Kilkenny Women rugby side return to winning ways in Leinster League

The Kilkenny Women welcomed Dublin University to Kilkenny on Sunday, determined to get back to winning ways after a recent stumble in their campaign.

A cold, wet December afternoon set the tone—heavy underfoot, slick ball, and a swirling breeze that turned simplehandling into a challenge.

It was never going to be a day for champagne rugby, but it was the perfect stage to showcase Kilkenny’s resilience, grit, and growing maturity as a squad.

Dublin University kicked off and immediately the conditions made themselves known. The early exchanges were littered with knock-ons and fumbles from both sides as players adapted to the greasy ball.

The game struggled to find rhythm, with scrums and stoppages breaking up any potential flow.

DU were the first to settle. Their forwards carried hard around the fringes, keeping things simple and direct.

After a series of short phases inside the Kilkenny 22, a gap finally opened on the edge of the defensive line. DU capitalised, crossing for the first try of the afternoon.

The conversion drifted wide, but the visitors still took a 5–0 lead and the early psychological advantage.

For much of the first half, the game felt disjointed. Kilkenny’s backline, known for sharp lines and fast hands, were kept quiet by both the weather and DU’s line speed in defence.

Passes that would usually stick were slipping away or being knocked forward in contact. It was a frustrating period for the home side, but their defensive workrate and discipline kept DU from extending the lead.

As the half wore on, Kilkenny began to show more intent. The forwards started to win the collisions, giving the backs slightly cleaner ball to work with.

When a penalty was awarded to Kilkenny in midfield, it became the turning point.

From the tap, scrum-half Laura Delaney moved quickly, scanning the defensive line and spotting space. She fired a sharp pass to the charging figure of Tina Wright, who hit the ball at pace and thundered towards the DU defence, dragging tacklers over the gain line.

Just as the cover defence closed in, Wright showed excellent awareness, slipping a quick, snappy pass out to the waiting hands of wing Eve Cronin.

Cronin still had work to do, but with trademark composure she straightened her line, stepped the final defender, and glided over for a superbly worked try. The kick was added, and suddenly the momentum had swung: Kilkenny led 7-5, a scoreline that reflected their growing composure in a scrappy contest.

DU responded with renewed intensity, building pressure and forcing Kilkenny back to within five metres of their own line. A penalty against Kilkenny handed the visitors a prime attacking platform, and it felt like a crucial moment in the match.

The half-time whistle eventually came with Kilkenny still holding their narrow 7-5 advantage. It hadn’t been pretty, but it had been a statement of character.

As the teams emerged for the second half, the weather finally started to ease. The rain slackened, visibility improved, and the ball became slightly easier to handle. Kilkenny seized the opportunity.

From the restart, they asserted themselves physically and tactically. The forwards carried with purpose, recycling the ball quickly and forcing DU onto the back foot. The defensive line speed from Kilkenny improved, and their tackling became more dominant, repeatedly driving DU ball-carriers backwards.

Territorially, Kilkenny took control. They pinned DU inside their own half for long stretches, using a smart mix of short carries and tactical kicking. Patience became the key: phase after phase, they chipped away at the visitors’ defensive line, waiting for the inevitable crack to appear.

That breakthrough came after a sustained period of pressure close to the DU line. The pack worked through a series of pick-and-go phases, dragging defenders in and testing their resolve. Eventually, the ball was shifted slightly wider and, after a powerful carry, Lorna McMahon drove over the try line to the right of the posts.

Once again, Emily Kenny stepped up and calmly slotted the conversion. Kilkenny’s lead stretched to 14-5, and with it came a visible lift in confidence across the team.

Barely had the game settled back into a rhythm after the restart when Kilkenny struck again.

With DU chasing the game, space began to open up. Kilkenny’s decision-making with ball in hand was sharp: they played in the right areas of the pitch, forced errors from their opponents, and pounced on every opportunity.

A well-constructed attacking movement saw the ball moved through the hands with pace and precision. Once more, it was Cronin who found herself in the decisive channel. Timing her run superbly, she cut inside from out wide, took the final pass at full tilt, and accelerated through the gap to dot down under the posts.

Kenny maintained her perfect record from the tee, adding the conversion to push the score to 21-5 in Kilkenny’s favour.

From there, it was all about game management. Kilkenny showed maturity in closing out the match—kicking sensibly when needed, contesting the breakdown intelligently, and maintaining a solid defensive line. DU continued to probe, but they were met with organised, committed defence from a Kilkenny side determined not to let their grip on the game slip.

Cronin’s finishing, McMahon’s power close to the line, Mosse’s crucial turnover, Delaney’s game management, Kenny’s composure from the tee, and the relentless graft of the forwards all combined to produce a win that felt as important for confidence as it was for league position.

The Kilkenny Women now turn their attention to their final fixture of 2025, as they prepare to welcome Roscrea to Kilkenny next Sunday, the 14th. With momentum restored and belief reinforced, they’ll be eager to finish the year on a high and carry that form into the new year.