Munster women to face Leinster in Saturday's interprovincial final

MUNSTER will meet Leinster in next weekend’s Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship final in Cork.

Leinster booked the place in next Saturday's final after edging out Munster 26-19 in Donnybrook on Saturday evening.

Munster’s two bonus-point wins against Ulster and Connacht prior to yesterday's defeat to Leinster had already guaranteed a place in the final for Niamh Briggs' side.

The decider will take place at 4.45pm on Saturday next and the game will be live on TG4.

Niamh Briggs side opened the scoring against Leinster yesterday when Munster put the ball through the hands where Maeve Óg O’Leary was on hand to produce a strong fend and power through a gap to score under the posts.

Flannery’s conversion ensured a 0-7 lead after 10 minutes.

Leinster responded well when 10 minutes later, Lisa Callan crashed over from close-range after a good bit of defensive work from Munster on their own line. Hannah O’Connor converted for Leinster to level the game, 7-7.

Just past the midway point of the first half, Leinster took the lead when Aimee Clarke was able to use her pace to score in the corner. O’Connor’s conversion was unsuccessful as Leinster took a 12-7 lead.

Munster’s maul was a weapon throughout the first-half and they used it to good effect to get back in the game as a powerful drive saw captain Dorothy Wall get Munster’s second try.

Flannery’s conversion from the touchline was just wide as the game was levelled, 12-12, with less than 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

With 10 minutes played of the second-half, Leinster took the lead when Linda Djougang powered over from a metre out. Dannah O’Brien’s conversion put Leinster 19-12 in front.

A try from Ruth Campbell extended Leinster’s lead to 26-12 with 20 minutes remaining in the match.

Munster responded well with prolonged periods of possession and territory and it was Wall who got her side back into the game with an important try from close-range. Nicole Cronin, making her first appearance of this season’s Interpros, nailed the tricky conversion to put just seven points between the teams.

Munster continued to push for a try which could level the game but Leinster defended well and saw out the match in Munster’s half.

MUNSTER: Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC) (O’Flynn 70′), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union RFC); Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC) (Cronin 50′), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC) (Salter-Townshend 70′); Róisín Ormond (Ballincollig RFC), Ciara Farrell (UL Bohemian RFC), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian RFC) (Cahill 30′); Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC) (C), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC) (O’Halloran 40′); Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC) (Pearse 40′), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC). Replacements: Beth Buttimer (Fethard RFC / Carrick-on-Suir RFC/Thurles RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Gillian Coombes (Ballincollig RFC), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC), Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC).