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Scotland in Belfast brings back fond memories for Enya Breen

Enya Breen (12) is mobbed by her team-mates after scoring the winning try and conversion against Scotland two years ago
Enya Breen (12) is mobbed by her team-mates after scoring the winning try and conversion against Scotland two years ago

In the last few campaigns when Ireland's women's team had to endure far more bad days than good, Enya Breen's scene-stealing moment in Belfast two years ago was a rare moment to savour.

The Munster centre was the hero of Ireland's 15-14 win against Scotland at Kingspan Stadium in the final round of of the 2022 championship, with her try and conversion in the final play of the game ensuring Ireland finished that campaign with a victory.

"It is and it isn't. I don't relive it on the daily," she says, when asked how vivid her memories are of that clutch score.

Ireland had gone through wave after wave of attack on a miserably wet night in Belfast, but were wasteful as they trailed the Scots 14-8 heading into the final play of the game, and staring down the barrel of a wooden spoon.

With Ireland camped in the Scottish 22, Linda Djougang's pass put Breen onto the ball, and after Scotland's Chloe Rollie slipped off a tackle, a gap of space emerged for the Irish centre to run into.

The only thought going through her mind?

"Please get this down, please get the ball down," Breen laughs.

Scoring the try was only half the job though, with Breen needing to dust herself off and land the conversion from just to the right of the posts in order to save the day.

"Once the kick came it's all just about a process really," she added.

"Trying to get back down off the high after scoring a try but then it's just focusing on the process like any other kick.

"And then, once it went over it was just about being with the team-mates, being with my team-mates and just living in that moment. It's not everyday something like that happens and yeah it was a special moment."

Those memories will likely come flooding back to the Cork woman this evening, with Ireland return to Kingspan Stadium, again hosting Scotland in the final round of the championship.

Breen, who turned 25 this week, returned for Ireland in Round 2 of this year's championship, having spent close to a year on the sidelines due to injury.

She's one of three changes to the Irish side this week, coming into the starting team in place of Aoife Dalton, partnering Eve Higgins in midfield.

With no recognised out-half on the bench, Breen looks the most likely candidate to move into that position in the event of an injury to starter Dannah O'Brien, and the 19-cap international says she's comfortable in the half-backs.

"I've played plenty at 10 throughout my career," she says.

"I've played there on the international stage, I’ve played there at club level.

"I’m happy with whatever role I’m put on at. As a centre anyway, I play as that kind of ball-playing centre. Wherever Scott [Bemand] wants me and he decides I’m best, I’m happy to go.

Beneath that pile of bodies, Enya Breen was scoring Ireland's crucial try in 2022

Ireland's win over Scotland two years ago inflicted a wooden-spoon on their opponents, but roles were reversed 12 months ago when Ireland lost heavily in Edinburgh, finishing bottom of the table.

With England and France set to contest the title later today, the Scots have looked like the best of the rest through the opening four rounds, and have climbed up to sixth in the table.

"They're a good side, well organised, but we've been looking today at them and we've got a plan in place," Breen added.

"I'm not going to tell you too much about it, but they're a good side, and we're focusing on us as well, what can we bring to the table, how can we show our strengths on the day and play our game."

The Blackrock clubwoman also expects Ireland to come back stronger after their thumping 88-10 defeat to England at Twickenham last week.

"I think some of us probably were just a bit overwhelmed by the occasion," she said.

"At the same time, we acknowledged that it was a bit of a blip on the road. We've built pretty well throughout the campaign, we've built week on week performances through Italy and Wales.

"Unfortunately, last weekend we stumbled a little bit, but we reviewed it, we reflected it and flipped the page towards this weekend pretty quickly."

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Watch Ireland v Scotland in the Guinness Women's Six Nations on Saturday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

Watch Ulster v Benetton (Friday 7.35pm) and Dragons v Connacht (Saturday 7.35pm) in the BKT United Rugby Championship on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

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