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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Patience pays off for Ireland's World Cup bound O'Dowd
Ireland prop Niamh O'Dowd said that she felt her chance to start for her country "was never going to come". O'Dowd has won 15 caps for Ireland but had to bide her time to establish herself in the front row alongside Linda Djougang and Neve Jones. She impressed in the WXV1 series and then made her first Six Nations start this year against France after being involved in the squads in 2023 and 2024 without getting on the pitch. After a try-scoring performance in Saturday's win over Scotland, she is now preparing for a first World Cup with Ireland, who will take on Japan, Spain and New Zealand in Pool C. "It felt like I was never going to get my chance but when I eventually did, I had to take it with both hands and hold onto it, it timed well with the cycle when I started to get opportunities," she told BBC Sport NI. "I did spend a lot of time on the bench or as a reserve, but looking back, not that I don't regret any of it, but I learnt a lot in that time without the pressure of starting and it was a time for me to get my skills up to scratch. "I also learnt about not taking anything for granted and to work hard so I know now I've earned everything." Ireland have finished third in the last two Women's Six Nations, an improvement on finishing bottom of the table in 2023. And O'Dowd is proud of the progress made under Scott Bemand after a difficult period. "My first Six Nations in 2023 was a very tough time for the group, we weren't getting the results we wanted, and it was tough to watch the girls," she added. "Now we have been on an upward trajectory and we're on the right path and are constantly improving."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Patience pays off for Ireland's World Cup bound O'Dowd
Ireland prop Niamh O'Dowd said that she felt her chance to start for her country "was never going to come".O'Dowd has won 15 caps for Ireland but had to bide her time to establish herself in the front row alongside Linda Djougang and Neve impressed in the WXV1 series and then made her first Six Nations start this year against France after being involved in the squads in 2023 and 2024 without getting on the a try-scoring performance in Saturday's win over Scotland, she is now preparing for a first World Cup with Ireland, who will take on Japan, Spain and New Zealand in Pool C."It felt like I was never going to get my chance but when I eventually did, I had to take it with both hands and hold onto it, it timed well with the cycle when I started to get opportunities," she told BBC Sport NI."I did spend a lot of time on the bench or as a reserve, but looking back, not that I don't regret any of it, but I learnt a lot in that time without the pressure of starting and it was a time for me to get my skills up to scratch."I also learnt about not taking anything for granted and to work hard so I know now I've earned everything."Ireland have finished third in the last two Women's Six Nations, an improvement on finishing bottom of the table in O'Dowd is proud of the progress made under Scott Bemand after a difficult period."My first Six Nations in 2023 was a very tough time for the group, we weren't getting the results we wanted, and it was tough to watch the girls," she added."Now we have been on an upward trajectory and we're on the right path and are constantly improving."
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Ireland come from behind to take late win over Scotland in World Cup warm-up
World Cup warm-up: Ireland 27 Scotland 21 If Ireland showed some pre-World Cup rust, they quickly shook it off to overturn a 14-point deficit in a five-try victory over Scotland in Cork. First international tries from props Sadhbh McGrath and Niamh O'Dowd, plus Exeter Chiefs debutant Nancy McGillivray, were highlight moments from the six-point success. After the double sickener of losing backrowers Erin King and Dorothy Wall for the World Cup, the form of Grace Moore to earn player-of-the-match honours was most welcome. Head coach Scott Bemand was also boosted by the returns of captain Sam Monaghan and Béibhinn Parsons for their first caps in 15 months. READ MORE Ireland's Béibhinn Parsons is tackled by Scotland's Lucia Scott and Elis Martin. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho With gaps to fill in the pack, Bemand handed debuts to Connacht flankers Ivana Kiripati from the start and Ailish Quinn off the bench. Amid early nerves, Kiripati knocked on from a lineout and Lisa Thomson pounced for the opening touchdown before also converting. Within six minutes Scotland unleashed a set-piece power play as Lucia Scott sliced through untouched to score. Thomson's conversion made it 14-0. But a serious injury to Lana Skeldon seemed to take the wind out of their sails. Ireland made that momentum swing count as 20-year-old prop McGrath barged over for her first international try. Dannah O'Brien's conversion hit the post. It was two tries in four minutes when Moore's break led to a quick-passing move which saw Méabh Deely race home. O'Brien nailed the touchline conversion to trail 14-12 at half-time. Ireland's Ivana Kiripati and Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald in action against Scotland. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho It took six second-half minutes before Ireland grabbed their first lead. Kiripati was initially held up over the line, but once Scotland kicked the restart out on the full, Ireland punished them with McGillivray's memorable debut try. The lead remained at three as O'Brien missed off the tee. Scottish discipline continued to erode. A deliberate knock-on saw winger Coreen Grant sinbinned as they coughed up 11 consecutive penalties either side of half-time. Out of nothing, the visitors got back ahead in their last play with 14 players. Poor defending allowed Emma Orr to sprint through a gap to touch down before Thomson's kick made it 21-17. But Ireland dug deep to edge ahead after 67 minutes. O'Dowd ripped possession out of Scottish hands before the Wexford native found herself at the end of the move to dive over. Enya Breen's conversion came up short. They earned a late cushion when Deirbhile Nic a Bháird dashed over from an advancing lineout maul. Breen became the second home kicker to strike the post, but their lead was never threatened. Scoring sequence – 15 mins: Thomson try, con 0-7; 21: Scott try, Thomson con 0-14; 34: McGrath try 5-14; 37: Deely try, O'Brien con 12-14; Half-time 12-14 ; 45: McGillivray try 17-14; 63: Orr try, Thomson con 17-21; 67: O'Dowd try 22-21; 76: Nic a Bháird try 27-21 IRELAND: M Deely (Blackrock College/Connacht); B Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht), N McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs), E Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), A-L Costigan (Railway Union/Munster); D O'Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), M Scuffil-McCabe (Manawatū/Leinster); S McCarthy (Railway Union/Munster), C Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), S McGrath (Cooke/Ulster); E Corri-Fallon (Blackrock College/Leinster), S Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby, capt); G Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), I Kiripati (Creggs/Connacht), B Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster). Replacements: D Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere/Munster) for Moore (temp, 2-13 mins); F Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster) for Monaghan (34); N O'Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster) for McCarthy, L Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster) for McGrath (both 49); Nic a Bháird for Hogan, E Lane (Blackrock College) for Scuffil-McCabe, E Breen (Blackrock College/Munster) for O'Brien (all 59); N Jones (Gloucester Hartpury) for Moloney-MacDonald, A Quinn (Galwegians/Connacht) for Kiripati (both 68). SCOTLAND: C Rollie; C Grant, E Orr, L Thomson, L Scott; H Ramsay, C Mattinson; A Young, L Skeldon, E Clarke; E Wassell, R Malcolm (capt); R McLachlan, A Stewart, E Gallagher. Replacements: E Martin for Skeldon (31 mins); L Bartlett for Young (40); L Brebner-Holden for Mattinson (51); M Poolman for Clarke (54); B Blacklock for Ramsay (56); A Ferrie for Wassell, E Donaldson for Malcolm (both 64); E Wills for Brebner-Holden (70). Yellow card: C Grant (51 mins). Referee: C Munarini (Italy).
