Updated at 17.15pm
IRELAND’S WOMEN’S SEVENS team suffered a controversial defeat to England in the last of their three pool games at the European Olympic Qualifying Grand Prix in Malemort.
England’s winning try was greeted with boos from the fans and protestations from the Irish players, after Louise Galvin appeared to be obstructed several times as she chased down the English try scorer.
Huge wins against Scotland and Georgia, with over 100 points scored, put the women into a perfect position in Pool C, but a 12-10 defeat to England in controversial circumstances has lowered them from 1st to 4th seeds for tomorrow’s quarter finals.
After finishing fifth and winning the Plate in last week’s opening Grand Prix event in Kazan, Ireland ran in eight tries to defeat Scotland in the opening game of the day.
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe grabbed a hat trick, Louise Galvin scored twice, while Claire Keohane, Claire Molloy and Eimear Considine all crossed for tries, all eight of which were converted by Lucy Mulhall to put Scotland to the sword.
They followed that result up with a 47-7 hammering of Germany, with Murphy Crowe, Galvin and Molloy all again scoring tries, with Alison Miller getting two, and Katie Fitzhenry and Ashleigh Baxter also on the scoresheet.
Once more, Lucy Mulahll was on form with the boot, converting six of the seven tries. They started well against England, Shannon Houston crossing for a try inside two minutes. The sides were level at 5-5 soon after though, and that’s how it stayed until halt-time.
England’s winning try came early in the second half, and the crowd made their voices heard.
When Alison Miller crossed for this try at the death however, Ireland had a chance to level from the conversion.
The conversion drifted agonisingly wide, meaning Ireland had to settle for second place in the group, and a last 8 meeting with France tomorrow.
