Tenacious Munster see off Leinster to secure second women's interpro win

MUNSTER made it two wins from two in the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship when securing a hard-fought 26-17 victory over Leinster in Musgrave Park on Saturday afternoon

This was closely fought encounter throughout with Niamh Briggs’ Munster side taking a 14-7 lead into the half-time break, thanks to tries from Deirbhile Nic a Bháird and Róisín Ormond with Nicole Cronin added both conversions.

Early in the second-half, Clodagh O’Halloran’s try gave Munster some breathing room as the home side increased their lead to 21-7. However, Leinster mounted a comeback and with just four points between the sides, Stephanie Carroll crossed in the corner to ensure victory for Munster in what was a nail-biting closing 10 minutes of the game.

SCORERS: Munster: Tries | Deirbhile Nic a Bháird, Róisín Ormond, Clodagh O’Halloran, Stephanie Carroll; Conversions | Nicole Cronin (3); Leinster: Tries | Jenny Murphy, Elise O’Byrne-White, Anna Doyle; Conversions | Dannah O’Brien

MUNSTER: Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC) (Stephanie Carroll 75′), Rachel Allen (UL Bohemian RFC) (Kate Flannery 65′), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC); Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC) (C), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC); Róisín Ormond (Ballincollig RFC), Kate Sheehan (UL Bohemian RFC) (Chloe Pearse 48′), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian RFC) (Eilís Cahill 65′); Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC) (Gillian Coombes 71′); Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC). Replacements: Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC), Gillian Coombes (Ballincollig RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Sarah Garrett (UL Bohemian RFC), Ciara Farrell (UL Bohemian RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union RFC), Laura Sheehan (Exeter Chiefs).

LEINSTER: Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC), Elise O’Byrne-White (Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere RFC), Anna Doyle (Blackrock College RFC),  Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC), Aoife Moore (Blackrock College RFC), Jess Keating (Old Belvedere RFC), Christy Haney (Blackrock RFC), Aoife McDermott (Railway Union RFC), Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC). Replacements: Vic O’Mahony (Old Belvedere RFC), Lisa Callan (Railway Union RFC), Megan Collis (Railway Union RFC), Elaine Anthony (Old Belvedere RFC), Emma Murphy (Railway Union RFC), Lisa Mullen (Blackrock RFC), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC), Niamh Byrne (Railway Union RFC).