LAST UPDATE | 26 Aug 2023
TWO TRIES IN each half propelled Leinster into next Saturday’s Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship final following their first win over defending champions Munster since 2019.
Linda Djougang (49 minutes) and Ruth Campbell (58) produced key scores to steer Tania Rosser’s side to a 26-19 bonus point victory at Energia Park. The result means the Blues join Munster on 10 points at the top of the table, and they will meet each other again in the Cork decider.
Leinster and Munster were locked level on 12 points apiece at half-time after star Munster forwards Maeve Óg O’Leary and Dorothy Wall both crossed, sandwiching Leinster tries from Lisa Callan and Aimee Clarke.
The hosts dug deep in the absence of yellow-carded lock Campbell, restoring their lead through the powerful Djougang before the returning Campbell finished off a terrific break from Vodafone player-of-the-match Aoife Dalton. Dannah O’Brien added two important conversions.
Munster captain Wall capitalised on Molly Boyne’s sin-binning to complete her brace, and although there were no further scores, Niamh Briggs’ charges will still be confident of winning their third successive Interpro title at their Musgrave Park fortress next week.
Earlier, Ava Ryder ran in two third-quarter tries to ensure Connacht finished off the Women’s Interprovincial Championship round robin stage with a 29-24 bonus point win over Ulster.
Ulster newcomer Bronach Cassidy responded to a Grainne O’Loughlin try to make it a nervy finish for Lyndon Jones’ side, but their second victory of the campaign at the Sportsground was not enough to progress to next Saturday’s final.
Connacht finished third in the table on nine points. They will play Ulster again next week in Cork in the 3rd-4th place play-off.
An entertaining and fiercely-contested first half ended 17-14 in Ulster’s favour, with Ella Durkan and inspirational captain Beth Cregan both touching down while Connacht full-back Méabh Deely was in the sin bin.
Forwards Lily Brady and Orla Fenton, whose scores were converted by Connacht skipper Nicole Fowley, had earlier cancelled out Ashling O’Connell’s opening try for the underdogs.
However, Connacht reeled off three unanswered tries up to the hour mark with wingers Ryder and Laoise McGonagle in blistering form. Front rowers O’Loughlin and Cassidy closed out the scoring with a resilient Ulster deservedly picking up two bonus points.
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Leinster 26
Munster 19
Scorers for Leinster: Tries: Lisa Callan, Aimee Clarke, Linda Djougang, Ruth Campbell; Conversions: Hannah O’Connor, Dannah O’Brien (2)
Scorers for Munster: Tries: Maeve Óg O’Leary, Dorothy Wall (2); Conversions: Kate Flannery, Nicole Cronin
LEINSTER: Natasja Behan; Aimee Clarke, Aoife Dalton, Leah Tarpey, Anna Doyle; Nikki Caughey, Katie Whelan; Linda Djougang, Lisa Callan, Christy Haney, Ruth Campbell, Eimear Corri, Aoife Wafer, Molly Boyne, Hannah O’Connor (capt).
Replacements used: Dannah O’Brien for Caughey (36 mins), Sarah Delaney for Callan (48), Aoife Moore for Djougang, Elise O’Byrne-White for Behan (both 65), Ailsa Hughes for Whelan (69), Whelan for Clarke (76), Sene Taiti-Fanene for Tarpey (79). Not used: Caoimhe Molloy, Katelynn Doran.
MUNSTER: Aoife Corey; Ellen Boylan, Alana McInerney, Stephanie Nunan, Stephanie Carroll; Kate Flannery, Muirne Wall; Róisín Ormond, Ciara Farrell, Fiona Reidy, Dorothy Wall (capt), Claire Bennett, Jane Clohessy, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird.
Replacements used: Eilís Cahill for Reidy (30 mins), Clodagh O’Halloran for Bennett, Chloe Pearse for Clohessy (both half-time), Nicole Cronin for Flannery (51), Flannery for Nunan (53), Beth Buttimer for Farrell, Clohessy for O’Leary (both 67), Gillian Coombes for D Wall (67), Abbie Salter-Townshend for M Wall, Aoibhe O’Flynn for Boylan (both 71), Reidy for Ormond (72).
Referee: Rob McGreer (IRFU)
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Connacht 29
Ulster 24
Scorers for Connacht: Tries: Lily Brady, Orla Fenton, Ava Ryder (2), Grainne O’Loughlin; Conversions: Nicole Fowley (2)
Scorers for Ulster: Tries: Ashling O’Connell, Ella Durkan, Beth Cregan, Bronach Cassidy; Conversions: Ella Durkan (2)
CONNACHT: Méabh Deely; Ava Ryder, Orla Dixon, Shannon Touhey, Clara Barrett; Nicole Fowley (capt), Olivia Haverty; Shannon Heapes, Lily Brady, Dearbhla Canty, Sonia McDermott, Eva McCormack, Orla Fenton, Beibhinn Gleeson, Karly Tierney.
Replacements used: Laoise McGonagle for Dixon (5 mins), Grainne O’Loughlin for Heapes (32), Niamh O’Grady for Canty (35), Kayla Waldron for Gleeson (46), Faith Oviawe for McCormack (54), Mollie Starr for McDermott, McCormack for Fenton (both 74). Not used: Stacy Hanley, Cliodhna O’Sullivan.
ULSTER: Ella Durkan; Maeve Liston, Kelly McCormill, Emma Jordan, Niamh Marley; Abby Moyles, Laura Cairns; Ava Fannin, Beth Cregan (capt), Ashling O’Connell, Keelin Brady, Taryn Schutzler, Sophie Barrett, Maebh Clenaghan, India Daley.
Replacements used: Megan Brodie for Fannin (19 mins), Rachael McIlroy for Cairns, Fannin for O’Connell (both half-time), Megan Edwards for Liston, Toni McCartney for Jordan (both 53), Brittany Hogan for Cregan, O’Connell for Brodie (both 55), Brenda Barr for Brady (59), Stacey Sloan for Barrett, Bronach Cassidy for Fannin (both 68), Brady for Schutzler (76).
Referee: Paul O’Connor (IRFU)
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