Mulhall’s Brilliance Helps Ireland Women Finish With A Flourish
Ireland's Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe finished the tournament with six tries. (RFU/Getty Images)
A moment of brilliance from Lucy Mulhall helped Ireland secure a 19-19 draw with Great Britain in their final outing at the International Rugby 7s on Monday, with the captain producing a memorable seven-pointer with the clock in the red and her side seven points down.
Having conjured a hugely spirited performance at St George’s Park, Aiden McNulty‘s side found themselves a score behind at the death but Mulhall showed all her rugby intellect to tap a free-kick on halfway and chip and chase in behind the GB defence to secure a draw for her side.
The Ireland captain not only had the capacity to anticipate the opportunity but also the skillset, acceleration and speed to execute in difficult conditions, scoring a superb individual try, which she also converted to draw Ireland level.
It was the least Ireland deserved at the end of a hugely productive weekend at the FA’s National Training Centre, as the squad returned to international action for the first time since February 2020.
😮 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿! 💥
Seven points down. Clock in the red. Step up, @LucyMulhall! 🙌🟢#ShoulderToShoulder #IrishRugby #Ireland7s pic.twitter.com/xmcNEtfbhU
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) May 17, 2021
Eve Higgins and Emily Lane had earlier crossed against GB during an impressive second-half salvo from Ireland, and when Scottish winger Rhona Lloyd looked to have snatched victory for the home side with her third try of the game, Mulhall stepped up at the death.
Earlier on Monday, a youthful Ireland side were unable to replicate Sunday’s win over France, as Les Bleus extracted revenge with a powerful display to run out 42-5 winners.
International Rugby 7s Results:
Saturday 15th May:
Women:
- Ireland 10-12 France
- Great Britain 24-26 France
- Great Britain 29-21 Ireland
Sunday 16th May:
Women:
- Great Britain 12-26 France
- Ireland 24-7 France
- Great Britain 26-7 Ireland
Monday 17th May:
Women:
- Ireland 5-42 France
- Great Britain 19-19 Ireland
- Great Britain 33-7 France.
Ireland Women’s Sevens Squad For International Rugby 7s:
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
Amee Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)
Méabh Deely (Blackrock/Connacht)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar/Railway Union/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Brittany Hogan (DCU/Ulster)
Emily Lane (Blackrock/Munster)
Maeve Liston (Blackrock/Ulster)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians/Leinster)
Grace Moore (Railway Union/IQ Rugby)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum/Leinster)(Captain)
Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock/Connacht).