Ophir travelled to Omagh on Sunday, 26 October, for their first cup game of the season — a huge challenge to finish out their three-game run. Facing Omagh, a side sitting second in the league, the Ophir women knew they had to bring their best. The windy conditions hinted that free-flowing rugby would be hard to come by.

Ophir received first and started strong with some powerful carries, but a couple of early mistakes let Omagh pounce. A quick kick through and chase saw the home side score under the posts.

Regrouping under the posts, Ophir focused on winning back possession from the restart — “big chase, let’s go!” — but luck wasn’t on their side. A missed tackle and a defensive misread allowed Omagh to run down the far touchline for their second try. Communication broke down, and Ophir paid the price with some soft tackling.

To their credit, Ophir dug deep, found their energy again, and fought hard for every inch. If last week was a scrum festival, this was a scrum extravaganza! Ophir dominated the scrums, turning several over, though they couldn’t quite convert that advantage into points. Despite their efforts, Omagh capitalized on Ophir’s lapses in concentration to score two more tries before halftime. Their sharp transitions from defence to attack made the difference.

Playing against the wind, Ophir struggled to get out of their own half or close to the Omagh try line. The halftime talk was tough but necessary — heads had to stay high.

The second half saw a different Ophir side. They finally broke into Omagh’s 22 after a series of well-worked quick tap penalties. A slick switch move between Michelle and Sara McClements almost broke through, drawing another penalty on Omagh’s 5-metre line. Lucy Taylor charged for the line from the tap, but Omagh’s defence held strong, forcing a goal-line dropout.

That 10-minute spell was Ophir’s best — their “purple patch” — but missed chances inside the 22 halted their momentum. Omagh responded with three quick tries in 15 minutes, their number 3 and 18 making strong runs up the wing.

Ophir never gave up. A scrum deep in Omagh’s 22 gave Christine McCully the chance to shine — she picked from the base, powered past the flanker, and broke through the line to score a well-earned try. Minutes later, she almost crossed again but was forced out near the touchline. Omagh had the final say, scoring once more through their trademark quick transitions.

Final score Omagh 52 - Ophir 5

A big thank-you to Omagh for hosting and for the post-match food. Massive appreciation to the travelling supporters and injured players who kept team spirits high throughout a tough game.

Coach’s Player of the Match: Sara McClements — outstanding tackling on the try line, making Omagh work for every score.

Players’ Player of the Match: Christine McCully — the try hero who gave Michelle a serious challenge at number 8 and gave the coaches something to think about!

Ophir will regroup, take the lessons learned, and prepare for their next big test — away to league leaders Armagh on Sunday, 9 November. Come along and support the team — your presence makes every away game feel like home.