Nuig Rugbychicks

match against Sligo I.T. After a long and stressful organisational period the NUIG women hosted one of the most successful intervarsities competitions on the 31st of March in Dangan sports grounds. Eight teams from around the country competed, the most teams to enter the competition at that point. In 2004 and 2005 the NUIG Ladies competed for the first time in the I.S.S.A. This was a major stepping stone for the club, as was the appointment of coach ex Irish international Stephanie Dowling-Folan. The start of the 2005 season saw the appointment of a new dedicated coaching team consisting of Sineád Cosgrave, Wendy Hickey and Caroline Pryce. Sinead Cosgrave is an ex Irish international and has also represented Connaught and Galwegians along with Wendy Hickey and Caroline Pryce. Wendy Hickey is also a development officer for the IRFU. Sinead Cosgrave continued with the team until 2010, taking a well earned sabbatical having led them to their first varsity championship final. Simon Lawless and Darragh Keady took over from Cosgrave the following season, leading the squad to yet another Connacht League Final in March 2011. Following Keady’s Austrailian bound departure, he was replaced with New Zealand native Luke O’Donnell. Lawless and O’Donnell’s cemistry worked well as they brought their team to the Connacht League Semi-Final and CUSAI Final in the 2012-2013 season. The season of 2013-2014 saw success for the women's side when in their first time competing in the IURU Kay Bowen Cup, the girls walked away with silverware having kept a clean sheet throughout the competition. Continuing on from the success of the previous season the ladies side retained the Kay Bowen Cup and added to the silverware collection in winning the Connacht Invitational Shield (with a conbined side of Galwegians 2nds and Tuam). The season of 2015/2016 saw the club make history, having joined the club in 2010, Simon Lawless coached the girls to a clean sweep of silverware, winning the Kay Bowen Cup for the fourth consecutive season, the Connacht League Title, the Division One SSI League and the SSI Intervarsity Competition. With the most successful season in the clubs history, it was no shock to see four current NUIG Students on this year's Senior Connacht Women's squad, as well as numerous past players of the club. The team continued their successful run by collecting two trophies in the 2016/2017 to add to the trophy cabinet. The ladies won back to back SSI Intervarsity Division One League titles and the SSI Intervarsity Division One College Cup. This great run of performances led to the ladies team winning the NUIG team of the year award and coach Simon Lawless picking up NUIG coach of the year. The Ladies team continued to collect silverware in the 2017/2018 season by winning the Connacht League. Winning the league was a fitting send-off for long term coach Simon Lawless, who after 6 years with the team decided it was his time to hand on the team to the next generation of coaches. The season of 2018/2019 was an exciting one with many changes being made within the team and team management. With the great coaching of new head coach Mark Dooley and assistant coach, Martin Hughes led the team to the Connacht Cup final.