Irish in AFLW: Four goals for Cora Staunton and brace for Orla O'Dwyer

Adelaide Crows and Melbourne Demons both secured home preliminary finals

Sun, 13 Mar, 2022 - 17:15

Patrick Mulcahy

Adelaide Crows and Melbourne Demons have both secured home preliminary finals after their respective wins in Round 10 and will get the week off next weekend.

Adelaide Crows are the Minor Premiers after ending the round robin series as league leaders. They sealed the top spot after their 53-14 over St Kilda at RSEA Park.

The Crows were slow starting this game but got going in the second quarter with a pair of goals from Ash Woodland, who passed out Cora Staunton in the leading goalkickers table to take her tally to 19 for the season. The Crows led by 19 at half-time.

There was no doubt about the result in the third quarter after further goals from Gould and Thompson and that helped the visitors cruise to a 39-point victory. Ailish Considine flourished for Adelaide with 13 disposals.

The Dees had a narrow one-point win over Carlton Blues on Saturday at Casey Fields.

The hosts led from the first goal from Dees legend Daisy Pearce until the final siren, despite it only being a victory by the narrowest of margins. Carlton did have chances late in the game in an effort to cause an upset but could not capitalise on their chances.

Sinéad Goldrick (ten disposals) featured for the winners while fellow Dubliner Lauren Magee was omitted from the game.

Collingwood sealed their place as the sixth and final team for the Finals Series after their 47-9 point win over Richmond Tigers at Victoria Park.

Aishling Sheridan (22 disposals) got herself on the scoresheet in the first quarter with a behind as her side struggled to break down the Tigers defence before Chloe Molloy kicked the Pies only goal of the opening quarter. However, they did lead 17-3 at half time.

Sheridan’s teammate, Sarah Rowe (18 disposals) got herself on the scoresheet with a behind halfway through the third term and the home side pulled away in the final quarter securing their spot in the Finals series.

GWS Giants ended their rollercoaster of a season on a high after a thrilling 53-35 win over Geelong on Friday at GMBHA Stadium.

The Cats got off to a brighter start before Cora Staunton (ten disposals) got the GWS Giants' opening goal inside the first five minutes. Despite the hosts extending the lead to 13 points in the first quarter. Bríd Stack claimed possession in midfield late in the second quarter but was tackled late and GWS were awarded a free kick. Staunton took the free kick rounding fellow Mayo woman Rachel Kearns scoring her second major of the game.

WE KNOW WHAT SHES GOING TO DO HERE

A 2nd GOAL for @duckie15 versus Geelong, involving all 3 IRISH Players (@BridStackie with the pass & @Raachkearns on the Mark)💚#AWholeNewBallGame pic.twitter.com/S7UXFpNFlK
— AFLW Ireland (@aflw_ireland) March 11, 2022

Two goals from young star Jess Doyle kicked the visitors into the lead before two further goals from Staunton in the final quarter sealed an 18 point GWS win. The Mayo woman has kicked 18 goals over the ten rounds of the home and away season.

STAUNTON 😍#ColesGoals | #AFLW | #AFLWCatsGiants pic.twitter.com/eJIkPZHZO6
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 11, 2022

Bríd Stack (nine disposals) once again had a crucial role to play in defence, particularly in the second half cutting out Geelong attacks. She has vastly improved since her first game ten weeks ago and her performances has caught the eye of many Australian commentators.

While the Geelong ‘wrecking ball’, Rachel Kearns did cause the Giants defence problems at times, the Mayo woman failed to score off seven disposals.

Orla O’Dwyer resumed normal service in the Brisbane Lions midfield as her side had a pulsating 66-34 win over the Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium in Ballarat, confirming a home qualifying final next weekend.

O’Dwyer got on the scoresheet early with a first-quarter goal, pouncing on a loose ball from the Dogs defence. The reigning Premiers held a 13 point lead at the first quarter break. The Tipperary woman doubled her goal tally with a second major in the second quarter but the margin was reduced to six at half time.

The Lions kicked on in the second half and controlled midfield and kicked on for a 33-point win, securing a home qualifying final next weekend.

Fremantle failed narrowly to pick up a home qualifying final after their 46-9 point win over the Gold Coast Suns at the Fremantle Oval.

Gemma Houghton got the Dockers opening goal after eight minutes. Áine Tighe (12 disposals) then got her second goal of the season in the second term after claiming a superb mark in full forward and converted the result free kick to help her side into a 15 point lead.

The third quarter was low scoring but the Dockers kicked four goals in the final quarter but was not enough to gain a home game next weekend against North Melbourne.

Aileen Gilroy (13 disposals) took the Mayo bragging rights as her North Melbourne side had an impressive 59-20 point win over Grace & Niamh Kelly’s West Coast Eagles at Arden Street on Saturday.

Tahila Randall did kick the home side into an early lead before Grace Kelly (nine disposals) kicked her first goal of the season in the opening term for the Eagles to take the lead. But, the Kangaroos stormed the second quarter to have a 28 point cushion at the half time siren.

Grace Kelly IS speed 😱#AFLW | #AFLWNorthEagles pic.twitter.com/0PuuzT0qVM
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 12, 2022

They kept their strong form through the third quarter extending their lead out to 47 points but the Eagles did battle back late to reduce the damage to 39 points to finish off a disappointing season on a positive note.

Round 10 results: Geelong Cats 5.5 (35) lost to GWS Giants 8.5 (53); Collingwood 6.11 (47) bt Richmond Tigers 1.3 (9); North Melbourne 9.5 (59) bt West Coast Eagles 3.2 (20); Melbourne Demons 5.4 (34) bt Carlton Blues 5.3 (33); St. Kilda 2.2 (14) lost to Adelaide Crows 7.11 (53); Western Bulldogs 5.4 (34) lost to Brisbane Lions 10.6 (66); Fremantle Dockers 7.4 (46) beat Gold Coast Suns 0.9 (9)

Qualifying Finals (Saturday March 19th)

1) North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Fremantle at Arden St. at 3:10am

2) Brisbane Lions vs Collingwood at the Gabba at 5:10am

Preliminary Finals (weekend of March 26th/27th)

Melbourne Demons plays winner of QF2 Adelaide Crows plays winner of QF1 AFLW 2022

Grand Final: Saturday 2nd April