Mullingar travelled to Parsonstown on Sunday the 11th of February for the penultimate game of the league. 

Mullingar were caught on the hop off the kick off. A lapse in concentration and a delay in set up, saw Barnhall cleverly deceive the Mullingar defence and score on the wing within the first few minutes. 

The women switched on quickly after this and defended tirelessly for the next twenty minutes. Working themselves into a scoring position twice but falling short and being held up on the line on both attempts. 

Barnhall then took advantage of the worn out side and clinically worked the ball up the field dodging tackles, to go over for their second of the day. 

Mullingar’s solid defence seen in the previous twenty minutes proved to tire out the travelling side and Barnhall ran in a hatrick ahead of the half time whistle. 

Half time score 27-0 to Barnhall 

A different team returned in the second half, the Mullingar women showed drive and passion. Despite a number of injuries to the already depleated Mullingar numbers, the women dug deep and drove on.

The play was back and forward between the sides, with some big carries and tackles on both accounts. A yellow card came from repeated high tackles by the home side just inside the 22. 

Mullingar knuckled down and knew they needed to take advantage of this. Two big carries from Mulcahy and Boyle saw Doonan pick and go from the ruck and get some well earned points for the Heifers. 

With still twenty minutes to go in a very long and drawn out game the Mullingar women were still fighting, despite having already emptied the bench. 

They defended brilliantly holding out the home sides tactical attacks for the rest of the half. Unfortunately the relentless defence got the better of the Heifers and in the last play of the game Barnhall scored in the left corner. 

Full time score Barnhall 32-5 Mullingar.

It was very much a game of two halves in Parsonstown on Sunday, the women will be hoping to replicate the second half next weekend, when they take on top of the table Tullow at home in Shay Murtagh Park. 

While the result does not favour the Heifers the second half was a credit to the side who really turned up against the current AIL Junior Cup Champions and put on a solid performance. 

Team: Tasha Feery, Kelly Burke, Anna Scanlon, Emily O’Brien, Aoife Doonan, Clodagh O’Brien, Sophie Treanor, Kara Mulcahy, Robyn O’Brien, Aine Hayden, Jodi Aherne, Alana Norris, Charlotte Blackweir, Emily Flynn, Ciara Wynne, Sinead Lyons, Susie Burzawa, Judy Dowling, Sinead Gallagher, Eileen Boyle, Annya Coyle.