PwC Under-18 Girls Interpros: Finals Day Review

Leinster used a stylish second-half performance to see off Connacht’s challenge and retain the PwC Under-18 Girls Interprovincial Championship title. In the earlier game at UCD, Munster edged out Ulster to earn a third place finish.

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:

Saturday, August 30 –

LEINSTER U-18 GIRLS 39 CONNACHT U-18 GIRLS 10, Thornfield astro pitch, UCD
Scorers: Leinster U-18 Girls: Tries: Sophie McDonagh, Gráinne Cleary, Molly Hennessy Murphy, Diana Izekor 2, Orlagh O’Brien; Cons: Sophia White 2, Gráinne Cleary; Pen: Sophia White
Connacht U-18 Girls: Tries: Anna McDermott, Leah McNamara
HT: Leinster U-18 Girls 5 Connacht U-18 Girls 5

Ashbourne’s Katieanne Bobbett captained the Leinster Under-18 Girls to their second successive Interprovincial crown, as a Diana Izekor brace of tries helped them to overcome a valiant Connacht team.

Backed by a stiff wind on the Thornfield astro pitch, Connacht finished the first half on level terms at five points apiece. Co-captain Anna McDermott scored their opening try on the half-hour mark, cancelling out a Sophie McDonagh effort.

However, Derek Maybury’s Leinster outfit pulled clear thanks to further tries from Gráinne Cleary, Molly Hennessy Murphy, Izekor, and Orlagh O’Brien. Leah McNamara got over in the left corner for Connacht’s only response.

With both sides much changed from last week’s meeting in Galway, Leinster’s industrious pack ate up the metres any time they got forward. Tullow prop Lily Murphy was hard to stop.

From a scrum deep in attacking territory, out-half Sophia White combined with centre McDonagh, who went crashing over the line for Leinster’s opening try with 13 minutes on the clock.

Connacht enjoyed a period of dominance in response. Ballinasloe full-back Roisin O’Sullivan looked electric with ball in hand, while the ever-influential McDermott was at the heart of their efforts throughout.

Aided by their busy back row unit, Craig Hansberry’s westerners were on the doorstep of the try-line for quite some time, only to be met by a resolute Leinster defence, led by the tough-tackling Murphy.

Nonetheless, Connacht finally got their reward when McDermott used all of her muscle to get over for a deserved score. That left it all-square, setting up an intriguing final 35 minutes.

Leinster were a different beast in the second half, their silky skills and pace on the break proving too much for their opponents. Longford’s Izekor duly took her haul to six tries in two games against Connacht.

Still, the defending champions’ second score came about in opportunistic fashion. A White penalty attempt did not go to plan, as the ball rolled off the kicking tee just as she made contact.

With the ball shooting forward low on the ground, it was difficult for Connacht to tidy up. An attempted clearance was charged down by the inrushing Cleary who pounced to ground the ball, allowing White to follow up with the conversion.

Leinster’s grip on the contest was soon tightening. With the wind dying down, Connacht gifted them a straightforward 43rd-minute penalty that was turned into another three points for White, giving her side a 15-5 advantage.

Just two minutes later, Naas winger Lily Harney raced down the right touchline before being brought to ground. Quick recycling set up the supporting Hennessy Murphy to burst onto the ball and extend the lead to 15 points.

Replacement Maebh Ní Cholla puts the wheels in motion for Leinster’s fourth try. Her excellent 50:22 kick earned them prime territory, and despite Connacht’s best efforts to resist, a subsequent counter-attack played in Izekor out wide.

The Ireland U-18 international, who was also involved in Leinster’s title win last year, did not have long to wait to double her tally. In the 57th minute, she was released by a cleverly-delayed pass from Cleary, and White tagged on the extras for a 32-5 scoreline.

To their credit, Connacht never gave up the fight. McDermott and Ballina number 8 Evie Kennedy earn the hard yards in the build-up to their second try. The ball was put through the hands, and O’Sullivan sent McNamara over with the final pass.

There was still time for Leinster to make it a six-try success, though, as the powerful Izekor burst back into Connacht’s 22. Isabella Larkin was quickly on the scene, and Ní Cholla had a snipe before offloading for O’Brien to go over. Cleary converted with the final kick.

LEINSTER U-18 GIRLS: Gráinne Cleary (Mullingar RFC); Lily Harney (Naas RFC), Diana Izekor (Longford RFC), Sophie McDonagh (Tullamore RFC), Rebecca Cahill (Portlaoise RFC); Sophia White (Arklow RFC), Jade Carroll (Arklow RFC); Éabha O’Mahony (Mullingar RFC), Bobbi Cahill (Enniscorthy RFC), Lilly Murphy (Tullow RFC), Orlagh O’Brien (Mullingar RFC), Erin McFadden (Balbriggan RFC), Sophie O’Mahony (Greystones RFC), Katieanne Bobbett (Ashbourne RFC) (capt), Emma O’Rourke (Navan RFC).

Replacements: Alex O’Shea (MU Barnhall RFC), Molly Hennessy Murphy (New Ross RFC), Grace Cosgrove (Dundalk RFC), Muireann Foy (Mullingar RFC), Milita Valteryte (Dundalk RFC), Sloane Rangitaawa (Wicklow RFC), Maebh Ní Cholla (Tullamore RFC), Isabella Larkin (Longford RFC).

CONNACHT U-18 GIRLS: Roisin O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC); Kate Gallagher (Ballina RFC), Esther Albert (Ballinasloe RFC), Ruth Conway (Westport RFC) (co-capt), Aoibh Morrow (Tuam/Oughterard RFC); Mia White (Creggs RFC), Kitty Fin Sweeney (Westport RFC); Isabel Lynott (Ballina RFC), Ciara Corrigan (Creggs RFC), Cairínn Kearns (Gort/Monivea RFC), Aoibhinn Lyons (Westport RFC), Juno Hayes (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Ruby Jennings (Claremorris RFC), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC) (co-capt), Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC).

Replacements: Millie Ager (Claremorris RFC), Holly Horkan (Westport RFC), Sharron Thornton (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Orla Palasz (Westport RFC), Poppy Tunney Ware (Westport RFC), Maebh Smith (Claremorris RFC), Sally Fleming (Buccaneers RFC), Leah McNamara (Westport RFC).

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP 3RD-4TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:

Saturday, August 30 –

MUNSTER U-18 GIRLS 12 ULSTER U-18 GIRLS 10, Thornfield astro pitch, UCD
Scorers: Munster U-18 Girls: Tries: Eliza Wiley Murphy, Abi Kelly; Con: Lani O’Donovan
Ulster U-18 Girls: Tries: Elinor van Lill, Ella Moore
HT: Munster U-18 Girls 7 Ulster U-18 Girls 10

The Munster Under-18 Girls made their dominance of possession count as they achieved a 12-10 victory over Ulster to finish third overall in the PwC U-18 Girls Interprovincial Championship.

Lani O’Donovan’s first-half conversion was the difference between the teams in the end in what was a low-scoring but absorbing game where points were at a premium.

Ulster’s red zone efficiency helped them go into the half-time break with a 10-7 lead. Their forwards put away a couple of chances from close range, with Elinor van Lill and Ella Moore both touching down.

Damien Hicks’ Munster side had virtually all the possession in the second half. It did not come easy, but Ennis winger Abi Kelly ran in her fourth try in as many matches to take a tight verdict and a rewarding finish to the campaign.

It was a wet and windy day at the UCD venue. The conditions were suited to one style of play – fronting up with the forwards and keeping it tight rather than an expansive attacking game-plan.

This contest was a lot closer than last week’s 34-5 triumph for Munster at Affidea Stadium. They had the lion’s share of possession during the opening half but struggled to convert their territory into points.

Handling errors and ill-discipline around the breakdown hampered their progress, although Aine O’Rourke, Elena O’Brien, and very effective number 8 Eliza Wiley Murphy pushed the young Reds forward with powerful carries.

On the other side of the ball, Fainche Higgins, co-captain Olivia McKinley, one of their standout players across the series, and Dearbhla Smith put in big shifts in defence for Ulster.

In the 20th minute, Colm Finnegan’s team threatened from their first venture into the opposition 22. Smith went charging through a gap to put them on the front foot. Munster conceded a penalty, giving Ulster the opportunity to go into the corner.

From the lineout, a try looked likely, but the Munster girls stood firm, managing to hold the ball up over the whitewash after some forcefu Ulster carries.

From the resulting goal-line dropout, Ulster kept their foot on the pedal, and eventually, Virginia back rower van Lill used her strength to get over for the opening score which went unconverted.

A second five-pointer was just around the corner, and this time the build-up was all about some slick back-line play. Winger Charlotte Thompson put on the afterburners and despite a smart step back inside, a timely last-ditch tackle denied her.

From a subsequent penalty, Ulster went for the tap option before Malone tighthead Moore used all of her strength to touch down, making it 10-0.

It was all Munster for the last 10 minutes leading up to the interval. Scariff’s Wiley Murphy was on a one-woman mission to get her province on the scoreboard, almost scoring on three separate occasions.

The first time the ball was ripped away in contact, she was held up another time, and then a knock-on thwarted her just metres out. She did manage to squeeze in a late score, converted by O’Donovan, to make it a three-point game.

Frustratingly for the Ulster youngsters as they tried to hold firm for their first win of the competition, the second half saw Munster dominate the ball and force the issue for long spells.

Hicks gradually unloaded his bench, bringing plenty of fresh legs onto the pitch. Clonakilty’s Jo McCaughey moved into the out-half position, while captain Lily Byrne grew in influence as she spearheaded their attack.

Munster had to be patient, though, as they struggled to string the phases together at times as more dropped balls ruined the fluidity of their play.

They finally found the answer they were looking for when Kelly was at the end of a back-line move to score in the corner, making it back-to-back wins for her side after two narrow defeats to Connacht and Leinster previously.

MUNSTER U-18 GIRLS: Maria O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC); Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC) (capt), Cora Miller (Waterpark RFC); Lani O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC); Aoife Martin (Ennis RFC), Erin Ridgway (Kinsale RFC/Dolphin RFC), Aine O’Rourke (Mallow RFC), Lisa O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC), Laura Danaher (Scariff RFC), Elena O’Brien (Midleton RFC), Kiera Murphy (Dolphin RFC), Eliza Wiley Murphy (Scariff RFC).

Replacements: Ciara O’Driscoll (Clonakilty RFC), Maya McMahon (Clonakilty RFC), Alice Buckley (Kanturk RFC), Orlaith Grimes (Shannon RFC), Cailinn O’Brien (Garryowen FC), Sophie O’Riordan (Bruff RFC), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC), Alice O’Donovan (Bantry Bay RFC).

ULSTER U-18 GIRLS: Aoibhín Smith (Virginia RFC); Katelyn Magee (Enniskillen RFC), Caitlin Crowe (Cavan/Virginia RFC) (co-capt), Emily Irwin (Omagh Accies RFC), Charlotte Thompson (Ballymoney RFC); Erin Robinson (Ballymena RFC), Julia Mulligan (Enniskillen RFC); Orlaith Maguire (Enniskillen RFC), Alanna Scullion (Cooke RFC), Ella Moore (Malone RFC), Olivia McKinley (Banbridge RFC) (co-capt), Dearbhla Smith (Virginia RFC), Elinor van Lill (Virginia RFC), Myah Vance (Virginia RFC), Fainche Higgins (Cavan/Virginia RFC).

Replacements: Rachael Henderson (Clogher Valley RFC), Maddie Waddel (Donaghadee RFC), Jessica McFarlane (Limavady RFC), Rachel Easdon (Ophir RFC), Sophie Hamilton (Omagh RFC), Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC), Ciara Lewis (Malone RFC), Natalie Turner (Enniskillen RFC).

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS –

Sunday, August 10 –

Munster 5 Connacht 10, Virgin Media Park

Leinster 36 Ulster 7, Energia Park

Saturday, August 16 –

Connacht 24 Ulster 7, Galway Corinthians RFC

Leinster 19 Munster 15, Energia Park

Saturday, August 23 –

Connacht 19 Leinster 59, Galway Corinthians RFC

Ulster 5 Munster 34, Affidea Stadium

Saturday, August 30 –

3rd/4th Place Play-Off: Munster 12 Ulster 10, Thornfield astro pitch, UCD

Final: Leinster 39 Connacht 10, Thornfield astro pitch, UCD