New-look Leinster open three in a row bid with win over Ulster, Munster down Connacht

The 42

a day ago

Leinster 37-21 Ulster
A MUCH-CHANGED LEINSTER began their bid for a third straight Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship title with a 37-21 home win over Ulster, giving new head coach Ben Martin a positive start in the process.
Two of Leinster's 13 debutants, Kathy Baker and Emma Brogan (two), contributed tries as they built a 22-14 half-time lead at Energia Park. Ireland Under-20 captain Jane Neill also scored from the base of the scrum.
After defending for much of the first half, Ulster were clinical with a couple of scoring chances approaching the interval. Siobhán Sheerin marked her first appearance at this level with a fine try, and also converted captain India Daley's follow-up effort.
Jade Gaffney and Baker, the Vodafone Player of the Match, both crossed during the third quarter, with Ulster losing Brenda Barr to the sin bin not long after a Sophie Barrett try.
Murray Houston's improving side had enough possession to bag a bonus point or two of their own, but the excellent Baker teed up Brogan's hat-trick score as Leinster quickly turn their attention to next Saturday's visit of arch rivals Munster.
Leinster scorers
Tries: Kathy Baker 2, Emma Brogan 3, Jane Neill, Jade Gaffney
Con: Nikki Caughey
Ulster scorers
Tries: Siobhán Sheerin, India Daley, Sophie Barrett
Cons: Siobhán Sheerin 3
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Leinster's Maggie Boylan on the charge. Dan Clohessy / INPHO Dan Clohessy / INPHO / INPHO
LEINSTER: Caoimhe McCormack (Railway Union RFC); Emma Brogan (MU Barnhall RFC), Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC), Cara Martin (Blackrock College RFC), Maggie Boylan (Blackrock College RFC); Nikki Caughey (Railway Union RFC), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC); Aoife Moore (Blackrock College RFC), Lisa Callan (Old Belvedere RFC), Katie Layde (Old Belvedere RFC), Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC), Kate Jordan (Blackrock College RFC), Ciara Short (Wicklow RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC) (capt), Jane Neill (Old Belvedere RFC).
Replacements: Méabh Keegan (Railway Union RFC), Kelly Burke (MU Barnhall RFC), Clodagh Dunne (Old Belvedere RFC), Rosie Searle (Navan RFC), Emma Kelly (Old Belvedere RFC), Erin McConnell (Wicklow RFC), Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC).
ULSTER: Niamh Marley (Cooke RFC); Lucy Thompson (Enniskillen RFC/Cooke RFC), Siobhán Sheerin (Clogher Valley RFC), Tara O'Neill (Cooke RFC), Paige Smyth (Ballynahinch RFC/Cooke RFC); Lauren Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC), Georgia Boyce (Cooke RFC); Sarah Roberts (Queen's University Belfast RFC), Maebh Clenaghan (Queen's University Belfast RFC), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC), Lauren Darley (Queen's University Belfast RFC), Brenda Barr (Suttonians RFC), Ruby Starrett (Queen's University Belfast RFC), Katie Hetherington (Clogher Valley RFC), India Daley (Enniskillen RFC/Blackrock College RFC) (capt).
Replacements: Megan Simpson (Cooke RFC), Cara McLean (Larne RFC), Ava Fannin (Blackrock College RFC), Rebecca Beacom (Enniskillen RFC), Moya Hill (Enniskillen RFC), Rachael McIlroy (Queen's University Belfast RFC), Kelly McCormill (Cooke RFC), Stacey Sloan (Cooke RFC).
Referee: Cian Aherne (IRFU)
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Munster 22-5 Connacht
Munster's Chisom Ugwueru and Megan Collis of Connacht. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
Munster had too much pace and power for a young Connacht team in Cork, as Chisom Ugwueru helped herself to a hat-trick of tries in a runaway 44-5 victory.
With Matt Brown back as head coach for the first time since 2021, and Maeve Óg O'Leary taking on the captaincy, Munster comfortably won their only home game in this season's Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship.
Ava Ryder's 29th-minute try was the sole score for a gallant Connacht, who trailed 22-5 at half-time after Munster debutant Gráinne Burke, Ugwueru (2), and Aoife Corey had all touched down.
Ugwueru, the Ennis flyer, took care of the bonus point with a brilliant effort from inside her own half. Vodafone Player of the Match Caitríona Finn pulled the strings at out-half, having a hand in most of Munster's best moments.
Connacht, who host Ulster next Saturday, lost Poppy Garvey to a 52nd-minute sin-binning, and Ugwueru and replacement Kate Flannery both scored while she was off. Stephanie Nunan and Brianna Heylmann bookended the second half with well-taken tries.
Munster scorers
Tries: Gráinne Burke, Chisom Ugwueru 3, Aoife Corey, Stephanie Nunan, Kate Flannery, Brianna Heylmann;
Cons: Caitríona Finn 2
Connacht scorers
Try: Ava Ryder
Munster's debutants. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
MUNSTER: Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis RFC), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC); Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC); Gráinne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O'Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Maeve Óg O'Leary (Blackrock College RFC) (capt), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC).
Replacements: Aoife Fleming (Ballincollig RFC), Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), Lily Morris (Ballincollig RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Annakate Cournane (Shannon RFC), Eve Prendergast (Ballincollig RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Orna Moynihan (Ennis RFC).
CONNACHT: Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC); Emily Foley (Galwegians RFC), Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC), Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC) (capt), Ava Ryder (Blackrock College RFC); Siofra Hession (Creggs RFC), Gráinne Moran (Galwegians RFC); Ella Burns (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Galwegians RFC), Lily Brady (Westport RFC/UL Bohemian RFC), Megan Collis (Railway Union RFC), Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Lesley Ring (Old Belvedere RFC), Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs RFC).
Replacements: Stacy Hanley (Galwegians RFC), Hannah Coen (Creggs RFC), Roisin Maher (Galwegians RFC), Ailish Quinn (Galwegians RFC), Caoilfhionn Conway Morrissey (Ennis RFC), Karly Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Sinead O'Brien (Galwegians RFC), Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin (Tuam/Oughterard RFC).
Referee: Euan O'Riordan (IRFU).