Five-Try Ireland Finish On Top Against Scotland

The Ireland Women (sponsored by Aon) erased a 14-point deficit to beat Scotland 27-21 at Virgin Media Park, getting some key returning players and three new caps on the pitch in the process. Watch the match back on irishrugby+.

2025 RUGBY WORLD CUP WARM-UP MATCH:

Saturday, August 2 –

IRELAND WOMEN 27 SCOTLAND WOMEN 21, Virgin Media Park
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Sadhbh McGrath, Méabh Deely, Nancy McGillivray, Niamh O’Dowd, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird; Con: Dannah O’Brien
Scotland: Tries: Lisa Thomson, Lucia Scott, Emma Orr; Cons: Lisa Thomson 3
HT: Ireland 12 Scotland 14

Reversing the result from the last round of this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations, Ireland got a valuable 80 minutes under their belt with the start of the Rugby World Cup in England now just three week away.

Captain Sam Monaghan, Béibhinn Parsons, Eimear Corri Fallon, and Méabh Deely all returned from injury, while there were debuts for Nancy McGillivray, one of the try scorers, Ivana Kiripati, and teenage replacement Ailish Quinn.

Scotland showed the benefits of their encounter with Italy last week, hitting the front with converted tries from Lisa Thomson and Lucia Scott before Ireland produced a strong finish to a fast-paced first half.

Sadhbh McGrath and Deely touched down in quick succession to close the gap to 14-12 by half-time, before squad newcomer McGillivray, the former England transition player, edged the hosts ahead barely five minutes after the restart.

Scotland held firm during Coreen Grant’s yellow card, and a fine effort from Emma Orr moved them back in front. However, replacements Niamh O’Dowd and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird both crossed during the final quarter of an hour to seal a home victory.

Scott Bemand’s charges will head to Belfast – and Ulster’s newly-renamed Affidea Stadium – for their second and final warm-up fixture against Canada next Saturday (kick-off 12pm – tickets are available to buy here). The World Cup squad will be announced two days later.

Cork’s own Nic a Bháird had an early introduction, coming on for a bloodied Grace Moore – the eventual player-of-the-match – during a frantic opening spell. Some solid Irish defence prevented Scotland from striking first, with Nic a Bháird ripping the ball away in a tackle.

A smart and speedy break by Molly Scuffil-McCabe had Ireland threatening, but Rachel McLachlan positioned herself well to force a relieving penalty. Dannah O’Brien and Thomson continued to trade kicks as the game’s high tempo showed no signs of relenting.

Amee-Leigh Costigan’s turnover penalty was crucial in breaking up Scotland’s momentum following a ground-gaining maul, yet the visitors, with Chloe Rollie running back a kick with interest, soon took the lead.

With 14 minutes on the clock, Scotland pounced on a Kiripati knock-on as Alex Stewart wormed her way up close with an impressive carry. Quick ball found its way to Lana Skeldon who set up centre Thomson to cross from close range and convert.

Evie Gallagher’s rip allowed Bryan Easson’s side to build from deep again, with Thomson’s boot also forcing Ireland back. When they got into range again from a 21st-minute lineout, Caity Mattinson’s clever pass back inside sent Scott surging over to double the lead.

Ireland then gained a foothold with a strong kick chase leading to Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald getting over the ball to earn a penalty in an advanced position. However, a crooked lineout throw spoiled the opportunity.

Following a lengthy stoppage for an unfortunate ankle injury to Skeldon, the Irish pack exerted their dominance with a scrum penalty and powerful carries. Scotland were holding on until McGrath piled through two tackles in the 35th minute, reaching out to getting the grounding.

Ireland’s tails were up and with the bandaged-up Moore carrying well off a lineout, they soon carved through for a second try. Brittany Hogan, O’Brien, and Eve Higgins threaded a neat line of passes out for Deely to dart over from the edge of the Scottish 22.

A terrific touchline conversion from O’Brien, who had hit the post with her earlier attempt, left her team just two points down. They were on the cusp of edging ahead just before the break, with Higgins and McGrath both prominent before Kiripati just lost the ball in contact.

Parsons, gobbling up an O’Brien kick, and Corri Fallon, who released the ball and went again, had the girls in green hunting for that third try again early on the resumption. Kiripati was held up but Scotland’s defensive workload caught up with them.

The pressure told when O’Brien’s flat pass exposed Scott who had rushed up, and McGillivray was the grateful recipient as she dashed over to the right of the posts. O’Brien did not get the connection she wanted with the conversion, leaving it 17-14.

Newly-introduced props Linda Djougang and O’Dowd then won a scrum penalty, keeping Ireland playing in the right areas of the pitch. Scotland came under further pressure due to winger Grant’s deliberate knock-on which landed her in the sin bin.

After Moore had been tackled short, a TMO review highlighted a dangerous clearout by Moloney-MacDonald, allowing Scotland to get away from their own try-line. When a sidestepping Higgins led Ireland’s response, full-back Rollie made an important tackle.

Having weathered the storm at times, Scotland hit back with a classy 64th-minute score from Orr. Ireland were caught narrow in defence, and the Bristol Bears centre accelerated inside Parsons and had the pace to score from 40 metres out. Thomson’s conversion made it 21-17.

Nonetheless, the Scottish lead lasted just four minutes as an O’Dowd rip inspired one of Ireland’s best multi-phase attacks of the afternoon, drawing a vocal response from the enthusiastic home crowd.

The increasingly-influential Fiona Tuite, Djougang, and Moore brought the physicality, the latter doing really well to get the ball back for Emily Lane to almost score before O’Dowd reached over from a 68th-minute ruck.

Ireland still had work to do, with just a point in it (22-21) following Enya Breen’s missed conversion. They were assured in how they closed things out, going to the corner from a penalty before Nic a Bháird emerged through a lineout maul to claim the decisive try.

TIME LINE: 16 minutes – Scotland try: Lisa Thomson – 0-5; conversion: Lisa Thomson – 0-7; 22 mins – Scotland try: Lucia Scott – 0-12; conversion: Lisa Thomson – 0-14; 35 mins – Ireland try: Sadhbh McGrath – 5-14; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 5-14; 38 mins – Ireland try: Méabh Deely – 10-14; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 12-14; Half-time – Ireland 12 Scotland 14; 46 mins – Ireland try: Nancy McGillivray – 17-14; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 17-14; 52 mins – Scotland yellow card: Coreen Grant; 64 mins – Scotland try: Emma Orr – 17-19; conversion: Lisa Thomson – 17-21; 68 mins – Ireland try: Niamh O’Dowd – 22-21; conversion: missed by Enya Breen – 22-21; 77 mins – Ireland try: Deirbhile Nic a Bháird – 27-21; conversion: missed by Enya Breen – 27-21; Full-time – Ireland 27 Scotland 21

IRELAND: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC), Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Manawatū RFC/Leinster); Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster), Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) (capt), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Ivana Kiripati (Creggs RFC/Connacht), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).

Replacements used: Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster) for Moore (3-14 mins), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Monaghan (36), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for McGrath, Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for McCarthy (both 50), Nic a Bháird for Hogan, Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC) for Scuffil-McCabe, Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) for O’Brien (all 60), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) for Moloney-MacDonald, Ailish Quinn (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for Kiripati (both 69).

SCOTLAND: Chloe Rollie (Toulon Provence Mediterranee); Coreen Grant (Saracens), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Lisa Thomson (Trailfinders Women), Lucia Scott (Loughborough Lightning); Hannah Ramsay (Edinburgh Rugby/University of Edinburgh), Caity Mattinson (Trailfinders Women); Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Emma Wassell (Trailfinders Women), Rachel Malcolm (Trailfinders Women) (capt), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Alex Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears).

Replacements used: Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning) for Skeldon (32 mins), Leah Bartlett (Sale Sharks) for Young (half-time), Leia Brebner-Holden (Loughborough Lightning) for Mattison (52), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonian FC) for Clarke (55), Beth Blacklock (Saracens) for Ramsay (57), Adelle Ferrie (Edinburgh Rugby/Corstorphine Cougars) for Wassell, Eva Donaldson (Sale Sharks) for Malcolm (both 65), Evie Wills (Sale Sharks) for Brebner-Holden (71).

Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)