Barbarians 19
Munster 0
Daragh Small reporting at Thomond Park
RETIRED IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Ailis Egan dotted down one of three tries as Barbarians beat Munster in their first ever game at Thomond Park.
New Munster coach Laura Guest had all of her players available but they could not break down a resolute Barbarians side, after they trailed 7-0 at half-time.
Barbarians scored through a penalty try in the first-half, and further efforts from Egan and a stunning Georgina Roberts effort sealed the win.
The Munster scrum was dominant in the early stages, and hooker Edel Murphy gave them great field position with her kicks. However they could not build from their line-out with a couple of handling errors in the shocking conditions.
Barbarians had their chances too, but they stemmed from some quickly taken penalties.
Vicki Jackson and Elen Evans combined to create an opening down the left wing in the tenth minute and Rachel Taylor’s strength brought them to within inches of the line but that was another missed chance.
The Barbarians’ try arrived just before the half-hour. Lenaige Corson was held up over the line and when the play was reset for a five-metre scrum, Barbarians were awarded a penalty try after they overwhelmed Munster.
Munster were hoping to score before half-time, and their entire first 15 swapped over. Dinah O’Mahony claimed a lineout on the Barbarians ten-metre line before a rolling maul brought them to the 22 and Chloe Pearse gave away a penalty for off-side.
Munster made wholesale changes at the break while Ireland, and Old Belvedere, hooker Egan was introduced for the Barbarians.
Munster tried in vain to make an impact after half-time but Egan dived over for a second Barbarians try in the 64th minute, and Nora Stapleton’s creative buil-up created the opening for Roberts’ try in the 69th minute – a scything try straight out of the Barbarians playbook.
Megan Goddard almost scored a deserved try at the death but she missed out as her team secured their first ever win.
Scorers: BarbariansTries: Penalty try, Ailish Egan, Georgina RobertsConversions: Penalty try, Megan Goddard 1 / 2
Barbarians: Jackie Shiels (Old Belvedere) (Georgina Roberts (Darlington MP Shark) ’40) ’40); Tova Derk (Wasps), Vicki Jackson (Wasps) (Amanda Thornborough (Westshore) ’40), Megan Goddard (Gloucester-Hartpury), Elen Evans (Caernarfon) (Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere) ’48); Christelle LeDuff (SO Villonguet), Emma Jensen (College Rifles) (Tania Rosser (Blackrock) ’54); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians) (Tracy Balmer (Worcester) ’54), Amy Garnett (Saracens) (Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere) ’40), Claire Cripps (Wasps) (Garnett 67); Marie Riley (Old Belvedere) (Becky Essex (Richmond) ’48), Lenaige Corson (Stade Rennais); Susie Brown (Richmond) (Edel McMahon (Galwegians) ’48), Rachel Taylor (Caernarfon), Kelly Russell (Toronto Nomads).
Munster (first-half): Laura O’Mahony; Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Aine Staunton, Christine Arthurs, Syphonia Pua; Valerie Power, Nicole Cronin; Fiona Hayes, Edel Murphy, Gillian Bourke; Nuala O’Connor, Chloe Pearse; Dinah O’Mahony, Siobhan Fleming, Anna Caplice.
Munster (second-half): Linda McNamara; Laura Sheehan, Niamh Kavanagh, Rachel Allen, Tracy Collopy; Ellen Murphy, Helen McDermott; Leah Lyons, Zoe Grattage, Fiona Reidy; Eileen Foley, Roisin Ormond; Clodagh O’Halloran, Siobhan McCarthy, Ciara Griffin.
Referee: Mike Scanlon (IRFU).
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