Lyons Bags Try in Irish Win

Four Munster players involved as Ireland Women pick up a second consecutive bonus point victory to put Ireland top of the table.

Highfield and Munster’s Leah Lyons was among the try scorers yesterday afternoon as the Ireland Women’s side continued their winning start to the Six Nations with a workmanlike 27-3 victory over Italy at the Stadio Tommaso Fattori.

After a first half strewn with errors, Tom Tierney’s side went into the break level as Michela Sillari’s penalty cancelled out an earlier effort by Nora Stapleton. The Irish improved in the second-half, however, and it was hooker Lyons who grounded the ball against the right-hand post in the 51st to give the Irish some breathing room.

She was one of three Munster girls who started in the Italian capital yesterday; joined by team-mate Elaine Anthony and UL Bohemians’ Ciara Griffin. With RTÉ viewers watching, Lyons’ original effort was the catalyst to Ireland’s attack, and within ten minutes both Sophie Spence and Paula Fitzpatrick had turned the game from a potentially tricky encounter, to now a very attainable bonus-point victory.

However, like in Edinburgh the week before, Ireland’s fifth standings point would only arrive in the closing minutes, as a special try from Nora Stapleton’s clever kick saw Hannah Tyrell show pace and stamina in abundance, covering 80 yards in double-quick time, before rounding two Italian defenders and conning covering full-back Manuela Furlan to score in the corner.

Not wholly convincing from the Irish, but time to improve before they welcome defending champions France to Donnybrook in two weeks' time. England, who hammered Wales 63-0 yesterday, look to the team to beat so far.

Ireland: Mairead Coyne (Galwegians/Connacht); Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls), Alison Miller (Old Belvedere/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster); Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster), Leah Lyons (Highfield/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Elaine Anthony (Highfield/Munster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's/Leinster) (capt).

Replacements used: Claire McLaughlin (Cooke/Ulster) for Murphy (38 mins-half-time), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster) for Anthony, Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht) for Hughes (both half-time), Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster) for Griffin (62), Ciara O'Connor (Galwegians/Connacht), Ilse van Staden (Cooke/Ulster) for Peat (both 73). Not used: Jennie Finlay (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster).