Racoon West shows the magic touch to claim Irish rugby title
City-based side teams up with Buccaneers to secure women's cup
The city-based touch rugby side Racoon West captured the ITA Women’s Open Club Championship title at the weekend, joining forces with Connacht rivals Buccaneers to claim victory in a tournament that was held at the home of Corinthians RFC in Cloonacauneen.
In their first game the Racoon West-Buccaneers amalgamation took on the experienced De La Salle Palmerston side from Dublin. The DLSP ladies played a clever game in attack and they shrewdly exploited some slack defending by BRW to power to a 6-3 victory, with Rita Ibanez (2) and Niamh Purtill scoring the RWB tries.
The home team faced Greystones in their second outing and they finally clicked into gear with a powerful attacking display, winning 10-2 with a hat-trick from captain Risa Egerter, a brace each from Buccs’ players Aoife Purtill and Chloe O’Connor, and further tries from Georgia Codyre, Emma Horan, and Rita Ibanez.
The win was enough to book their place in the final and a re-match with DLSP, who understandably were favourites, having won both of their pool games.
However, they were never able to get into the game as the westerners dominated the first-half, leading 2-1 at half-time with scores from Edel Houton and Egerter.
RWB continued where they left off in the second-half and further tries from Egerter (2) and Emerald House stretched out their lead. A late reply from DLSP left the final score 5-2 to Racoon West-Buccaneers.
Strong running from the likes of the two Purtills, Codyre, and Laura Gaffney as well as solid defence from House, Ibanez, and Horan were key in fashioning this victory, with team captain Egerter fnishing as top scorer with six tries.
Racoon West-Buccaneers: Aoife Purtill (Buccs), Niamh Purtill (Buccs), Chloe O'Connor (Buccs), Laura Gaffney, Risa Egerter (captain), Edel Houton, Emma Horan, Georgia Codyre, Emerald House, Rita Ibanez.
The ITA Men’s League Division 1 also kicked off at Corinthians on Saturday, where Racoons beat local rival Buccaneers 9-2 in Game 1 with tries from Eana Hegerty (4), Nigel Burke (2), Hugh Guest, Jason Keane, and Gavin Gleeson.
They took on Belfast side Eastside Eagles in a thriller of a second game which finished 6-6 after 40 minutes and so went to an extra time ‘drop-off' with both sides dropping from six players to four players, with the Eagles scoring in extra-time for a 7-6 win.
Scorers for Racoon West were Gleeson (2), Guest, Keane, Burke, and Hugh Cradock.
Racoon West Men: Will Finnegan, Nigel Burke (captain), Conor McNamara, Gavin Gleeson, Dara Irwin, Jason Keane, Garry Ennett, Hugh Guest, Eanna Hegerty, Jody Cradock, Michael Forde.
Anyone interested in giving Touch rugby a go can message Racoon West Touch Rugby Galway on Instagram. There is training at Nolan Park in Renmore every Monday from 6.30pm.