Great Britain 28

Ireland 12

A DEFEAT TO Great Britain means the Ireland women’s 7s team have finished in eighth position at their first Olympic Games.

It was a disappointing end to a tough campaign for this Irish team, who won one of their six games in Paris.

They may have regrets about narrowly losing to Australia in their last pool game yesterday when a win might have given them a more winnable quarter-final.

It didn’t help that they were missing two key players in captain Lucy Mulhall Rock and the pacy Béibhinn Parsons due to injury as they looked to finish on a high against Great Britain his evening, although younger players in the squad are sure to have learned a huge amount from their Olympic experience.

Still, this was a frustrating end for Allan Temple-Jones’ team at Stade de France.

Ireland were hit by the loss of Stacey Flood to a yellow card early in the first half, the Irish playmaker punished for a high tackle, and Great Britain took immediate advantage as Meg Jones dummied and broke through, converting her own try for 7-0.

The Irish hit back after a big break by Erin King earned them a close-range penalty and after opting for a scrum, skipper Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe carried and then Megan Burns finished for 7-5.

But Great Britain took control before half time as Jade Shekells broke clear down the right for another converted try, and then Jones scythed through for her second. 

Stacey Flood is sin-binned for a high tackle. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Adding to the pain for Ireland was the fact that King was shown a yellow card for kicking the ball away after Jones had dotted down. Isla Norman-Bell’s conversion meant Great Britain led 21-5 at the break.

With Ireland still down to six players, Heather Cowell sped home from long-range upon the resumption and Emma Uren’s second conversion extended the lead to 28-5.

Jones was then yellow carded for a high tackle on Eve Higgins, slowing the British momentum, but Ireland weren’t able to take advantage as they botched an overlap on the right through a dropped pass. Their handling let them down again soon after as opportunity beckoned in the right corner, the ball going forward into touch.

Flood’s cross-kick nearly found Vicki Elmes Kinlan just before Great Britain’s Ellie Kildunne was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

And on this occasion, Ireland made the numerical advantage count as Claire Boles finished a try converted by Flood, but there was no time left to mount a comeback.

Great Britain scorers:

Tries: Meg Jones [2], Jade Shekells, Heather Cowell

Conversions: Meg Jones [1 from 1], Emma Uren [2 from 2], Isla Norman-Bell [1 from 1]

Ireland scorers:

Tries: Megan Burns, Claire Boles

Conversions: Eve Higgins [0 from 1], Stacey Flood [1 from 1]

GREAT BRITAIN: Isla Norman-Bell, Emma Uren (captain), Meg Jones, Jasmine Joyce, Lauren Torley, Ellie Boatman, Jade Shekells.

Replacements: Kayleigh Powell, Ellie Kildunne, Lisa Thomson, Heather Cowell, Abi Burton. 

IRELAND: Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe (captain), Megan Burns, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Ashleigh Orchard, Erin King (yellow card), Stacey Flood (yellow card).

Replacements: Alanna Fitzpatrick, Vicki Elmes Kinlan, Claire Boles, Kathy Baker, Amy Larn.

Referee: Tyler Miller [Australia].