Ecstasy And Agony As Munster Claim Interpro

The Munster Women’s team, sponsored by Keanes Jewellers, won their tenth Interprovincial title in 13 years in the most dramatic of circumstances at Tralee RFC last Saturday.

The game was in added time with Munster trailing 7-6 to Connacht as the Westerners were on the cusp of their first ever Women’s Interprovincial title.

Then Connacht, who had defended superbly, went in from the side and Ger Rea was handed the opportunity to snatch the win, and the Interprovincial crown, with a tricky penalty from the right.

Captain Laura Guest got confirmation from the referee that it was the final play. “I was aware it was the last kick of the game but I didn’t tell the kicker that,” said Guest afterwards. “I was certainly aware but confident in her ability to kick it.”

Rea duly stepped up and calmly converted the penalty before the final whistle sounded to cue wild celebrations among the Munster team and heartbreak for Connacht.

“Guesty lied to me and didn’t tell me there were only 30 seconds left so I was totally oblivious that the game was in added time,” said Rea (pictured below).

“Everybody keeps coming up to me saying ‘jeez Ger weren’t ya nervous?’, I was fully 100% oblivious and I just had a little chat with myself and I said ‘era sure look you’re gonna knock that over, just hit the target.’”

And she did just that as Munster regained the Interpro title after defeat to Leinster in the final game of last year’s tournament saw the side relinquish the crown.

Connacht dominated the first half and led 7-0 at the break thanks to a Jill Draper try in the right corner that was converted by Clare Rafferty.

Munster produced a much better second half performance and hit back through two Rea penalties to reduce the deficit to just a point. “The thing is that I’m not even a kicker,” revealed Rea afterwards.

“I would never have been a kicker, I don’t kick for Highfield but we were just stuck this year and they brought a couple of us out kicking and they chose me.

“So it was just landed upon me but the lads worked really well with me and it turned out alright!”

The game was an extra special occasion for the O’Mahony family as sisters Laura and Emer lined out on opposite sides for the first time.

Emer started on the wing for Connacht with Laura at out-half for Munster, although the sisters are clubmates at Tralee RFC. “We’d never played against each other before in any sport so it was a bit strange that way,” said Laura.

“It wasn’t until Saturday morning when we got up and both had breakfast together and then went our separate ways to the match that you realise that you’re coming up against your sister.

“I was delighted to win but disappointed for her at the same time. It was her first Interpros and she did very well.

“I think it was harder for my parents, they didn’t know who to shout for so they had to be neutral on the day even though they’re Munster people.

“It was hard to see her losing, she was upset and it was such a close game and Connacht had played so well this year. They hadn’t beaten Munster in a good few years so for them to lose out in such a last-minute situation was heartbreaking for them and heartbreaking for Emer.”

Munster started the campaign with a bonus-point 22-0 win over Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium before scraping past Leinster on a 7-0 scoreline.

Head Coach Wayne Falvey took the reins less than three months ago with the aim of bringing younger players through to the senior team.

The majority of the Munster players who starred for Ireland at the World Cup were rested for the tournament,
making the achievement even more special.

“When I met with Amanda Greensmith in the Munster Branch, it was all about the development of the next generation of girl rugby players,” said Falvey.

“I went into an unknown in the respect that we were just developing the girls and if we could build our performances, the results would come.
Wild celebrations at the final whistle. Credit: Inpho

“The girls showed great character with two away wins in our first two games. There have been seven or eight new caps and we have blooded a lot of young, new girls throughout the campaign so to finish it off on the note we did is fantastic.”

Going into the tournament, did Rea think her side had a chance to win the title?

“Not at all and that’s being honest," said the centre. "I thought it would be a rebuilding year, I never thought for one second that it would go the way it did.”

Guest was a bit more confident but always fancied a strong Connacht side as the favourites. “I certainly hoped that we could win if we could keep improving as the tournament went on.

“My gut feeling before the tournament was that Connacht were the strongest side.”

And Guest, who announced earlier this week that she was retiring from the game, ranks the title up there with the best of the 10 she won in her 13 years as a Munster player.

“In one way it was possibly the most hard-earned win,” said Guest. “I was very fortunate to come into a Munster side that was quite dominant ten years ago.

“Saturday becomes a little bit more special because it was very, very hard fought and it went right down to the wire and the last second,” she added.

Laura Guest celebrates with team-mates after lifting the 2014 Interprovincial title. Credit: Inpho