Flannery and UL Bohs have luxury of calling on previous Aviva experiences 

For UL Bohs, this is a third straight appearance at the home of Irish rugby and the Munster fly-half acknowledged her team’s comfort in their surroundings on Lansdowne Road.

Munster player and Pinergy Brand Ambassador Kate Flannery. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

It is not just the return to familiar ground that gives Kate Flannery confidence that her UL Bohemian side can land a third Energia AIL Women’s title in a row at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.

There is also the character and clarity the Limerick club summoned when it mattered most 12 months ago to get over the line at the death and defeat Railway Union for the second season in succession.

UL Bohs’ opponents will be different this time around, yet still familiar as Blackrock College return to the showpiece for the first time since they defeated Railway in the December 2022 final at Dublin’s Energia Park.

Yet for Bohs, this is a third straight appearance at the home of Irish rugby and the Munster fly-half acknowledged her team’s comfort in their surroundings on Lansdowne Road.

“I think even last year in the final having played the previous final it kind of helped when it came down to it,” Flannery said during a call in her role as an ambassador for energy suppliers Pinergy.

“We'll obviously be expecting such a tight game. Blackrock have been so good throughout the year. But just even to be able to relate to last year there is going to be times where it's not going our way. We might be down on the scoreboard but just trying to find a way. It's just an unbelievable pitch to play on so I'm really excited for it now.” 

Blackrock were Bohs’ semi-final opponents 12 months ago but the rivals have taken a game apiece, each away from their respective homes during the regular season and the 22-year-old is sure her side will have to dig deep, just as they did at the Aviva to wrest the final back from a potential defeat.

Three times Railway led during that final, and were 24-17 on 63 minutes and then 24-22 with 11 minutes remaining. 

The game was in the balance with a minute to go before Bohs mounted their last ditch effort from a scrum inside their own half, Flannery playing her part with a crossfield kick for replacement Clara Barrett on the right wing to advance her side up the field. 

A penalty followed, with captain Chloe Pearse’s tap eventually worked to prop Eilis Cahill, the young front-rower sealing the come-from-behind 29-24 victory in time added on.

“It was the last play of the game and we had a scrum 10 metres from our own line and just kind of trusting our process and trusting our system to get all the way back up to the pitch,” Flannery said.

“It was a case where I was like, I know I can't really kick the ball away because if they get it and kick it out the game's over. I remember in that phase of play I did a crossfield to Clara Barrett and it's weird because you really think about the time and how much pressure is actually on it.

“Obviously it paid off and we ended up scoring but I remember after the game everyone was like ‘we could have killed you if she didn't get that ball, that would have been the game over’.

“It's just I think even if there's pressure on a situation, if you think that a certain thing is on and you make your decision you just back that and it paid off, thank God.

“I was like ‘the space is there, I'm going to go for it’ and I was like, ‘if it doesn't work out I can deal with the consequences later’.

“That's the thing sometimes, especially in a final and playing in the Aviva can be kind of daunting but at the end of the day it's just a game and the pictures you see every day.

“Just because it's a final and there's a minute left, if that picture is on and that kick's on, it's something you just have to back yourself and go for.”