The Midlands and North Midlands engineered two resounding wins over Metro and North-East, respectively, in the third round of the Bank of Ireland Leinster Sarah Robinson (U18) Cup on Wednesday night.

MIDLANDS 41 METRO 0

The Midlands used six different try-scorers to whitewash Metro at Coolmine RFC.

Really, they started as they meant to continue with rapid-fire attacks, the opening try arriving from second-row Anna Mai O’Brien from a scrum on the left side of the field and five phases of relentless rugby in the fourth minute.

It wasn’t long before they were hunting a second, a solid scrum again creating the platform for offloads by Aoibhe Kelly and Hannah Kennedy to put Clodagh Farrell over for Ellie O’Sullivan-Sexton to convert in the tenth minute.

They made a knock-on advantage pay when Shannon Doran gathered up the ball and sharp handling allowed Caoimhe McCormack to ghost through for a second converted try.

All the while Metro out-half Charlotte Nagle and full-back Brooke Fagan-Merrigan were doing what they could in the face of overwhelming pressure.

Hooker Kelly Burke got on the end of another fine move from a scrum turned into front-foot ball by number eight Farrell’s carry. O’Sullivan-Sexton stitching on the conversion for 26-0 at half-time.

The introduction of front-row forwards Kate O’Driscoll and Sinead Farrell gave Metro more momentum in their carrying game to go beside captain Isobel O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan-Sexton’s penalty kept the scoreboard ticking over when flanker Kennedy won a turnover penalty on the floor.

Second-row Saoirse Guinan was the main beneficiary from good work in general play to plunge over from close range for seven points in the 50th minute.

The final say was left to Jodi Ahern when a lineout clicked and the backs combined to put the replacement through for the sixth touchdown.

Scorers – A M O’Brien, C Farrell, C McCormack, K Burke, S Guinan, J Ahern try each; E O’Sullivan-Sexton pen, 4 cons.

MIDLANDS – 15. Sorcha Ryan (Mullingar), 14. Ellie O’Sullivan-Sexton (Mullingar), 13. Aoife Hughes (Tullamore), 12. Caoimhe McCormack (Mullingar), 11. Hannah Cannon (Tullamore), 10. Maebh O’Hara (Mullingar), 9. Aoibhe Kelly (Roscrea), 1. Moya Murtagh (Mullingar), 2. Kelly Burke (Mullingar), 3. Shannon Doran (Edenderry), 4. Anna Mai O’Brien (Mullingar), 5. Saoirse Guinan (Tullamore), 6. Hannah Kennedy (Tullamore), 7. Georgia Young (Mullingar), 8. Clodagh Farrell (Edenderry).

Replacements: 16. Doireann Oman (Tullamore), 17. Maebh Staunton (Edenderry), 18. Abigail Johnston (Mullingar), 19. Eve Byrne (Mullingar), 20. Keelin Byrne (Longford), 21. Abigail O’Connor (Mullingar), 22. Jodi Ahern (Mullingar), 23. Sorcha Tiereny (Birr)

METRO – 15. Brooke Fagan-Merrigan (Clontarf), 14. Teniola Omogbode (Clontarf), 13. Millie Merrigan-Devlin (Greystones), 12. Alyssa Pasley (MU-Barnhall), 11. Sadhbh Furlong (Greystones), 10. Charlotte Nagle (Greystones), 9. Giselle O’Donoghue (Clontarf), 1. Louise Byrne (MU-Barnhall), 2. Sophie Leach (MU-Barnhall), 3. Hope Lowney (MU-Barnhall), 4. Mia Gordon (MU-Barnhall), 5. Katie Colton (MU-Barnhall), 6. Sarah Moody (Greystones), 7. Emily Tarrant (MU-Barnhall), 8. Isobel O’Sullivan (Greystones).

Replacements: 16. Kate O’Driscoll (Suttonians), 17. Sinead Farrell (MU-Barnhall), 18. Emma Counihan (MU-Barnhall), 19. Laoise McAuley (MU-Barnhall) 20. Hannah Scanlon (Clontarf), 21. Aoibhe Curran (MU-Barnhall), 22. Adara Carthy (MU-Barnhall), 23. Sasha Sweeney (Greystones).

NORTH MIDLANDS 57 NORTH EAST 12.

The North Midlands were just far too powerful for North East at Skerries on Wednesday night.

A lightning-opening attack, oiled by a turnover from Orla McDonald, was quickly turned into a try by Amy Rushton in the second minute.

Second row Emma Jane Wilson was the architect of the next strike before Heidi Lyons burst over for Rushton to convert.

NM were really moving the ball at speed, the passes sticking for Faye O’Toole to make the line for Rushton’s conversion to take it out to 19-0 in the 12th minute.

Their defence was causing problems for the North-East, the line speed delivering turnover ball for Niamh Murphy to pick off the fourth try, Rushton tagging on the conversions.

There was still time enough for two more tries from Rushton, which the out-half converted, and Ellie White, benefiting from Sophie Cullen’s surge from deep for 38-0 at the break.

NE centre Rachel Fanning did trojan work in attack and defence, while second row Alma Atagamen was a force in the loose.

Despite a slew of substitutes, North Midlands were intent on building on their lead, Faye O’Toole’s break generating the territory for Lyons to dd the seventh.

Soon, Lyons almost ran the length of the pitch to create the opportunity for centre partner Murphy to register her second try in the 52nd minute.

The last of the nine tries came from a turnover for second-row Ellen Dunne, Lyons taking over the kicking duties for her second conversion.

NE did their best work in the final quarter, showing commendable spirit for Atagamen to punch in a pair of tries in the 61st and 67th minutes, Nicola Campbell adding one conversion.

Scorers – North Midlands: A Rushton 2 tries, 4 cons; H Lyons 2 tries, 2 cons; N Murphy 2 tries; F O’Toole, E White, E Dunne try each. North East: A Atagamen 2 tries; N Campbell con.

NORTH MIDLANDS – 15. Sophie Cullen (Naas), 14. Faye O’Toole (Clane), 13. Niamh Murphy (Port Dara), 12. Heidi Lyons (Naas) 11. Ellie White (Port Dara), 10. Amy Rushton (Port Dara), 9. Julie Nolan (Athy), 1. Aoife Thompson (Port Dara), 2. Lucy Snoddy (Athy), 3. Clodagh Goulding (Port Dara), 4. Alannah O’Brien (Athy), 5. Ellen Dunne (Portlaoise), 6. Emma-Jane Wilson (Port Dara), 7. Kate Noons (Port Dara), 8. Orla McDonald (Port Dara).

Replacements: 16. Lizzie Crumpton (North Kildare), 17. Tegan McCabe (Clane), 18. Caoimhe McLaughlin (Clane), 19. Orla O’Keeffe (Port Dara), 20. Erin Fitzpatrick (Portlaoise), 21. Emma Henry (Athy), 22. Keila Moore (Port Dara), 23. Bridgette Cummins (Clane) 24. Hannah Kelly (Clane).

NORTH EAST – 15. Eve Conway (Dundalk), 14. Maya Toolan (Skerries), 13. Rachel Fanning (Boyne), 12. Nicola Campbell (Dundalk), 11. Emily Flynn (Navan), 10. Lilian Brady (Navan), 9. Shannon Campbell (Balbriggan), 1. Chloe Brady (Navan), 2. Lily Byrne (Skerries), 3. Lauren Bryce (Skerries), 4. Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan), 5. Sarah Guinan (Ardee), 6. Caoimhe Stewart (Ardee), 7. Ava Govern (Ardee), 8. Anna Dawson (Dundalk).

Replacements: 16. Orla Haughey (Ardee), 17. Meah Reid (Navan), 18. Makia Carey (Ashbourne), 19. Alex Connor (Navan), 20. Mia Coan (Dundalk), 21. Sadhbh Casserly (Navan), 22. Kate O’Molloy (Dundalk).