Leinster 38 Connacht 19
Leinster began the defence of their Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship title in impressive fashion as they led from start to finish in a comfortable 38-19 win against Connacht in Donnybrook.
Tania Rosser’s side never looked in danger of slipping up against the western province as they picked up a bonus-point win to go top of the table ahead of facing Munster next week.
That bonus-point was secured inside the opening half as tries for Ella Roberts, Katie Whelan, Aoife Dalton and Emma Tilly saw them race out to a 26-7 lead at the break.
Caoimhe Molloy added to their lead early in the second half, before player of the match Whelan capped off a brilliant induvial display with her side’s sixth try four minutes from time. Nikki Caughey added four conversions.
Connacht’s only score of the first half came from a Faith Oviawe try on the half-hour mark, and while the visitors never got back within reach of the defending champions, they were far improved in the second half, as the impressive Oviawe grabbed another try, with Laoise McGonagle also crossing the line.
It took the hosts just under ten minutes to hit the front, as Roberts finished off a brilliant counter-attacking move from deep.
After a deep Connacht kick, full-back Tilly ran the ball back at the visitors, before offloading and putting Dalton into space. Dalton drew in Connacht’s Meabh Deely, before passing wide to Roberts as the wing sprinted down the touchline to grab the opening try of the game, which was converted by Caughey for a 7-0 lead.
Connacht responded well and two crossfield kicks from out-half Nicole Fowley, first to Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, and then to Clara Barrett, threatened the Leinster defence, but the hosts did enough to hold them out.
It looked like Leinster would extend their lead shortly after when Whelan spotted a gap at a ruck and broke through the middle but Deely did just enough to force the scrum-half into rushing her pass inside the 22.
It wasn’t long until Leinster did get in for their second try, and it was Whelan who crossed to score after some excellent work in the build-up from Dalton and Aimee Clarke brought the hosts within range of the tryline.
Caughey’s conversion pushed the advantage out to 14-0 and the out-half turned provider for her side’s third try on 26 minutes, with her deft pass back inside to Dalton allowed the centre race clear for a wonderful try, after a dominant maul had brought them into the 22.
Having conceded two tries in five minutes, Connacht finally settled and when Fowley and Deely connected well to put Barrett into space down the left wing, a high tackle against Leinster allowed them a chance to attack the hosts’ line.
Another penalty followed five metres out, and Róisin Maher’s powerful carry was stopped just short of the line, before Oviawe followed up to touch down for Connacht’s first try, which Fowley converted to make it 21-7.
Oviawe’s introduction off the bench had made Connacht’s pack look more dynamic, and they had the second row to thank again shortly after when she came up with a jackal penalty just short of her own tryline on 34 minutes.
The killer blow came right on half-time as Leinster got in for their bonus-point try, captain Hannah O’Connor getting them on the front foot when she was first to pounce on a loose ball in midfield. After working their way into the 22, the hosts moved wide, and some wonderful footwork from Tilly left Deely for dead, as she ran in to score and give her side a 26-7 lead at the break.
Leinster looked to put the game to bed early in the second half and got the opportunity to launch an attack on 42 minutes with a lineout in the Connacht 22.
They got go-forward ball through their maul before an excellent carry by Molloy, and while the number 8 was eventually brought to ground, she powered over for a try two phases later, as Caughey converted to make it 33-7.
Connacht came back at their hosts, who were reduced to 14 players when Molly Byrne was sent to the sin-bin following multiple penalties against her side.
Barrett came close to pulling a try back for Connacht shortly after but was bundled into touch by a brilliant scramble defence from Whelan and Roberts.
The visitors did eventually make their numerical advantage count just before the Leinster sin-bin expired, as Fowley’s perfectly weighted crossfield kick was gathered by McGonagle who touched down to make it 33-12.
Connacht were building a lot of and could have been in for another try on 65 minutes when a quick-tap penalty sent Emily Foley towards the corner but her final pass spilled forward as Leinster breathed a sigh of relief.
With six minutes to play, Leinster capped off their win as Whelan skipped inside to score her second try of the evening, connecting with Dalton after some sustained pressure, but Connacht did have the final say as Oviawe grabbed her third try in the final minute.
It wasn’t enough for the western province to secure any bonus-points, but it gives Emer O’Dowd’s side’s something to build on ahead of their trip to Ulster next week.
Leinster scorers - Tries: Katie Whelan (2), Ella Roberts, Aoife Dalton, Emma Tilly, Caoimhe Molloy
Cons: Nikki Caughey (4)
Connacht scorers - Tries: Faith Oviawe (2), Laoise McGonagle
Cons: Nicole Fowley (2)
Leinster: Emma Tilly; Ella Roberts, Aoife Dalton, Cara Martin, Aimee Clarke; Nikki Caughey, Katie Whelan; Aoife Moore, Sarah Delaney, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Eimear Corri; Hannah O’Connor (capt), Molly Boyne, Caoimhe Molloy.
Replacements: Julia O'Connor (for Delaney, 76), Katie Layde (for Djougang, 69), Christy Haney (for Moore, 52), Clodagh Dunne (for Corri, 61), Jane Neill (for Molloy, 61), Jemma Farrell (for Caughey, 61), Ailsa Hughes (for Clarke, 58), Leah Tarpey (for Martin, 61).
Connacht: Meabh Deely; Laoise McGonagle, Ava Ryder, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Clara Barrett; Nicole Fowley (co-capt), Grainne Moran; Ella Burns, Lily Brady, Megan Collis; Orla Fenton, Rosie Searle; Beibhinn Gleeson, Lesley Ring, Shannon Touhey (co-capt).
Replacements: Stacy Hanley (for Brady, 61), Ellen Connolly (for Burns, 61), Roisín Maher (for Collis, 23-61 mins), Faith Oviawe (for Fenton, 30), Karly Tierney (for Ring, 52), May Goulding (for Moran, 52), Orla Dixon (for Ryder, 52), Emily Foley (for Barrett, 52).
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