Laois/Kildare rugby club secure Leinster League and Cup double

The 2025 Bank of Ireland Leinster Girls Cup Finals were played at Energia Park in Donnybrook on Saturday, May 3. PortDara completed the Leinster Under-14 League and Cup double in the first match of the day.

PORTDARA 22

MULLINGAR 17

The highly fancied League champions PortDara were under pressure from the start, with Mullingar carrying hard. It established territory for second-row Gabriella Babongidila to crash over for the opening score after five minutes.

This setback stunned the Laois/ Kildare club into action. They camped in Mullingar’s half for the next ten minutes. Ultimately, the pressure caused enough problems to carve out an excellent team try for Matilda Pearson, with Caoimhe Murphy adding the conversion for 7-5 in the 21st minute.

The back and forth continued. Mullingar marched downfield. Out-half Ava Carroll moved the ball to Isla Brennan on halfway. From there, the athletic centre Brennan pierced the PortDara defence for a cracking try right in the corner to catapult them back in front by three points.

Direct from the restart, centre Brennan gathered the ball, blasting through and around numerous tackles for a try at the posts, converted by Ava Carroll for a 10-point cushion

PortDara responded in the right way, coming roaring back to apply huge pressure inside the Mullingar 22. Eventually, Cara Murphy was binned for a high tackle on the line. PortDara were awarded a penalty try for 17-14 at half-time.

The second half was an incredibly absorbing contest, with brilliant attacking phases and defensive sets from both teams.

The coaches emptied the benches on both sides to try and gain an advantage in the game. To PortDara’s great credit, they produced a high-class back move for full-back Molly Molloy to dive over in the corner for 19-17 in the 51st minute.

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There were two points between the sides going into the final ten minutes of a ferociously competitive encounter. Both teams threw everything they had at each other. PortDara were not to be denied. Their defence was watertight. Deep into injury-time, PortDara forced a penalty which centre Murphy slotted in the last play of the game.

Scorers– PortDara: Matilda Pearson and Molly Molloy try each, Penalty try, Caoimhe Murphy penalty and conversion. Mullingar: Isla Brennan 2 tries, Gabriella Babongidila try, Ava Carroll conversion

PORTDARA: Molly Molloy; Maci Church, Caoimhe Murphy, Aoife Murphy (Capt), Hayley Ryan, Elizabeth Conway, Linea Mannion; Ava Kelly, Caoimhe Killeen, Alannah Clare, Matilda Pearson, Isabella Cooper, Nora Mahon, Lily Ryan, Maisy Broughall. Replacements: Holly Brown, Annabelle Torpey, Ava Campbell, Ella Jayne Lenehan, Aoileann Ni Chomhraidhe, Roisin Gleeson, Caoilinn Dixon, Kate Keegan.

MULLINGAR: Lily McDermott; Caitlin Donoghue, Isla Brennan, Sarah Gallagher, Jessica Nolan; Ava Carroll, Cara Murphy; Mia Hayden, ⁠Holly Shortt, ⁠Lauren Fennessy, ⁠Gabriella Babongidil, ⁠Kate Loughlin, ⁠Lily-Rose Rock, ⁠Ruby Brennan, ⁠Kayleigh Canning. Replacements: Aoife Walters, ⁠Emma Williams, ⁠Zofia Deska, ⁠Clodagh Burke, ⁠Isabella Carroll, ⁠Cadhla Guilfoyle, Zoe Fitzpatrick, ⁠Riona Sullivan.