O’Reilly set for international swansong
By Stephen Leonard
CLONDALKIN’S Helen O’Reilly will, this Sunday, referee her final international rugby match when she takes charge of the Scotland Women’s Six Nations warm-up fixture against Spain in Scotstoun.
Breaking on to the international scene when she officiated in the Ireland v Spain Women’s International friendly back in 2013, O’Reilly has since blazed a trail for Ireland women’s rugby refereeing.
Indeed she has overseen games on the biggest of stages including the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup semi final between Canada and hosts France.
The Dubliner was scheduled to officiate in the 2017 Women’s World Cup in Ireland, but an untimely injury ruled her out.
“I always thought I would do two world cups, but I picked up an ankle injury befor the last one [in Ireland] and so I missed out on that,” O’Reilly told Echo.ie
“I picked up the injury in training just a week before. It was devastating.
“I got on to world rugby to see if there would be another international I could do that would be a nice one for my final game and I got this one on Sunday which will be nice because my first international game was Ireland v Spain.
“I’ve been six years as an international referee and I’d say when I come off the pitch in Scotland on Sunday there’ll be a tear there,” she said.
O’Reilly, who will remain on the IRFU National Panel and will continue to officiate in Pro 14 games, has reason to be proud of all that she has achieved and what it has done for female match officials in Ireland.
“I think it has improved for women’s refereeing,” she said.
“I was the first female to be involved in a Pro 12 game and the IRFU National panel as well as internationally and, when I look back on it now, that was huge.
“It was very hard to break down those barriers. It’s men’s rugby and it’s steeped in tradition.
“Now people don’t look twice when I pull up to do a club match,” she added.
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