Team: Marina Gaffney, Mairead Rattigan, Cathy Gormally, Medbh Killilea, Urszula
Micklevicz, Anne Carter, Louise Corcoran, Edel Durkin, Mary Corless, Jenny
Buckley, Olivia Greaney, Olivia Wynne (Captain), Caroline Heverin, Grainne
Divilly, Mairead Rooney, Marie Tighe, Amie Hardiman, Breege Newell, Kirsten
Beyer, Clodagh Lynch, Aisling Guilfoyle
Tuam came from 12-0 down to record a fine win over Athlone IT in Creggs on Wednesday
last. Despite Tuam enjoying a lot of possession in the game's early stages, it was
Athlone who opened the scoring. The students turned over possession, and a nice
move ended with the first try of the game. Athlone were celebrating a second try
soon after when they broke to score under the posts. The conversion stretched Athlone's
lead to twelve points. Yet Tuam were not dispirited by the concession of these tries
and just before the break, their efforts were rewarded when Amie Hardiman touched
down. This gave Tuam renewed hope as they went in at the break trailing 12-5.
Tuam came out all fired up as they lay siege to
their opponent's line. Eventually this pressure paid dividends as a Tuam
lineout resulted in Edel Durkin gathering possession and scoring a try.
Minutes later and Tuam were celebrating again
as they took the lead for the first time in the match. Amie Hardiman used
her pace to leave AIT's defence in her wake as she scored her second and
Tuam's third try. Tuam now led 15-12.
As the clock was ticking down, a fourth Tuam try
looked inevitable as the Athlone defence was getting desperate. A break
by Tuam's Grainne Divilly was ended by a high tackle which resulted in
the offender deservedly getting a yellow card.
However Grainne was not to be denied when she
broke from half way, spotting a gap in AIT's defence, and raced unopposed
for a brilliant solo try.
It was a fitting end to a great victory by the
team. Final score Athlone IT 12 Tuam 20.
 So near yet so far, that was the feeling Tuam were
left with on Sunday last after a brilliant performance by the home side
against the table toppers from Limerick which saw them within touching
distance of a victory.
Tuam picked up where they had left off against
AIT when Amie Hardiman scored her third try in two games after just 12
minutes. The try was the first conceded by Galbally in this league and
gave Tuam a 5-0 lead.
However Galbally responded in true fashion with
a good try of their own to level the scores.
Yet this just sparked Tuam into life as they scored
two tries in quick succession before half-time. First, breaking from the
ruck, Olivia Greaney made it 10-5. Caroline Heverin applied the conversion.
Then two minutes later, Amie Hardiman kept her
try-scoring run going with yet another try. This gave Tuam a fantastic
17-5 lead at the break.
Tuam were ruthless in the first half and continued
in the second when thirteen minutes in, a brilliant try by Maired Rattigan
put Tuam further ahead.
Clearly stunned by what was happening, Galbally
finally awoke from their slumber when they scored their second try to
make it 22-10 with less than ten minutes left.
Heartbreakingly for Tuam, two tries and a conversion
by the away side saw victory snatched away from them. The game ended in
an entertaining 22-22 draw.
Great credit must go to both sides but Tuam in
particular considering this is their first season and Galbally have been
dishing out heavy defeats to their opponents.
In addition, Galbally had not conceded a try before
today yet Tuam ran in four!
Well done to all the girls whose performances
in their inaugural year have been absolutely fantastic. The team have
only been in training for five months and have only lost once all season.
Great credit too to the management team.
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