Skibbereen host Westport in All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cup quarter-final

DON’T miss the chance to watch Skibbereen’s women’s rugby team make history in the inaugural Energia All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cup this Sunday – that’s the message from Skibb coach Sana Govender.

The Skibb side has been selected as one of two Munster teams to represent the province in this All-Ireland competition. It’s hoped a big crowd will support the newly-crowned 2022 West Cork Sports Star Team of the Year when they host Connacht outfit Westport on Sunday (1pm) in a quarter-final of the All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cup. 

‘What an event to come out and watch,’ Govender says. 

‘This is a national competition on your doorstep, and we have a West Cork team involved. 

‘It’s a chance to be part of something special with a team from another province making the trip here. It will be a great spectacle and we are hoping we’ll get a good turnout to cheer us on.  It is the first time this competition has been held so we are the first West Cork team to ever play in it and this is the first game in this competition to be played in West Cork.’

This new competition sees the best junior teams in the country picked to fight it out for All-Ireland honours. The four quarter-finals take place this Sunday, with the winners advancing to the semi-finals on Sunday, April 2nd. The final will take place at a neutral venue on Sunday, April 16th.

The novelty of playing a team outside of Munster, as well as representing their province, is a boost for Skibb as a tough season heads towards an exciting climax.

‘It’s been a testing one,’ admits Govender, as Skibb have had to contend with teams postponing games and also not being able to field 15 players.

‘When you have a group of players who have committed to staying with you and staying with the club, so when games are being cancelled it can fall a bit flat. 

‘Some of the results didn’t go our way in cup competitions but that’s sport, isn’t it?

‘Overall it has been a good season, we have grown our numbers from where we started the season and we have maintained numbers, even with people moving away, college, etc.. We have blended in the new players who had never played before and they are now at a level where we can give them as much game-time as possible. They are all wins on their own.’

The Energia All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cup quarter-finals on Sunday (19th): Queen’s University v MU Barnhall, Skibbereen v Westport, Tullamore v UL Bohemian 2nd XV, Sligo v Enniskillen.