Three Mullingar RFC girls make Leinster U18 rugby squad
Three Mullingar RFC players have made the Leinster U18s girls’ rugby squad after competitive trials.
Isobel Clerk (16), Gemma Faulkner (17) and Sophie Treanor (17) all received their emails telling them they had made the cut for the Leinster U18s team.
The trio are Mullingar Rugby Football club players and were all delighted their hard work paid off.
“I just started crying, it was tears of joy after a few years of hard work and dedication, I was just so happy to finally get some results,” Isobel said.
Sophie told the Westmeath Examiner: “I was thrilled and kind of shocked to be honest because I am kind of younger in the group, but I was delighted.
“Especially because my brother played on the U18 squad as well, so I was happy to reach his standard,” Sophie joked.
The trials took place in Kildare over three Sundays in May and Gemma estimated that up to 120 players were there with about a third getting selected.
“I was over the moon, so happy. I wasn’t really expecting it, I was sure I wasn’t in it this year because the standard at the trails was unbelievable. It was really tough,” Gemma said.
Training has been scarce over the past year with Covid-19 restrictions, but all three players kept up their fitness at home.
“I’ve been training at home, and I play football as well with the Westmeath county minors so I haven’t missed out on much because I’ve been training hard with both squads,” Sophie said.
Gemma said that during Covid lockdowns they had to be disciplined themselves to keep up the fitness.
“Because there was no training, you had to do it on your own back, your own terms,” she added.
I’d get onto the road and the pitch I live close to and do a bit of running and workouts at home, but other than that we were nowhere near a rugby pitch,” laughed Gemma.
While Isobel also challenged herself by playing with any team she could, including the boys’ team at her school.
“I do a lot myself, but I was also very lucky because I go to Wilson’s Hospital School which is a big rugby school,” she said.
“And Colin Draper there allowed me to play with the senior rugby boys to improve myself any way I could, that really helped this year,” Isobel added.
The Leinster U18s are expected to start training in early July under the guidance of head coach Michael Bolger.