BETH BUTTIMER STARRED with four tries as Munster handed Leinster a 39-19 beating on the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship’s opening day.
Closing in on her first Ireland senior cap with the WXV Global Series starting next month, Buttimer made sure to put her best foot forward at Virgin Media Park.
The Tipperary native and Ireland U21 hooker was the obvious Player of the Match in an abrasive Munster pack that included debutant flanker Grace Moore.
Matt Brown’s defending champions led 15-7 at half-time, crossing early through sparky 20-year-old Buttimer, who claimed a first-half brace, and Alana McInerney.
Leinster's Ruth Campbell wins a lineout. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
While Erin King and Eve Higgins were among six debutants in Leinster’s squad, the visitors struggled with their execution, but new captain Sarah Delaney’s 27th-minute maul score lifted them.
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As they sought to avenge two defeats from last season, Sana Govender’s first game in charge of Leinster was not going to plan, as tries from Eilís Cahill and Buttimer opened up a 20-point gap by the hour mark.
This was even with Munster losing Aoife Corey to the bin sin. King and replacement Hannah Wilson mustered final-quarter tries, but the two-in-a-row hopefuls always had an answer.
Munster's Katie Corrigan scores her side's sixth try. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Former Leinster winger Katie Corrigan capitalised on Linda Djougang’s yellow card to race over on her Munster debut, and Buttimer burrowed out right at the death to make it a seven-try victory.
Brown’s charges, who host Ulster in Cork next week, look the team to beat again, although Leinster, who entertain Connacht in Round 2, will hope to meet them again in the 29 August final.
Scorers for Munster:
Tries: Beth Buttimer 4, Alana McInerney, Eilís Cahill, Katie Corrigan
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Four-star Buttimer guides Munster to opening interpro win against Leinster
BETH BUTTIMER STARRED with four tries as Munster handed Leinster a 39-19 beating on the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship’s opening day.
Closing in on her first Ireland senior cap with the WXV Global Series starting next month, Buttimer made sure to put her best foot forward at Virgin Media Park.
The Tipperary native and Ireland U21 hooker was the obvious Player of the Match in an abrasive Munster pack that included debutant flanker Grace Moore.
Matt Brown’s defending champions led 15-7 at half-time, crossing early through sparky 20-year-old Buttimer, who claimed a first-half brace, and Alana McInerney.
While Erin King and Eve Higgins were among six debutants in Leinster’s squad, the visitors struggled with their execution, but new captain Sarah Delaney’s 27th-minute maul score lifted them.
As they sought to avenge two defeats from last season, Sana Govender’s first game in charge of Leinster was not going to plan, as tries from Eilís Cahill and Buttimer opened up a 20-point gap by the hour mark.
This was even with Munster losing Aoife Corey to the bin sin. King and replacement Hannah Wilson mustered final-quarter tries, but the two-in-a-row hopefuls always had an answer.
Former Leinster winger Katie Corrigan capitalised on Linda Djougang’s yellow card to race over on her Munster debut, and Buttimer burrowed out right at the death to make it a seven-try victory.
Brown’s charges, who host Ulster in Cork next week, look the team to beat again, although Leinster, who entertain Connacht in Round 2, will hope to meet them again in the 29 August final.
Scorers for Munster:
Scorers for Leinster:
MUNSTER: Aoife Corey; Katie Corrigan, Alana McInerney, Lucia Linn, Chisom Ugwueru; Enya Breen, Emily Lane; Siobhán McCarthy, Beth Buttimer, Eilís Cahill, Clodagh O’Halloran, Jane Clohessy, Sally Kelly, Grace Moore, Maeve Óg O’Leary (capt).
Replacements: Emma Dunican, Tuathla Ryan, Alisha Flynn, Aoibhe O’Flynn, AnnaKate Cournane, Abbie Salter-Townshend, Caitríona Finn, Ellen Boylan.
LEINSTER: Robyn O’Connor; Maggie Boylan, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Vicky Elmes Kinlan; Dannah O’Brien, Jade Gaffney; Caoimhe Molloy, Sarah Delaney (capt), Linda Djougang, Ruth Campbell, Kate Jordan, Rosie Searle, Roisín Kinch, Erin King.
Replacements: Emma Jane Wilson, Hannah Wilson, Shona White, Alma Atagamen, Aoife Corcoran, Alex Connor, Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton, Emma Tilly.
Referee: Siobhan Daly (IRFU)
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Beth Buttimer Leinster Munster Rugby women's interpros