggan colours.
