Round Up | Women’s Interpro Championship Semi-Finals

15th September 2019 By The Editor

Munster's Sarah Garrett claims a line-out. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan

Munster Women, sponsored by Keane’s jewellers, lost out 17-20 to Connacht while Munster U18 Girls defeated Leinster 15-3 at St. Mary’s College RFC on Saturday to secure their place in the U18 Women’s Interprovincial Championship final.

Munster Women 17-20 Connacht Women

Scorers: Munster Women: Tries: Eimear Considine, Sarah Quin; Cons: Enya Breen 2; Pen: Enya Breen
Connacht Women: Tries: Beibhinn Parsons 3, Alison Miller
HT: Munster Women 10 Connacht Women 10

Determined to show the form which saw them win 27-6 at the Sportsground last month, Munster opened the scoring with a fifth minute penalty from young centre Enya Breen, who took on the place-kicking duties for the first time for her province.

Connacht enjoyed the better territory, however, and 17-year-old starlet Parsons rode a tackle down the right wing to score in the corner. With the westerners’ scrum on top, out-half Meabh Deely had the platform to scythe through Munster’s back-line soon after. The scoring pass went out to Parsons – her team-mate from last year’s U-18 Interpro title-winning team – and Connacht suddenly led by seven points.

Munster bounced back to level this absorbing contest at 10-all before half-time, a bullet pass from Nicole Cronin exposing some narrow defending and putting co-captain Eimear Considine into space on the left wing to finish neatly in the 33rd minute.

Connacht’s indiscipline threatened to derail their game-plan during the third quarter as Laura Guest’s Reds inched closer and took the lead after 51 minutes when industrious number 8 Sarah Quin grounded the ball close to the posts.

Nonetheless, with just over a quarter of an hour mark, Parsons outfoxed Munster’s drift defence with a sharp turn to complete her hat-trick. Turning some of their best attacks into scores shows the progress being made by a Connacht squad who had only opened their try account in the last round.

Munster had possession in the final moments to try and manufacture a scoring opportunity but were met with a well-organised defence and some tenacious tackling, typified by open side Edel McMahon.

Munster Women: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians) (co-capt); Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union), Enya Breen (UL Bohemians), Ciara Scanlan (St. Mary’s), Laura O’Mahony (UL Bohemians); Rachel Allen-Connolly (UL Bohemians), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians); Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemians) (co-capt), Edel Murphy (UL Bohemians), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians), Sarah Garrett (UL Bohemians), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemians), Grainne Fennelly (Thurles), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians), Sarah Quin (UL Bohemians).

Replacements: Kate Sheehan (UL Bohemians), Laura Delaney (UL Bohemians), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemians), Christine Coffey (Thurles), Claire Keohane (Railway Union), Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians).

Leinster U18 Girls 3-15 Munster U18 Girls

Scorers: Leinster U18 Girls: Pen: Ava Jenkins
Munster U18 Girls: Tries: Chisom Ugwueru, Eilish Cahill, Alana McInerney
HT: Leinster U18 Girls 3 Munster U18 Girls 10

Our representatives for the Munster 18’s today. A try apiece for Eilish Cahill, Chisom Ugwueru and Alana McInerney. Onwards to the final next week against Ulster
Proud of our players! pic.twitter.com/0heaSV3D3F

— Ennis Rugby Club (@EnnisRugby) September 14, 2019

Munster U18 Girls: Aoife Corey (Ennis); Chisom Ugwueru (Ennis), Meabh McElligott (Listowel), Saskia Morrissey (Kilrush), Alana McInerney (Ennis); Emma Connolly (Skibbereen), Clodagh McMahon (Kilrush); Eileen Gleeson (Nenagh Ormond), Sarah Murphy (Kanturk) (capt), Erika Kiely (Carrick-on-Suir), Eilish Cahill (Ennis), Aine Enright (Listowel), Aaliyah Te Pou (Shannon), Faye Dowling (Fethard & District), Eimear Minihan (Ennis).

Replacements: Rebecca Collins (St. Mary’s), Marea Walsh (Shannon), Chloe Ann O’Driscoll (Skibbereen), Aoife Costello (St. Mary’s), Alex O’Sullivan (Skibbereen), Courtney Duhig (St. Mary’s), Marlese Flynn (Carrick-on-Suir), Abbie Salter Townsend (Skibbereen).