Munster Women lose out to Barbarians in nine-try fixture at Thomond Park

MUNSTER and the Barbarians served up a nine-try spectacle in their women's representative fixture at Thomond Park this Saturday afternoon.

The game, the first half of a double header with the sides' men's fixture later in the afternoon, ended in a 45-12 victory for the Baa-Baas who scored seven tries in all.

The first-ever Barbarians Women’s game had been played against Munster at Thomond Park in 2017.

Saturday's game saw Limerick woman Fiona Reidy bring a terrific career in the red of Munster to an end as it was her final appearance for the province. Reidy first started playing rugby in 2008 and has played with distinction at club, provincial and international level.

Munster's starting line-up showed eight changes to the starting fifteen that lined out against Leinster in the Women’s Interprovincial Championship final at the start of this month.

Three of the changes were in the backline with Aoife Corey, Chisom Ugwueru and Kate Flannery coming into the side. Corey and Ugwueru started at full-back and wing with Stephanie Carroll taking the other spot on the wing. Stephanie Nunan and Alana McInerney continued their centre partnership while Flannery and Muirne Wall start at out-half and scrum-half.

There are four changes to the pack with Beth Buttimer, Eilís Cahill, Brianna Heylmann and Jane Clohessy coming into the side.

After falling behind to an early try from the Barbarians scored by May Campbell and converted by Elinor Snowsill, Nimah Briggs' Munster side hit back with a fifth minute try of their own.

Chloe Pearse blocked an attempted clearance kick from defence, before collecting the ball and releasing Stephanie Nunan to score.

Kate Flannery's conversion tied the scores at 7-7.

However, the Barbarians took control of the game before half-time adding five further tries through Eloise Blackwell, Megan Gaffney who scored a brace, and two more five-pointers, including one from Kate Alder, to leave the visitors leading 38-7 at the break.

Vicky Fleetwood added seventh try for the Baa-Bas shortly after the restart, before Chloe Pearse struck for Munster's second try of the contest to leave the score at 45-12.

That's the way the scoreline remained until full-time. 

BARBARIANS: Elizabeth Goulden, Maria Magatti, Grace Steinmetz,  Kate Alder, Megan Gaffney;  Elinor Snowsill, Ailsa Hughes; Elizabeth Crake, May Campbell, Kathryn Buggy, Christiana Balogun, Eloise Blackwell, Beth Stafford, Vicky Fleetwood, Ciara Griffin. Replacements: Joanna Kitlinski, Lindsay Peat, Ciara O'Connor, Kay Searcy, Ciara Cooney, Mary Healy, Patricia Garcia Rodriguez, Gemma Rowland.

MUNSTER: Aoife Corey, Chisom Ugwueru, Alana McInerney, Stephanie Nunan, Stephanie Carroll; Kate Flannery, Muirne Wall; Róisín Ormond, Beth Buttimer, Eilís Cahill; Dorothy Wall (C), Clodagh O’Halloran; Brianna Heylmann, Jane Clohessy, Chloe Pearse. Replacements: Ciara Farrell, Fiona Reidy, Gillian Coombes, Claire Bennett, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Abbie Salter-Townshend, Aoife O’Shaughnessy, Aoife Doyle.