Leinster 38-10 Connacht
Tullow teenager Dannah O'Brien created two tries and kicked three conversions on her Leinster debut as they beat Connacht 38-10 in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship to give new head coach Tania Rosser a winning start.
Last season's runners-up launched their challenge for Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship honours with a bonus point triumph, but Connacht made them work for it, particularly during a scoreless opening 30 minutes at Energia Park.
A first half blighted by knock-ons came to life during the closing minutes when Ella Roberts and Anna Doyle touched down for a previously misfiring Leinster, before Connacht's Nicole Fowley landed a late penalty.
Armed with a 14-3 half-time lead, Rosser's charges made certain of the result - and maximum points - thanks to further scores from Elise O'Byrne-White, Jenny Murphy (2) and Katie Whelan.
Fowley skilfully set up Orla Dixon to open Connacht's try account, but the Blues, whose tireless 19-year-old centre Aoife Dalton was the Vodafone player-of-the-match, signed off with two late tries ahead of next week's trip to Munster.
Leinster: Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC); Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Dalton (Tullamore RFC/Old Belvedere RFC), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere RFC), Anna Doyle (Tullow RFC/Blackrock College RFC); Dannah O'Brien (Tullow RFC/Old Belvedere RFC), Ailsa Hughes (Tullamore RFC/Railway Union RFC); Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC), Jess Keating (Old Belvedere RFC), Christy Haney (St. Mary’s College RFC/Blackrock College RFC) (co-capt), Aoife McDermott (Railway Union RFC), Eimear Corri (Portlaoise RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Ali Coleman (Blackrock College RFC), Molly Boyne (Dublin University FC/Railway Union RFC), Hannah O’Connor (CYM RFC/Blackrock College RFC) (co-capt).
Replacements: Aoife Moore (Blackrock College RFC) for Coleman (15 mins), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Garda Westmanstown RFC/Railway Union RFC) for Hughes, Elise O'Byrne-White (Dublin University FC/Old Belvedere RFC) for Gorman (both 47), Elaine Anthony (Old Belvedere RFC) for Corri, Lisa Mullen (Virginia RFC/Blackrock College RFC) for O'Brien (both 62), Lisa Callan (Railway Union RFC) for Keating, Megan Collis (Greystones RFC/Railway Union RFC) for Haney (both 69), Katie Whelan (Enniscorthy RFC/Old Belvedere RFC) for Roberts (75).
Connacht: Mairéad Coyne (Galwegians RFC); Ava Ryder (Railway Union RFC), Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC), Shannon Touhey (Suttonians RFC), Laoise McGonagle (Galwegians RFC); Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC), Mary Healy (Galwegians RFC) (capt); Grainne O’Loughlin (Railway Union RFC), Elizabeth McNicholas (Galwegians RFC), Laura Feely (Blackrock College RFC), Fiona Scally (Galwegians RFC), Eva McCormack (UL Bohemian RFC), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Emma Fabby (Railway Union RFC), Lisa-Marie Murphy (Galwegians RFC).
Replacements: Lily Brady (UL Bohemian RFC) for McNicholas, Niamh O'Grady (Galwegians RFC) for O'Loughlin (both 50 mins), Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC) for McGonagle, Sonia McDermott (Railway Union RFC) for McCormack (both 55), Hannah Coen (Galwegians RFC) for Feely, Orla Fenton (Galwegians RFC) for Murphy, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (Tuam/Oughterard RFC) for Coyne (all 62), Olivia Haverty (Galwegians RFC) for Healy (64).
Referee: Keane Davison (IRFU)
