The second round of the Bank of Ireland Leinster Sarah Robinson (U18) Cup took place in a double-header at Mullingar on Tuesday afternoon.
SOUTH-EAST 59 MIDLANDS 0
First up, the South-East managed to make it two-out-of-two in impressive fashion against Midlands.
The winners scooped up two early tries to have the double impact of settling into their game plan, while completely unsettling their opponents.
Within five minutes, Abby Healy and Robyn O’Connor crossed for tries with Healy converting both of them for a 14-point advantage.
Slowly, the Midlands grew into it, enjoying their best period, a 15-minute spell, in which their forwards came to the fore.
Driven on by hooker Kelly Burke and second-row Anna Mai O’Brien, they just lacked the cutting edge to make their territory count.
As is so often the case, South-East rolled with those punches and hit back with another brace of tries from flanker Ciara Short and full-back O’Connor, Healy converting the first for 26-0 at the half.
The powerful running of Ireland U18 International O’Conor was on show all game long in shooting through for three more tries to make it a personal haul of five. 
The Midlands struggled to get back into the game, despite the strong running of Caoimhe McCormack through the middle.
The centre was able to pierce the first line of defence on more than one occasion, only to lack the connectivity to really stress the South-East defence in which Molly Callery, Ciara Short and Orla Wafer were outstanding.
Out-half Healy distributed the ball well enough for wing Clara Dunne to pick up a try and Healy had the last say with her second to account for 24 points.
Scorers – South East: R O’Connor 5 tries; A Healy 2 tries, 7 cons; C Short, C Dunne try each.
SOUTH EAST – 15. Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers), 14. Clara Dunne (Wicklow), 13. Katie Corrigan (Tullow), 12. Alannah Dixon (Wicklow), 11. Molly O’Gorman (Wexford Wanderers), 10. Abby Healy (Wicklow), 9. Eve Prendergast (New Ross), 1. Aoife Farrell (Enniscorthy), 2. Molly Callery (Wicklow), 3. Melissa Quirke (Wexford Wanderers), 4. Rebecca Brennan (Wicklow), 5. Carla Cloney (Enniscorthy), 6. Bronagh Boggan (Wexford Wanderers), 7. Ciara Short (Wicklow), 8. Orla Wafer (Enniscorthy).
Replacements: 16. Mary Canavan (Gorey), 17. Aoife Cullen (Wexford Wanderers), 18. Faye Elliott (Tullow), 19. Deirbhile Gavaghan (Wicklow), 20. Sophie Murphy (Wicklow), 21. Emer Sweetnam (Gorey), 22. Doireann Kiloran (Arklow), 23. Amelie Birrell (Wicklow).
MIDLANDS – 15. Ellen O’Sullivan-Sexton (Mullingar), 14. Sinead Bowers (Mullingar), 13. Jodie Ahern (Mullingar), 12. Caoimhe McCormack (Mullingar), 11. Sorcha Tierney (Birr), 10. Meabh O’Hara (Mullingar), 9. Abigail O’Connor (Mullingar), 1. Maebh Staunton (Edenderry), 2. Kelly Burke (Mullingar), 3. Shannon Doran (Edenderry), 4. Anna Mai O’Brien (Mullingar), 5. Saoirse Guinan (Tullamore), 6. Claire Burke (Tullamore), 7. Georgia Young (Mullingar), 8. Clodagh Farrell (Edenderry).
Replacements: 16. Doireann Oman (Tullamore), 17. Abigail Johnston (Mullingar), 18. Moya Murtagh (Mullingar), 19. Eve Byrne (Mullingar), 20. Dervela Walsh (Longford), 21. Aoife Hughes (Tullamore), 22. Sadhbh Kelly (Tullamore), 23. Hannah Connon (Roscrea).
NORTH EAST 29 METRO 29
The never-say-die attitude of Metro enabled them to claw out a dramatic draw against North-East.
For much of the tie, they had to play from behind as Alma Atagamen was a force of nature for the North East coming away with a hat-trick.
The big second row served up notice as early as the second minute when going over for the first try in a sign of what was to come from the ‘Balbriggan baller.’
This was quickly overtaken by number eight Isobel O’Sullivan’s effort, the conversion by wing Lucy Nagle putting Metro in front in the 15th minute.
It was then North-East who looked to have asserted their authority as will o’ the wisp centre Emma Brogan cracked the cover in the 18th minute.
The ability to strike quickly was evident as Atagamen broke through for her second, Eve Conway’s conversion good for a 10-point lead in the 20th minute.
However, Metro kept playing to their strengths, using the ball smartly to create chances which were taken by hooker Emma Counihan and centre Brooke Fagan-Merrigan, Charlotte Nagle converting the first for a 19-17 edge at the break.
The North-East made a slew of seven replacements to provide extra energy to what is an extremely young squad with as many as 20 available to play at this grade next year.
That didn’t prevent Atagamen from completing her hat-trick, Shannon Campbell adding the extras in the 40th minute.
Better again, the livewire Brogan was not going to be contained, making it over for her second try as North-East established a 10-point lead for the second time by the 46th minute.
But, Metro had been here before and were not too perturbed, climbing back into it through full-back Charlotte Nagle’s touchdown in the 51st minute.
Ultimately, North-East could not close it out and out-half Sadbh Furlong eaned a well deserved draw with the last of ten tries late on.
Scorers – North East – A Atagamen 3 tries; E Brogan 2 tries; E Conway, S Campbell con each. Metro – C Nagle 1 try, con; I O’Sullivan, L McAuley, S Furlong, E Counihan try each; L Nagle con.
NORTH EAST – 15. Maya Toolan (Skerries), 14. Eve Conway (Dundalk), 13. Emma Brogan (Navan), 12. Rachel Fanning (Boyne), 11. Kate O’Molloy (Dundalk), 10. Lilian Brady (Navan), 9. Alex Connor (Navan), 1. Chloe Brady (Navan), 2. Lily Byrne ( Skerries), 3. Makia Carey (Ashbourne), 4. Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan), 5. Sarah Guinan (Ardee), 6. Caoimhe Stewart (Ardee), 7. Meah Reid (Navan), 8. Anna Dawson (Dundalk).
Replacements: 16. Orla Haughey (Ardee), 17. Lauren Bryce (Skerries), 18. Emily Flynn (Navan), 19. Shannon Campbell (Balbriggan), 20. Nicola Campbell (Dundalk), 21. Sadhbh Casserly (Navan), 22. Mia Coan (Dundalk), 23. Sarah Molloy (Navan).
METRO – 15. Charlotte Nagle (Greystones), 14. Giselle O’Donoghue (Clontarf), 13. Brooke Fagan-Merrigan (Clontarf), 12. Millie Merrigan-Devlin (Greystones), 11. Lucy Nagle (Greystones), 10. Sadhbh Furlong (Greystones), 9. Hannah Scanlon (Clontarf), 1. Kate O’Driscoll (Suttonians), 2. Emma Counihan (MU-Barnhall), 3. Hope Lowney (MU-Barnhall), 4. Laoise McAuley (MU-Barnhall), 5. Katie Colton (MU-Barnhall), 6. Sarah Moody (Greystones), 7. Emily Tarrant (MU-Barnhall), 8. Isobel O’Sullivan (Greystones).
Replacements: 16. Louise Byrne (MU-Barnhall), 17. Sinead Farrell (MU-Barnhall), 18. Saidhbh Poullain (DLSP), 19. Mia Gordon (MU-Barnhall), 20. Adara Carthy (MU-Barnhall), 21. Alyssa Pasley (MU-Barnhall), 22. Aoibhe Curran (MU-Barnhall).
