It may have been controversial, but it would be difficult to argue that Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) women were not good value for a 17-15 win claimed today in acrimonious circumstances over North Midland Falcons. When the whistle blew, confusion reigned after a tight game was decided in the end by a contentious refereeing decision. Regardless, today’s victory did assure Trinity’s progress into the quarter-finals of the Paul Cusack Cup.
If the end was tight, the opening was anything but, with DUFC playing with jerseys inside-out to differentiate themselves from the red-and-black-clad Falcons, looking every inch a stronger Division 3 side compared to their Division 4B opponents. Because of the league status of the Kildare side, the game was 13-a-side and scrums were uncontested. After a knock-on and ensuing scrum direct from Molly Boyne’s kick-off, DUFC gained a penalty five metres out, and Jane Leahy was quick to spot a gap in the Falcons’ defence and touch down.
However, it was not long before some sloppy handling from DUFC handed the initiative back to Falcons, who took full advantage, touching down after some simple rugby. It did not raise suspicions at the time, but the referee’s apparent acknowledgement of a successful conversion would come back to haunt him, with nobody really sure whether the try had been converted or not.
Frustrated, Trinity hit back, and set up camp on the edge of the Falcons 22. It took a turnover deep in Trinity’s own half, however, for the students to regain the lead. Ciara Grogan was sharp with a steal, sharper still as she darted through a gap in the defence, showing electric pace to race away and touch down under the posts. Boyne added the extras, and suddenly DUFC were in the driving seat again.
A whistle-happy referee was not helping the game, with penalties awarded at every turn, and the game was played mostly in midfield for the rest of the half, neither side able to cross the gain line with any degree of frequency.
DUFC started the second half as they had the first, extending their lead with a lovely team try, finished in the right corner by Fiona Tuite after some through-the-hands rugby. Boyne’s conversion, from a tricky angle, fell short.
Hannah Mulcahy brought Falcons somewhat back into the game with three points from the 22, within what they appear to have believed to have been a converted try of DUFC. And, after much turgid midfield play punctuated incessantly by the referee’s whistle, they got it. Mulcahy kicked one of the game’s many penalties to touch, five metres from Trinity’s try line. When Caoilfhionn Culliton knocked on, DUFC might have been breathing a sigh of relief, but a similar handling error from Trinity allowed Mulcahy to scoop up and sprint home. When she converted with moments remaining, it seemed neither side knew if the game was destined to finish in a draw or, as ultimately transpired, the narrowest of victories for DUFC.
Falcons were furious, and coaches told The University Times that they intend to report the decision to Leinster Rugby, but for Trinity, victory was all that mattered. Unless the decision is overturned, DUFC will take on Balbriggan next month in the quarter-finals.
Correction: 21:07, March 25th, 2018
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that North Midland Falcons are from Wicklow. In fact, they are from Kildare.
