Record-breaking Emma Tully, first Naas player to graduate from Girls-Only Minis to senior team

Naas women's game against Portlaoise at the end of January marked a significant milestone for the female section of the club.
18-year-old Emma Tully became the first player to come all the way through the club from the girls-only minis team.

The club has had some players come through to the adult team from the mixed mini rugby groups, most notably Ruth Campbell, but Emma is the first to play for every girls' team from Under 12 to adult.

The club set up a girls-only minis group back in 2015, with David Mckeown initially coaching the team, but then Sean O'Sullivan quickly took on the role of Head Coach.

Sean is also still very involved as Head Coach of the Under 18s, and Emma comes from a great Naas Rugby Club family, along with brothers Mark and Conor. Mother Fiona is heavily involved as U18s team manager.

Right from the start, 11-year-old Emma's passion and talent for the game was obvious, and she quickly established herself as a very capable forward and leader within the team. She has been a key part of a very successful group of players all the way through from Under 14 to Under 18, and her ability was awarded with selection for the North Midlands team to play in the inter-region Sarah Robinson Cup.

Women's coach Fionn Higgins had no hesitation putting Emma on the pitch for her debut against a very strong Portlaoise pack: “When Emma came on, the total age of the Naas front row was 56. She joined fellow Under 18 graduates Ellen Murray and Katie Halpin in the scrum, and she made an immediate impact. The standard of games in the Under 18s league is such that these young women have no problem playing in the adult leagues.”

Head of Women's Rugby at the Club, David McKeown, takes particular pleasure in Emma's progress.
“We set up the girls-only minis team in 2015 when we recognised that some girls were happy playing alongside the boys in the mixed teams, but some were keen to play in a girls-only team. It's great to see the girls come all the way through the system.”

Club Chairman Richard Brophy sees Emma's debut as vindication of the club's overall strategy of inclusion and rugby for all.
“At Naas, we believe everybody should have access to rugby — men, women, boys, girls and mixed ability. Players of all ages and ability levels. We now have 130 female players at Naas RFC, and they make a huge contribution to the activity and life of the club.”