Munster rack up magnificent seven in sizzling Women’s Interprovincial final success

MUNSTER lifted the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship trophy for the first time since January 2023, delivering a dominant performance to beat Leinster 50-15 at Energia Park on Saturday.

Munster produced a sizzling seven-try display as they cruised past the three-in-a-row hopefuls Leinster.

A barnstorming first-half performance from Matt Brown’s side had them leading 31-0 at the break, with Chloe Pearse, in her final appearance in red, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (2), and Aoife Corey sharing out the tries.

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Centre Caitríona Finn, the player-of-the-match for the third time in the Championship, tallied up 20 points in all, really stamping her mark on the game after only making her first senior start for Munster three weeks ago.

Tries from Munster captain Maeve Óg O’Leary, Finn, and Eilís Cahill made it 50 unanswered points, before Leinster, gained some late consolation. 

Harder hit by their Rugby World Cup representation, and perhaps also by last week’s tough encounter with Connacht, the defending champions rallied with tries from replacement Katie Whelan (63 and 73 minutes), and Vicky Elmes Kinlan (80).

Munster, who had already won 33-22 in Donnybrook in round 2, lost both O’Leary and Gráinne Burke to the sin bin during the final quarter, but their efforts over the opening hour had made certain of a clean sweep of victories, and their 16th Interprovincial crown overall.

SCORERS: Munster: Tries: Chloe Pearse, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird 2, Aoife Corey, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Caitríona Finn, Eilís Cahill; Cons: Caitríona Finn 6; Pen: Caitríona Finn. Leinster: Tries: Katie Whelan 2, Vicky Elmes Kinlan

MUNSTER: Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC), Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis RFC); Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Eve Prendergast (Ballincollig RFC); Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC) (capt), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC). Replacements: Gráinne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Emma Dunican (Tralee RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Lily Morris (Ballincollig RFC), Sally Kelly (Ennis RFC), Meghan Crilly (Loughborough University), Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC), Annakate Cournane (Shannon RFC).

LEINSTER: Emma Brogan (MU Barnhall RFC); Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow 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), Kelly Burke (MU Barnhall RFC), Katie Layde (Old Belvedere RFC), Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC), Ciara Short (Wicklow RFC), Katelynn Doran (MU Barnhall RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC) (capt), Rosie Searle (Navan RFC). Replacements: Kara Mulcahy (Old Belvedere RFC), Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC), Clodagh Dunne (Old Belvedere RFC), Méabh Keegan (Railway Union RFC), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere), Heidi Lyons (Naas RFC), Clara Dunne (Wicklow RFC), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC).

Referee: Daniel Carson (IRFU)