Clinicial Munster hold off late Leinster comeback to take control of Introprovinical Championship
Munster put themselves in pole position for a shot at regaining the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship title following a business-like 33-22 win over Leinster at Energia Park.
Playing with a maturity beyond her years, 19-year-old out-half Caitríona Finn turned in her second player-of-the-match performance in the space of a week as Munster handed the defending champions a rare home defeat.
Chisom Ugwueru's try just before half-time, adding to a quick-fire Chloe Pearse brace either side of the 20-minute mark, had Munster leading 19-10 as they proved clinical with ball in hand.
Leinster debutant Vicky Elmes Kinlan's dazzling opener had certainly raised the decibel level. Yellow cards for forwards Lisa Callan and Jane Neill hampered them, albeit that Kathy Baker was able to cross in the 28th minute.
However, Matt Brown's charges effectively sealed the result when Kate Flannery and Aoife Corey both touched down inside 12 minutes of the restart. Molly Boyne and Katie Whelan replied late on for Leinster, giving them their own bonus point.
With back-to-back bonus point victories, and next Saturday's trip to Ulster still to come, Munster look red-hot favourites for the final in Donnybrook in two weeks' time. To set up a rematch with their arch rivals, Leinster will need to beat Connacht in Galway next week.
Following a good early rumble forward by former Munster player Maggie Boylan, the visitors advanced downfield thanks to a strong maul and an offside call against Nikki Caughey. Boylan's ball-dislodging tackle on Ugwueru broke up their momentum.
Leinster's variety of kicks kept Munster guessing, with Caughey eager to link up with Emma Brogan out wide. On the opposite wing, an attack broke down when Munster captain Maeve Óg O'Leary was well positioned to win a turnover penalty.
Impressive handling between backs and forwards had Munster centres Alana McInerney and Stephanie Nunan on the move. A crooked lineout throw let them down after a penalty, and Elmes Kinlan took centre stage in the 16th minute.
Deep inside Leinster's 22, the Wicklow star stepped off her right to coolly accelerate away from heavy traffic, and out of Abbie Salter-Townshend's grasp. With open country ahead, she brilliantly angled her run down the left wing to evade both Órna Moynihan and Corey and make it over in the corner.
However, Munster hit back within three minutes. A Caughey kick failed to work out, Munster went quickly from the lineout, and some lovely hands ended with Corey putting Pearse charging over from 10 metres out. Finn's conversion split the teams at 7-5.
Brown's side had the bit between their teeth now, and the influential O'Leary followed up with a big break from deep. Leinster coughed up another penalty, and after Eilís Cahill and Finn took them up close, Pearse plunged over for Finn to convert neatly from the right.
Despite Leinster then losing Callan to a 24th-minute yellow card, they managed to score in her absence. Replacement Kelly Burke was at the heart of a penalty-winning drive, and Baker, lurking back on the short side, used her strength to score under a couple of defenders.
Now just 14-10 behind, the hosts did not fare as well when Neill was in the bin for a high tackle on Pearse. Baker's turnover briefly stemmed the tide, but Ugwueru capitalised on a strong Corey run – and a ruck ball that squirted loose – to go over in the left corner.
Just 44 seconds into the second half, the ball was grounded again for Munster's bonus point try. A slick offload from Finn saw Corey take on two defenders and expertly release replacement Flannery to score from the edge of Leinster's 22. Finn's left boot made it 26-10.
Both lineouts came under renewed pressure during a scoreless spell, yet Munster, with Finn pulling the strings, now had a firm grip on territory. Having missed out on Rugby World Cup selection like Elmes Kinlan, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird was determined to make an impact.
Following an ACL tear last year, this was Nic a Bháird's first Interprovincial appearance since 2023. Her short lineout move with O'Leary set the wheels in motion for Munster's fifth try, the phases gradually building for Ugwueru to put Corey over to the right of the posts.
Leinster began the final quarter with some purposeful phases, Whelan making a weaving run and fellow replacement Alma Atagamen, one of their new caps, also getting on the ball. Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton's kick just had too much on it for Katie Corrigan.
Despite number 8 Neill hobbling off, the title holders took some encouragement from the closing stages. Captain Boyne stole a march on Munster to take a quick tap and drive in low beside the posts. O'Sullivan Sexton, who had moved to out-half, converted.
The Blues finished with another score with three minutes remaining, and it was their work up front that delivered it. Clodagh O'Halloran almost ripped the ball back at a maul, but scrum half Whelan grasped her chance to wrestle her way over from close range.
LEINSTER: E O'Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC); E Brogan (MU Barnhall RFC), K Baker (Blackrock College RFC), V Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC), M Boylan (Blackrock College RFC); N Caughey (Railway Union RFC), J Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC); A Moore (Blackrock College RFC), L Callan (Old Belvedere RFC), K Layde (Old Belvedere RFC), C Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC), K Jordan (Blackrock College RFC), C Short (Wicklow RFC), M Boyne (Railway Union RFC) (c), J Neill (Old Belvedere RFC).
Replacements: K Burke (MU Barnhall RFC), H Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC), C Dunne (Old Belvedere RFC), A Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC), R Searle (Navan RFC), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC), H Lyons (Naas RFC), K Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC).
MUNSTER: A Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Ó Moynihan (Ennis RFC), A McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), S Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), C Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC); C Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), A Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC); G Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), A Fleming (Ballincollig RFC), E Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), A O'Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), C Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), C O'Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), M Óg O'Leary (Blackrock College RFC) (c), C Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC).
Replacements: E Dunican (Tralee RFC), C McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), J Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), L Morris (Ballincollig RFC), D Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC), E Prendergast (Ballincollig RFC), L Linn (UL Bohemian RFC), K Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC).
Referee: Siobhán Daly (IRFU)
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