VODAFONE WOMEN'S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP - ROUND 2:
Saturday, August 15 -
MUNSTER 62 ULSTER 0, Virgin Media Park
Scorers: Munster: Tries: Chisom Ugwueru, Clodagh O'Halloran 2, Beth Buttimer 2, Katie Corrigan, Emily Lane, Aoife Corey, Alana McInerney, Andrea Murphy; Cons: Enya Breen 3, Caitríona Finn 3
Ulster: -
HT: Munster 31 Ulster 0
Last year's champions outclassed their opponents at Virgin Media Park, racking up 10 tries for their second bonus-point win and comfortable qualification for the final on August 29.
Two tries each from Beth Buttimer and player-of-the-match Clodagh O'Halloran, adding to Chisom Ugwueru's electric ninth-minute opener, had Munster leading 31-0 at half-time.
Enya Breen was back on form with her place-kicking, adding three conversions, as Ulster, despite the return of captain India Daley, struggled to slow down Munster's attacking tempo.
Matt Brown's side were relentless at times, adding further tries from Katie Corrigan, Emily Lane, stand-in captain Aoife Corey, Alana McInerney, and newcomer Andrea Murphy.
Replacement Caitríona Finn tagged on three conversions, helping them to push past the 60-point mark. Munster visit Connacht next Saturday, while Ulster are back in Belfast to host Leinster.
The Reds were able to disrupt Ulster's first two lineouts, including an O'Halloran steal, and control the early possession until Abby Moyles' rip in a tackle.
Niamh Marley's turnover penalty typified Ulster's resistance, but Ugwueru then cut them open out wide, fending off both Marley and Katie Gilmour before breaking through Moyles' tackle for a superb solo try.
Following Breen's crisp conversion from the left, the title holders flexed their muscles from a maul, with Buttimer stopped short before O'Halloran squeezed over to make it 12-0.
Grace Moore, regularly making metres with her carries, went close after Munster had won a 21st-minute scrum against the head. Possession was retained for Buttimer to burrow over, with Breen precise from the tee.
Ireland internationals Sadhbh McGrath and Fiona Tuite-O'Sullivan carried well as Ulster, on the back of a penalty outside the Munster 22, pressed for a response until Ugwueru forced a knock-on from Moyles.
Back within striking distance in the 31st minute, Munster clinically claimed their bonus point. Lucia Linn neatly tidied up a partially-blocked Breen kick, and the forwards took over, Buttimer twisting out of a tackle to grab her sixth try of the tournament.
With the scrum also going in Munster's favour, Lane and McInerney used a late set-piece platform to gobble up the ground - the excellent scrum-half showing her strength in the carry - and it was O'Halloran who mopped up to complete her brace.
Some more scrum pressure, early in the second half, yielded Munster's sixth try of the day as Moore set up Corrigan to hold off Ciara Fitzsimons and make it over in the right corner.
The table toppers ramped up their maul defence to keep Ulster scoreless, the opportunity having been teed up by Caitlin Crowe's breakdown work. Fitzsimons also threatened soon after.
Lane deservedly got on the scoresheet in the 51st minute, rewarded for her support run after Finn had ghosted through a gap. The latter converted for a 43-0 lead.
Corey was next over ther whitewash, profiting from Linn's pacy break when she straightened up the attack. Finn's left boot made it 50 points without reply.
It was now one-way traffic, and a third converted score followed in the space of six minutes. Impressive flanker Sally Kelly split open Ulster through the middle, and McInerney coasted home from a Finn pass.
Both coaches gave their benches a good chunk of minutes, with Ulster boss Murray Houston able to hand promising young Banbridge second row Olivia McKinley her senior debut.
However, despite McGrath and Sophie Barrett coming back on for the final quarter, Ulster's lineout unfortunately let them down again having built some attacking momentum.
They did finally have some space to exploit when Moyles picked out Fitzsimons with a cross-field kick from a penalty, only for the tireless Linn to halt her progress.
Although they won a couple of scrum penalties, it was a disappointing finish for Ulster who had the worrying sight of Daley and Fitzsimons both coming off injured.
Munster winger Corrigan continued to be difficult to bring down, increasing her post-contact metres late on, and a final attack saw Linn put Murphy over for a debut try out on the left.
TIME LINE: 9 minutes - Munster try: Chisom Ugwueru - 5-0; conversion: Enya Breen - 7-0; 13 mins - Munster try: Clodagh O'Halloran - 12-0; conversion: missed by Enya Breen - 12-0; 22 mins - Munster try: Beth Buttimer - 17-0; conversion: Enya Breen - 19-0; 31 mins - Munster try: Beth Buttimer - 24-0; conversion: Enya Breen - 26-0; 40+2 mins - Munster try: Clodagh O'Halloran - 31-0; conversion: missed by Enya Breen - 31-0; Half-time - Munster 31 Ulster 0; 44 mins - Munster try: Katie Corrigan - 36-0; conversion: missed by Caitríona Finn - 36-0; 51 mins - Munster try: Emily Lane - 41-0; conversion: Caitríona Finn - 43-0; 54 mins - Munster try: Aoife Corey - 48-0; conversion: Caitríona Finn - 50-0; 57 mins - Munster try: Alana McInerney - 55-0; conversion: Caitríona Finn - 57-0; 80+2 mins - Munster try: Andrea Murphy - 62-0; conversion: missed by Caitríona Finn - 62-0; Full-time - Munster 62 Ulster 0
MUNSTER: Aoife Corey (capt); Katie Corrigan, Alana McInerney, Lucia Linn, Chisom Ugwueru; Enya Breen, Emily Lane; Siobhán McCarthy, Beth Buttimer, Eilís Cahil, Jane Clohessy, Aoibhe O'Flynn, Clodagh O'Halloran, Sally Kelly, Grace Moore.
Replacements: Emma Dunican, Tuathla Ryan, Alisha Flynn, Annakate Cournane, Ava O'Malley, Abbie Salter-Townshend, Caitríona Finn, Andrea Murphy.
ULSTER: Niamh Marley; Katie Gilmour, Caitlin Crowe, Lucy Thompson, Ciara Fitzsimons; Abby Moyles; Rachael McIlroy; Sadhbh McGrath, India Daley (capt), Sophie Barrett, Fiona Tuite-O'Sullivan, Rebecca Beacom, Moya Hill, Christy Hill, Claire Boles.
Replacements: Maebh Clenaghan, Sarah Roberts, Ava Fannin, Olivia McKinley, Stacey Sloan, Georgia Boyce, Leah Irwin, Ella Durkan.
Referee: Kenny Coldrick (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Jack Kingston, Damien Power (both IRFU)
