Ireland 14
Italy 3
IRELAND RECORDED THEIR second Women’s Six Nations victory with a solid 14-3 victory over Italy in Donnybrook.
Tries from Lindsay Peat and Paula Fitzpatrick helped Ireland on their way, but they did not have things their own way for much of the first-half.
Elaine Anthony produced a debut tackle within three minutes of the kick-off denying Elisa Pillotti from three metres out after Italy dominated the first maul.
The visitors hammered the new look Irish back line in the opening 10 minutes but Alison Miller, returning from Sevens duties, stopped a certain try with an expert tackle on Magatti.
But Italy took the lead after 13 minutes through the boot of Michela Sillari with Ireland penalised for not releasing.
Tom Tierney’s charges continued to struggle after Italy’s score and were caught off guard by a quick tap and go but survived to come away unscathed.
And the hosts eventually settled into the contest halfway through the first period as they ventured into Italian territory for the first time.
Everything clicked together on the half hour mark with Ciara Cooney’s hand-off creating the opening for the first try.
Cooney was held up by five metres short but Ireland recycled well and after Miller and Sene Naoupu combined, Peat managed to wiggle her way over the line.
Niamh Briggs added the conversion with calm aplomb, leaving Ireland to lead by four at half-time.
Ireland restarted in similar fashion to the closing stages of the opening half as they enjoyed much of the possession.
That said, they didn’t ask many questions of the Italian defence until the best move of the half had the crowd on their feet.
Paula Fitzpatrick and Nora Stapleton combined with Naoupu who made it over the line, but didn’t ground the ball.
Ireland went back to the touchline after the failed try and from the resulting maul, Fitzpatrick touched down on 65 minutes with Stapleton adding the conversion.
Miller was taken off with a head injury assessment with 12 minutes remaining but returned for the closing stages and played an integral role in Ireland’s late defensive effort.
Ireland looked for a third try in the final moments, Larissa Muldoon’s quick tap and go penalty didn’t catch out the Italian’s who held on in front of the posts.
In all, a deserved second victory of the campaign for Ireland with a much improved second half.
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Lindsay Peat, Paula Fitzpatrick
Conversions: Niamh Briggs, Nora Stapleton
Italy scorers:
Penalty: Sillari
Ireland: Flood, Burke, Briggs (McLaughlin 60), Naoupu, Miller (Reidy 68), Caughey (Muldoon 50), Healy (Stapleton 50), Peat (O’Reilly 55), Moloney (Grattage 66), Egan, Anthony, Reily, Cooney (Molloy 66), Griffin, Spence (Fitzpatrick 60)
Italy: Furlan, Magatti, Grazia Cioffi (Zangirolami 68), Sillari, Stefan, Rigoni, Barattin, Cucchiella (Giacomoli 74 (Nicoletti 80)), Cammarano, Bettoni (Gai 34), Pillotti (Ruzza 63), Trevisan, Este (Arrighetti 68), Locatelli, Giordano
Referee: A Perrett (Australia).
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