3 days ago
Caitríona Finn stars as Munster overcome Leinster in Interpros
Women's Interprovincial Championships: Leinster 22 Munster 33
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 outhalf 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.
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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.
Scorers:
Leinster:
Tries: Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Kathy Baker, Molly Boyne, Katie Whelan; Con: Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton
Munster:
Tries: Chloe Pearse 2, Chisom Ugwueru, Kate Flannery, Aoife Corey; Cons: Caitríona Finn 4
LEINSTER:
Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC); Emma Brogan (MU Barnhall RFC), Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow 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:
Kelly Burke (MU Barnhall RFC), Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC), Clodagh Dunne (Old Belvedere RFC), Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC), Rosie Searle (Navan RFC), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC), Heidi Lyons (Naas RFC), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC).
MUNSTER:
Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Órna Moynihan (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), Aoife Fleming (Ballincollig RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O'Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Clodagh O'Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Maeve Óg O'Leary (Blackrock College RFC) (capt), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC).
Replacements:
Emma Dunican (Tralee RFC), Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Lily Morris (Ballincollig RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC), Eve Prendergast (Ballincollig RFC), Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC).
Referee:
Siobhán Daly (IRFU)