Munster Rugby players to the fore in Ireland's runaway Six Nations success

FIVE Munster players played key roles as the Ireland Women's side made a whirlwind start to the Six Nations with a 45-0 bonus point victory over Wales at Cardiff Arms Park.

Superbly marshalled by captain Ciara Griffin, of UL-Bohemian and Munster, Adam Griggs' charges bagged the bonus point inside 18 minutes and had five line-breaks, five lineout steals and broke 43 tackles in all.

Another UL-Bohs and Munster player, full-back Eimear Considine chipped in with a brace of tries in the opening half, a feat repeated by Ireland's exciting young winger Beibhinn Parsons of Ballinasloe.

Sene Naoupu also crossed as Ireland - in their first game in six months - built a 31-0 half-time lead.
Influential out-half Hannah Tyrrell, the player-of-the-match, finished with a try and five crisply-struck conversions.

A scrappy second half also saw Munster's Dorothy Wall dot down for the first time at this level.

Two more Munster players, Enya Breen, of UL-Bohemians and Emily Lane, of Blackrock, were sprung from the replacements' bench at the start of the final quarter.

Ireland now face France at Energia Park, Dublin next Saturday, 2.15pm, for a Pool B decider.

IRELAND WOMEN: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster); Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock/Connacht); Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster); Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster), Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby, Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Blackrock/Connacht), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock/Munster), Claire Molloy (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt). Replacements used: Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster) for Delany (54 mins), Katie O'Dwyer (Railway Union/Leinster) for Peat, Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster) for Fryday (both 56), Enya Breen (UL Bohemians/Munster) for Considine, Emily Lane (Blackrock/Munster) for Dane, Hannah O'Connor (Blackrock/Leinster) for Griffin (all 63), Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster) for Moloney, Laura Feely (Blackrock/Connacht) for Djougang (both 70).