Irish Fightback Falls Short
Two late tries from lock Germaine Healy and winger Jeanette Feighery were still not enough to see Ireland beat Scotland in Tuesday’s 5th-8th place play-off at the IRB Women’s World Cup.
…Ireland winger Nuala Ni Chadhain is tackled by Scotland’s Veronica Fitzpatrick…
Two late tries from lock Germaine Healy and winger Jeanette Feigherty were still not enough to see Ireland beat Scotland in Tuesday’s 5th-8th place play-off at the IRB Women’s World Cup.
2006 IRB WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: Tuesday, September 12
5TH-8TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:
IRELAND 10 SCOTLAND 11, St. Albert RFC, Edmonton
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Germaine Healy, Jeanette Feighery
Scotland: Try: Chris Ovenden; Pen: Paula Chalmers; Drop: Chamlers
It came down to the final minutes in a hotly contested match between the Celtic rivals in Edmonton, before a Paula Chalmers drop goal gave the Scots a lead that would see them home by a single point.
Ireland: Sarahjane Belton (capt); Jeanette Feighery, Lynne Cantwell, Grace Davitt, Nuala Ni Chadhain; Jo O’Sullivan, Tania Rosser; Fiona Coghlan, Jean Lonergan, Gillian McAllister, Caroline Mahon, Germaine Healy, Orla Brennan, Rachel Boyd, Joy Neville.
Replacements used: Marie Barrett for McAllister (half-time), Eimear O’Sullivan for Brennan (59 mins), Yvonne Nolan for Lonergan (61). Not used: Rosie Foley, Shannon Houston, Mairead Kelly, Suzanne Fleming.
Scotland: Lucy Millard; Rhona Shepherd, Rimma Petlevannaya, Veronica Fitzpatrick, Chris Ovenden; Erin Kerr, Paula Chambers (capt); Lynne Reid, Iona Frickleton, Karen Findlay, Jilly McCord, Lindsay Wheeler, Susie Brown, Donna Kennedy, Clare Muir.
Replacements used: Shona Watt for Brown (6-9 mins), Lynsey Douglas for Ovenden (30), Gail Russell for Frickleton (half-time), Sarah Mee for Findlay, Shona Watt for Kennedy (both 52), Heather Lockhart for Reid (62), Elizabeth Dalgliesh for Chalmers (78). Not used: Rachael Nicholson.
Referee: Nicky Inwood (New Zealand)
Touch Judges: Debbie Innes (England), Tood Van Vliet (Canada)
Evenly matched bursts from the back lines and fierce defence up front kept the game scoreless for most of the first half. The Scots opened the scoring after 20 minutes of near misses.
Out-hhalf Erin Kerr made a huge run to set up several phases of patient play just short of the Ireland line. Winger Chris Ovenden popped through to the left of a ruck to touch down. Chalmers missed the conversion as the Scots led 5-0 at the break.
In the second half, Ireland built up momentum with several well-placed kicks from Sarahjane Belton and Grace Davitt. They threatened to score from a scrum deep in Scottish territory, but number eight Joy Neville was stopped by Scotland’s ever alert defence.
The Scots maintained possession, driving into Ireland’s 22. Centre Rimma Petlevannaya found a huge hole and was tackled just short of the line by Feighery. However Lynne Cantwell was penalised for diving over the top of a ruck, giving Scotland a vital shot at the posts. Captain Chalmer’s kick arrowed straiht through the posts and Scotland led 8-0.
Ireland, awoken by that score, came back hard at Scotland. After punching their way down the field, they worked through several phases to set up a lineout. Bustling lock Healy rolled off the maul to dot down near the left touchline, and Ireland were on the board – 8-5.
Scotland applied immediate pressure on the restart, working their way deep into the Irish half with a back line breakaway down the middle. Chalmers saw referee Nicky Inwood signal for advantage after an Irish offside infringement. Seeing a half gap and knowing she had nothing to lose, the Scottish number 9 executed an opportunist drop goal, the first of the tournament. Scotland’s lead stood at six points.
Not willing to give up, Ireland roared back down field with the pace and continuity they had searched for for the entire match. Out-half Jo O’Sullivan found a hole to run 30 metres, setting off a series of well-paced passes to the Irish backs. Full-back Belton charged right to the line and wing Feighery touched down out wide on the right. The screaming crowd fell silent as Davitt’s conversion sailed just left of the posts, leaving Scotland 11-10 and that’s how it stayed.
Scotland advance to take on the USA for fifth place at the Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday, while Ireland are left to face Australia for seventh place at Ellerslie Rugby Park on Saturday (kick-off 12am Irish time).