Loughrea u14 Girls Power Past Castlebar in Ballygasty Showcase
The Ballygasty breeze carried more than just the sound of Saturday morning rugby — it carried the confidence of a Loughrea U14 side hitting their stride. In a vibrant, high-tempo display, Loughrea powered to an impressive 46–17 victory over Castlebar, mixing grit with flair in front of a lively home crowd.
Loughrea set the tone early when Eve Hughes sliced through the defensive line for the game’s opening try, a sharp solo effort that immediately put Castlebar under pressure. Moments later, Sarah Coughlan added Loughrea’s second, finishing off a sweeping phase of offloads and support lines.
With momentum fully in their hands, Leona Fitzpatrick turned on the style — first dotting down after a determined carry, then striking again later in the half with another powerful run that left defenders grasping at jerseys.
Castlebar battled gamely and put together some strong passages of play, but Loughrea’s defensive structure held firm when it mattered most, forcing turnovers and launching counterattacks with real intent.
The second half saw more Loughrea dominance. Eve Hughes crossed again, showing great pace out wide, before Emma Concannon added her name to the scoresheet with a well-earned try after sustained pressure inside the 22.
Leah Headd then took command late in the game, crashing over for a try and nailing the team’s only conversion of the afternoon. Not content with one, she struck again soon after, sealing Loughrea’s commanding tally and sending the home supporters into full voice.
Castlebar kept pushing to the final whistle and were rewarded with scores of their own, but the day unquestionably belonged to Loughrea — a team growing in confidence, connection, and ambition week by week.
A 46–17 scoreline tells the story of a dominant performance, but the energy, teamwork, and determination on display were just as impressive. Loughrea walk away with a deserved win and plenty of positives as their season gathers pace.
Loughrea u16 Girls Do Themselves Proud Against Corinthians
Our Loughrea U16 Girls left everything on the pitch today in a fierce, hard-fought contest against a powerful Corinthians side.
Corinthians opened the scoring with an early try and conversion, but Loughrea hit back in style. Ally Cannon sliced through the defence to touch down, with Maria Jakuboszczak calmly adding the extras to level the intensity on the scoreboard. Corinthians regrouped, however, and carried a 12–7 lead into the break.
Loughrea came storming out for the second half. Cannon—dangerous every time she carried—struck again with a superb finish, and Jakuboszczak nailed the conversion to keep the game hanging in the balance. Cannon came agonizingly close to a hat-trick, hauled down just before grounding after another blistering run.
As the clock wound down, the pressure finally told. Isabelle Power powered over for a late try, sparking a final surge as Loughrea chased the comeback. The effort, grit, and belief were evident in every phase.
From crunching tackles to rock-solid defensive shapes to scrum dominance, this was a performance full of heart. Captain Evie Dolan led with composure and fire, inspiring those around her.
A narrow defeat—but a display the entire squad can be immensely proud of.
Ballygasty, Loughrea, Co. Galway H62AP03
