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Claire Molloy scores a try. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Hammering

11-try Ireland hit the ground running in Six Nations defence

Sophie Spence scored a hat-trick as Ireland put in a performance worthy of defending champions against Scotland.

Ireland Women 59

Scotland Women 0

THREE TRIES FROM Sophie Spence proved to be the highlight in Ashbourne this evening, as Ireland got their RBS Women’s Six Nations campaign off to a flying start with a stunning 59-point success against an overwhelmed Scotland outfit.

Playing competitively for the first time since their 6-3 victory over Italy last March sealed an historic Grand Slam triumph, the hosts began with ferocious intensity, and they had built up a ten-point cushion inside the opening ten minutes thanks to well-worked tries by Spence and left-wing Alison Miller.

With Nora Stapleton also providing a conversion to Miller’s score, Ireland were well in control of the contest during the early exchanges, and relentless pressure inside the Scotland ‘22’ led to a further five-pointer from powerful No 8 Heather O’Brien on the 20-minute mark.

The stand-out moment of the evening then arrived just three minutes later when Miller gathered possession on the half-way mark before crossing over unopposed on the left-flank, and with industrious Richmond centre Cantwell and Spence adding to their side’s tally with tries in the 30th and 34th minutes respectively, Ireland had developed an insurmountable 32-0 interval cushion.

imageAlison Miller with Jade Konkel and Stephanie Johnston of Scotland. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

It was a case of damage limitation for Scotland upon the resumption, but they powerless in their efforts to prevent Spence grabbing a well-deserved hat-trick six minutes after the restart.

With the Scotland challenge effectively deflated at this point, there was ample opportunity for Ireland to move even further into the ascendancy, and front-row pair Ailish Egan and Stacey-Lea Kennedy increased Ireland’s lead to an astonishing 49 points with 25 minutes still to play by finishing off enterprising moves into the opposition half.

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Stacey Lea Kennedy scores her try. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

To their credit, Scotland did battle admirably as they attemoted secure some form of consolation score inside the final-quarter, but the determined Green Army registered their 10th try on 64 minutes thanks to a second from Cantwell, and with flanker Claire Molloy also grounding in stoppage time, Ireland brought the curtain down on a most memorable outing.

Ireland Women Scorers:

Tries: S Spence 3, A Miller 2, L Cantwell 2, C Molloy 1, A Egan 1, H O’Brien 1, S-Lea Kennedy 1.

Conversions: N Stapleton 1, J Murphy 1.

Ireland Women: Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile); Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/UCC/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Amy Davis (Blackrock/Ulster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), Stacey-Lea Kennedy (Cooke/Ulster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster).

Replacements: Gill Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kerrie-Ann Craddock (Saracens/Exile), Orla Fitzsimmons (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster).

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Lynne Cantwell celebrates her try with Jenny Murphy. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Scotland Women: Stephanie Johnston (Worcester); Katy Green (Darlington Mowden Park), Annabel Sergeant (Richmond), Gillian Inglis (Melrose), Megan Gaffney (Hillhead-Jordanhill); Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers), Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers); Tracy Balmer (Worcester) (capt), Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), Lindsay Smith (Hillhead-Jordanhill), Jade Konkel (Hillhead-Jordanhill), Deborah McCormack (Richmond), Tess Forsberg (Richmond), Ruth Slaven (Murrayfield Wanderers), Lindsay Wheeler (Saracens).

Replacements: Nikki McLeod (Stirling County), Lisa Robertson (Murrayfield Wanderers), Heather Lockhart (Hillhead-Jordanhill), Emma Wassel (Murrayfield Wanderers), Anna Stodter (Loughborough University), Louise Dalgliesh (RHC Cougars), Tanya Griffiths (RHC Cougars), Laura Steven (Murrayfield Wanderers).

Referee: Claire Hodnett (England).

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