VODAFONE IRELAND WXV SERIES:
Sunday, September 20 -
IRELAND 36 USA 40, Tallaght Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Aoife Wafer, Eve Higgins, Erin King, Dorothy Wall; Cons: Dannah O'Brien 3
USA: Tries: Georgie Perris-Redding, Hope Rogers, Kathryn Treder 2, Hallie Taufoou, Freda Tafuna; Cons: Bella Vogel 5
HT: Ireland 24 USA 12
On a day when Jemima Adams Verling made her Ireland debut, Scott Bemand's side built an early 17-point lead in thrilling fashion, and led 31-12 just after the restart.
There was much to admire about Ireland's play and they finished with six tries in all, but so too did the USA whose maul was a massive weapon, and number 8 Freda Tafuna, the Vodafone player-of-the-match, was a real thorn in Ireland's side.
Tafuna's 72nd-minute try - the Americans' third while Vicky Elmes Kinlan was in the sin bin - was the highpoint of a stirring second-half fightback, before a last-minute score from Dorothy Wall.
Playing with an impressive attacking space, Ireland crossed three times during the first quarter through Elmes Kinlan, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, and Aoife Wafer.
Anna McGann's barnstorming 27th-minute break released Eve Higgins for the try-line, but the USA sandwiched the centre's converted effort with close-range scores from co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding and Hope Rogers.
Captain Erin King swiftly improved Ireland's 24-12 half-time lead, with Dannah O'Brien landing her third conversion, yet the USA seized control for much of the remainder.
Boosted by the impact of their bench, the Jack Hanratty-coached Eagles got on top as the penalty count rose against Ireland, and they were ruthless when presented with lineout opportunities.
Kathryn Treder touched down twice via mauls, either side of Elmes Kinlan's yellow card, and Hallie Taufoou and Tafuna also drove over to seal the USA's first victory over Ireland since 2018.
Bemand's charges will have an immediate opportunity to bounce back when they take on Japan at Dexcom Stadium next Sunday (kick-off 12.45pm). Tickets are available to buy here.
The hosts, sitting fifth in the world (three places above the USA), were first to threaten. They twice created space for their wingers to have a cut, and Robyn O'Connor was hauled down just a few metres short.
The US managed to hold up a promising Irish maul, but shortly afterwards, Moloney-MacDonald deftly unlocked the defence for an opening seventh-minute try.
The Galway native used a clever dummy to expose the American pillar defence, flicking a pass back inside for Stacey Flood to surge onto, and the full-back's brilliant arcing delivery put Elmes Kinlan over in the left corner.
Ireland's ability to regularly generate quick ball forced the visitors to infringe, and they whipped possession out wide for speedy youngster O'Connor to gobble up the metres.
A high tackle was punished with five more points in the 14th minute, as a nice and compact lineout drive saw Moloney-MacDonald dot down. O'Brien hit the post with her conversion attempt.
Higgins lit up the next defence-shredding Irish attack, twice making breaks - the influential Wall was on her shoulder for one - and the momentum led to Wafer burrowing over. O'Brien's conversion made it 17-0.
It was a strong opening 20 minutes from 20-year-old new cap Adams Verling, who was showing her pace and power in the wide channels. The USA responded with a clinical attacking spurt.
O'Brien was made to pay for some miscommunication which saw her kick out on the full. The US forwards drew a series of penalties over the new few minutes, resulting in Perris-Redding's try which Bella Vogel converted.
Ireland quickly hit back with a terrific fourth score, as HIA replacement McGann tore away down the left - using two hand-offs - and fed Higgins on her inside to finish off. O'Brien's extras made it 24-7.
Hanratty's outfit turned again to their powerful pack to make inroads. Rogers carried twice in quick succession, and the prop - holding a US record of 63 caps - proved unstoppable from a close-in ruck.
Defences were on top either side of the ineral, with a loose lineout spoiling an Irish opportunity at the edge of the American 22. The breakdown also continued to be fiercely contested.
Just when Moloney-MacDonald provided the penetration, charging through into the opposition 22 via Wafer's inviting offload, the US absorbed the pressure and then had Emily Heinrich and Rogers to thanks for a turnover penalty.
Wafer fired back with some great breakdown work of her own, putting the girls in green back on the front foot, and O'Connor went close after a clever release and pick-up.
The Irish forwards swept in and King went for the whitewash, her grounding being confirmed by TMO Aled Griffiths for try number five. A crisp conversion from O'Brien extended the lead to 31-12.
Neve Jones, Eilís Cahill, Brittany Hogan, and Aoibheann Reilly were sent on at that point, and Wafer led some smart Irish maul defence to keep the USA out.
Howeer, Ireland were still allowing easy access to the Eagles with some sloppy penalties. The latest one led to a forceful maul, and Treder broke off it to score and close the gap back to 12 points.
The USA repeated the trick in the 64th minute, as they punished further Irish indiscipline. Following Erica Jarrell-Searcy's pacy break, Elmes Kinlan was slow to roll away and promptly dispatched to the sin bin.
A bulldozing drive from her fellow forwards teed up hooker Treder to complete her brace, with teenager Vogel's conversion leaving just five points in it - 31-26.
A swinging arm from Wall at a ruck gave the US a chance to move back downfield, and their pack - playing with a huge amount of belief and composure - retained the ball to worm their way up towards the posts.
Still down a player, Ireland could not hold out, and second row Taufoou duly reached over from a couple of metres out. Vogel converted to edge her team in front for the first time, with just 10 minutes remaining.
When Aoife Dalton infringed at the restart, the Americans were able to march back into scoring range, and strong-carrying number 8 Tafuna shrugged off King's challenge to thunder her way over, with Vogel converting once more.
Credit to Ireland, they displayed their undoubted resilience to register a last-minute try. Wall muscled over after a maul had been stopped short, but the USA would not be denied.
TIME LINE: 7 minutes - Ireland try: Vicky Elmes Kinlan - 5-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O'Brien - 5-0; 14 mins - Ireland try: Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald - 10-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O'Brien - 10-0; 19 mins - Ireland try: Aoife Wafer - 15-0; conversion: Dannah O'Brien - 17-0; 25 mins - USA try: Georgie Perris-Redding - 17-5; conversion: Bella Vogel - 17-7; 27 mins - Ireland try: Anna McGann - 22-7; conversion: Dannah O'Brien - 24-7; 32 mins - USA try: Hope Rogers - 24-12; conversion: missed by Bella Vogel - 24-12; Half-time - Ireland 24 USA 12; 46 mins - Ireland try: Erin King - 29-12; conversion: Dannah O'Brien - 31-12; 57 mins - USA try: Kathryn Treder - 31-17; conversion: Bella Vogel - 31-19; 64 mins - Ireland yellow card: Vicky Elmes Kinlan; USA try: Kathryn Treder - 31-24; conversion: Bella Vogel - 31-26; 69 mins - USA try: Hallie Taufoou - 31-31; conversion: Bella Vogel - 31-33; 72 mins - USA try: Freda Tafuna - 31-38; conversion: Bella Vogel - 31-40; 80 mins - Ireland try: Dorothy Wall - 36-40; conversion: missed by Dannah O'Brien - 36-40; Full-time - Ireland 36 USA 40
IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Robyn O'Connor (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster); Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster); Niamh O'Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury), Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs), Fiona Tuite-O'Sullivan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Jemima Adams Verling (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (capt), Aoife Wafer (Harlequins).
Replacements used: Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht) for Dalton (19-31 mins; 69), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) for Moloney-MacDonald, Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Lane, Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for O'Dowd, Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks) for Adams Verling (all 50). Not used: Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby).
USA: Kayla Canett (USA Sevens); Telesi Uhatafe (Southern Nazarene University), Tessa Hann (Denver Onyx), Emily Heinrich (Leicester Tigers/Boston Banshees), Erica Coulibaly (Denver Onyx); Bella Vogel (Life University), Abigail Paton (Otago Spirit/Matatū); Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs), Kathryn Treder (Loughborough Lightning/Bay Breakers), Keia Mae Sagapolu-Senele (ACT Brumbies), Hallie Taufoou (Loughborough Lightning), Rachel Ehrecke (Leicester Tigers/Colorado Grey Wolves), Hann Humphreys (USA Sevens), Georgie Perris-Redding (Sale Sharks) (co-capt), Freda Tafuna (Lindenwood University).
Replacements used: Alivia Leatherman (Trailfinders Women/Twin Cities Gemini) for Sagapolu-Senele (33 mins), Kapoina Bailey (Denver Onyx) for Perris-Redding, Nina Mason (Life University) for Hann, Erica Jarrell-Searcy (Sale Sharks) for Ehrecke (all 52), Kate Zachary (Trailfinders Women) for Humphreys (69), Cassidy Bargell (Denver Onyx) for Paton, Reece Woods (Sacred Heart University) for Rogers (both 76), Chloe Hill-Huse (Castaway Wanderers) for Treder (80+1).
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand)
