East Women retain Donna Kennedy Cup

East Women retain Donna Kennedy Cup

The East won the Donna Kennedy Cup for the second year in a row at BT Murrayfield on Sunday 21 August. Last season they came out on top 36-10 and this time around at the national stadium they were victorious 43-10.The East team – made up of the best players from Edinburgh and the Borders – had more composure on the ball when it came to the key moments and in full-back Chloe Rollie they had the star of the show, the Scotland cap running in four tries.It was no surprise that at full-time she was given the Keri Holdsworth award for the player of the match.The West side – made up of players from Glasgow and Caledonia – gave it their all, but often came up against a well organised East defence. For them hooker Lana Skeldon was the best player on show in both attack and defence.The East got off to a good start and they took the lead after just two minutes.The ball was shipped left and after centre Lisa Thomson had brought some pace to the attack Rollie went over for a try. It was converted by scrum-half Sarah Law.The West battled back well, getting into the East ’22’ and it was clear this was going to be a hard fought affair.In the 12th minute Scotland cap Thomson was again causing problems and heading towards the West try line with purpose, but the ball was lost forward and the chance had gone.Two minutes later the East side were celebrating though, Murrayfield Wanderers’ Rollie collecting the ball some 30 metres out and burst through the defence with a couple of nice hand-offs along the way.She went on to score her second try and when No.8 Karen Dunbar went over for her side’s third try before the end of the first quarter the East were in control.That was the way it stayed until half-time with defences on top for the next 20 minutes.Half-time: East Women 17 – 0 West WomenFive minutes after the interval Rollie was at it again, bagging her third try which Law converted to put them 24-0 up and leave the West with a mountain to climb.Credit to the West side, rather than let their heads go down they got a new lease of life and in the 50th minute got the try their hard work deserved.It was Skeldon who touched down and then her own tricky conversion attempt hit the post to leave things at 24-5.As the hour mark came and went the East grabbed their fifth try, the industrious Law going over. She was then replaced after a great shift and the East were in control of things.Try number six came when Dunbar got her second of the match after a mix-up in the West defence. Stand-off Claire Bain converted.Although it was the East’s day, the West did manage to get their second try, replacement Aimee Watson squeezing in at the corner for an unconverted effort.Fittingly Rollie had the final say on proceedings, running in for her fourth try with Bain converting to finish things at 43-10.Full-time: East Women 43 – 10 West WomenScorers: West: Tries: Skeldon, Watson. East: Tries: Rollie 4, Dunbar 2, Law. Cons: S Law 2, Bain  2.Keri Holdsworth player of the match award: Chloe Rollie (East).West: Mairi McDonald; Andrea Gaffney, Caitlan Harvey, Megan Gaffney, Rachel Shankland; Catherine Shennan, Emily Irving; Siobhan McMillan, Lana Skeldon, Heather Lockhart, Kirsty Reid, Jenny Johnston, Louise McMillan, Jemma Forsyth, Hannah Telling. Subs: Lisa Croniken, Mary Lafiki, Stella Kyalikunda, Lauren Hagan, Tamsen Tysen, Anna Stodter, Kelsey Swift, Caitlin Haldane, Aimee Watson, Rachael Mulholland.East: Chloe Rollie; Harriet Cumber, Gillian Inglis, Lisa Thomson, Rhona Lloyd; Claire Bain, Sarah Law, Katie Dougan, Lucy Park, Lisa Robertson, Emma Wassell, Nicola Howat, Lucy Winter, Karen Dunbar, Charlotte Runcie. Subs: Suzy Hex-Rook, Alisa Luke, Hannah Kurtz, Cat Syme, Liusaidh McMaster, Kelly Shields, Rachel Law, Louise Pullan.

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