UL Bohs duo honoured at All-Ireland League awards

FOLLOWING on from their historic All-Ireland League (AIL) Women’s Division victory, UL Bohemian are celebrating once again after further success at the AIL Awards Night.

Team captain Chloe Pearse and head coach Sarah Quin picked up the Women’s Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards at a gala dinner at the home of Bective Rangers Rugby Club.

Bohs won their third Energia Women’s League title in-a-row after a last gasp try from Catriona Finn saw off Blackrock’s challenge in the final at the Aviva Stadium last month.

After that victory at Rugby HQ, Pearse spoke of how proud she was of her teammates: “The most amazing group. I said it last year we just have this never-say-die attitude. We were under the cosh, I fell on the wrong side of the referee a couple of times.

“It’s so surreal that we actually did it. Last year was incredible. This year, new opposition, you’re going for three-in-a-row. You are under pressure.

“It has been the best league. Blackrock were phenomenal, and pound for pound, player for player. It really was on a knife edge, we knew they’re quite a well-rounded team.

“They came out and they hit us hard, you could see they were driven, but maybe just the experience got us over the line.
Getting that last-minute win last year probably gave us the belief then to go again, but all credit to them, they’ve been fantastic.”

The win was Quin’s first as head coach, following the success of Fiona Hayes, who lead Bohs to the previous two titles.
Quin served as an assistant to Hayes in the 2023 and 2024 wins but now has the accolades after he first time stepping into the head coaching position. Following the win, she paid tribute to the whole UL Bohs club.

“We are a family at the end of the day, and it doesn’t matter if you’re gone on your holidays for a little while or not, but you know when you come back into this group. “It’s a special place and you want to do everything for that jersey.”

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW

Tags: