Munster Women Defeated In Interpro Opener

by Michael Gallagher

CONNACHT WOMEN 19-15 MUNSTER WOMEN the Sportsground

The Munster Women’s team, sponsored by Keane’s jewellers, fell to a narrow defeat in In Laura Guest’s first interprovincial match in charge at the Sportsground on Saturday.

Munster led 10-0 at the interval but a clinical Connacht response left the hosts 19-10 clear after 72 minutes. Munster’s response was swift and clinical, as they launched a concerted assault on the Connacht line which eventually yielded a Fiona Hayes try with time almost up. However, the westerners held on to blow the title race wide open.

In the first quarter, Connacht, who also have a new head coach this season in Jarleth Naughton, looked good but their play was peppered with frustration and handling errors. Munster were more clinical and they touched down through livewire winger Laura O’Mahony in the 13th minute, with Edel Murphy converted. Niamh Kavanagh, Chloe Pearse, Ciara Griffin, Rachel Allen and Aine Staunton all caught the eye early on.

Murphy extended the lead with a penalty from in front of the posts, nine minutes shy of half-time. Connacht scrum half Shannen Lane’s defensive efforts were the measure of any loose forward on the pitch during the opening half and she was instrumental in snuffing out two Munster scores during that period.

Munster’s clinical conviction in and around the fringes was causing major headaches for Connacht who scrambled well, but began to fracture and fray. Given the wealth of territory Munster had in the second quarter, they would be rightly disappointed to have only 10 points in the bank but, with Connacht yet to trouble the scoreboard, Guest’s charges were well-positioned.

Connacht were much improved when they emerged for the final 40 minutes. In the first half Connacht were guilty of trying to shift unsecure ball in contact, spraying passes under pressure behind support runners, but the timing tweaks for the second half suggested nothing wrong with dressing room calibration, and Swiss watchmakers would do well to get hold of the 10-minute transcript.

Front rowers Laura Feely and Ciara O’Connor played their own game in tandem beyond the set piece, a duet masterclass for any tight forwards with designs on the back-line. Flankers Grainne Egan and Edel McMahon assumed the cover defensive role vacated by the tenacious Lane, and stand-in out-half Hilary Griffin silenced any and all of her critics with an executive performance to rival any corporate high-flyer.

Tactical kicking was sound, talk vocal and defence admirable, but Griffin’s greatest virtue was finding the right bodies off both hands at pace, well-supported. McMahon’s smart tap penalty two metres out for Connacht’s first try gave the 230-strong terrace something to roar about.

Then, Alison Miller, Feely and the ever-present O’Connor combined for Connacht’s second after 67 minutes in the left corner, before lock Amelie Roux’s bullocking twist from two metres out notched up the hosts’ third.

Munster spent most of that spell defending and a few wayward kicks handed possession straight back to Connacht. For the last 10 minutes, Munster tried hard to come back into the game and UL Bohemians skipper Hayes scored a try from a lineout maul but the conversion was missed by Ellen Murphy and there was no denying Connacht in the dying embers of the game.

Stand-out performers for Munster were Aine Staunton, who was superb in both attack and defence, along with try scorer Hayes in the forwards who put in amazing shift, while Niamh Kavanagh and Gillian Bourke also stood out on the day, but it was Connacht’s day.

Scorers: Connacht: Tries: Edel McMahon, Ciara O’Connor, Amelie Roux; Cons: Hillary Griffin, Mairead Coyne

Munster: Tries: Laura O’Mahony, Fiona Hayes; Con: Edel Murphy; Pen: Edel Murphy

HT: Connacht Women 0 Munster Women 10

Munster: Valerie Power (Shannon); Laura O’Mahony (UL Bohemian), Aine Staunton (UL Bohemian), Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemian), Syphonia Pua (UL Bohemian); Rachel Allen (UL Bohemian), Ellen Murphy (Old Belvedere); Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemian), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemian), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian); Siobhan McCarthy (Railway Union), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian); Edel Murphy (UL Bohemian), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee) (C), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian).

Replacements: Leah Lyons (Highfield), Maura Collins (Tralee), Zoe Grattage (Highfield), Roisin Ormond (Ballincollig), Anna Caplice (UL Bohemian), Christine Arthurs (Highfield), Laura Sheehan (Highfield), Linda McNamara (Highfield).