Match Report & Photo Gallery: WAIL Rock v Railway 11.4.26

After weeks of preparation, our Women’s 1st XV took to the field in Stradbrook for a home AIL semi-final with everything on the line. Having secured home advantage with a 17–7 win away to UL Bohs, the challenge was clear — Railway Union once again, and an opportunity to respond to the disappointing defeat in the previous meeting. With a place in the All-Ireland Final in the Aviva Stadium at stake, the stage was set.

What followed was an outstanding performance from the squad in extremely difficult, blustery conditions. Playing into a huge wind in the opening half, Railway looked to use the elements to pin Rock back through their kicking game. The response from our women was immense. From 1 to 15, the defensive effort was relentless, with huge collisions, work rate, and discipline keeping Railway at bay.

That effort was rewarded before the break with an excellent team try, finished by Maggie Boylan, to give Rock a deserved 5–0 lead at half-time. It was a narrow advantage, but a hugely significant one given the conditions. Just before the interval, the team also came through a sustained period of goal-line defence to keep Railway scoreless — a moment that carried enormous momentum into the second half.

With the wind now at our backs, Rock started the second half strongly. A superbly judged 50:22 kick from Méabh Deely turned Railway and immediately put us into attacking territory. The pack did the hard work up front, building pressure through a strong maul before Lauren Farrell McCabe spotted her moment and sniped over from close range for a crucial second try. Ella Durkan added the conversion to stretch the lead to 12–0.

As expected, Railway responded and worked their way back into the game. Even then, Rock’s defence forced them to earn every inch, restricting their first score to a wide channel and ensuring the conversion was missed. Later, a close-range maul brought them to within two points at 12–10, setting up a tense final quarter.

The response from the group was exceptional. There was no drop in intensity, no loss of composure, and no shortage of belief. Led brilliantly by captain Maeve Óg O’Leary, who produced a huge performance, Rock worked back into Railway territory and forced a penalty, which Ella Durkan calmly converted from distance to make it 15–10.

With time running out, Railway threw everything forward, but the squad continued to meet every challenge head on. The bench made a major impact, adding fresh energy and intensity at key moments. One final spell of pressure inside the Railway 22 brought another penalty, and once again Durkan stepped up to extend the lead to 18–10 with only minutes remaining.

The final whistle sparked huge celebrations in Stradbrook as Rock secured a deserved victory and booked our place in the All-Ireland League Final in the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, April 26th. It marks our first final appearance since 2022 and is a reward for the work, resilience, and progress shown by the squad throughout the season.

Our Women’s 2nd XV were also in action on Sunday in the Paul Flood Plate. Missing a number of players through injury and availability, the 15 who took to the field produced a hugely committed performance and were unfortunate to miss out on a semi-final place. In a dramatic finish, a late Tullamore try saw Rock edged out 29–24 in a bitterly disappointing result, but one that in no way reflected the effort, heart, and character shown throughout. Hard luck to the group as they bow out of this year’s competition.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support both teams over the weekend. We hope to see an even bigger Blackrock crowd in the Aviva as our 1st XV take on the next challenge.

All photography credit to John Crothers of JC Sports Photography in aid of Barretstown.