AIT student features for Ireland women's rugby team

ATHLONE Institute of Technology student Nicole Fowley made her debut for the Ireland senior women's team last weekend, as the side – managed by Tom Tierney – were narrowly defeated by world champions England.

Fowley, who plays her club rugby for Galwegians and studies BBS in Management in Sports & Touris  in Athlone IT, was in the Ireland side for the first time, as they succumbed to a 12-10 loss in the UCD Bowl.

Fowley, who was named at outside-centre, formed a new midfield partnership with Sene Naoupu. As Ireland were without some experienced performers, including injured captain Niamh Briggs, they fielded a team containing many players with little or no experience at senior international level.

Nevertheless, the Irish management will be delighted to see that the strength in depth in the squad appears to be in good stead, as they pushed the world champions all the way, as the build-up continues to the pool games of the Women's World Cup in UCD in nine months' time. As the next step on the road to the pool games, Ireland will face Canada on Saturday, November 19 and then New Zealand on November 27.

Meanwhile, four elite Irish one-mile runners – including former Athlone IT student John Travers – will bid to set a world record in Athlone next month. The quartet, which also includes Eoin Everard, Kieran Kelly and Paul Robinson, will attempt to break the 4x1 mile relay indoor record in Athlone on December 17.

They will be trying to break the current indoor record (16:16:67) held by the USA since 1993 and to achieve their target, the four runners will have to average a time of just over four minutes, as they take on a European select squad. The team will be captained and mentored by Paul Donovan, a two-time Olympian, world indoor medallist and a specialist in middle distance relay events.