Griggs And Griffin Set Targets For Twickenham After Losing Start

Breakdown failing costs us, says Irish boss Griggs

Women’s International Test

Ireland 10

USA 19

Daire Walsh,

Energia Park

IRELAND Women’s head coach Adam Griggs pinpointed a lack of cohesion around the breakdown as a key factor in his side’s defeat to the USA at Energia Park yesterday.

Despite tries in each half through UL Bohemian wingers Laura Sheehan and Eimear Considine, the hosts came off second best. “We base our game off trying to play with tempo and getting good, quick ball but around the breakdown, we didn’t create the ball we wanted to actually use. Over the 80 minutes, it just wasn’t up to scratch.”

Following a quick tap and go by Carly Waters on 13 minutes, Kate Zackary off-loaded to Kimber Rozier for a superb USA try. This was a significant set-back for the hosts, who lost Ciara Cooney to a suspected dislocated shoulder on 32 minutes.

In her absence, Kaitlyn Broughton crossed over for a second USA try.

It was a frustrating opening period for Ireland, though Sheehan marked her own debut with an outstanding individual try, reducing the deficit to 12-5 at the break. But visitors continued to create the greater attacking inroads on the resumption, and were rewarded with a Meza Bizer score on the hour mark.

In an attempt to address the growing gulf between the teams, Ireland unloaded their replacements bench inside the final quarter.

Ballinasloe’s Beibhinn Parsons was one of the players introduced during this period with  the 16-year-old becoming Ireland’s youngest senior women’s international. The Ardscoil Mhuire student was held up just shy of the line at the end of an explosive break, but Ireland’s patience finally paid dividends in the shape of Considine’s consolation effort on the stroke of full-time.

Ahead of a daunting encounter with England away on Saturday, Griggs is hopeful his charges can bounce back.

“I just think we need to be more consistent with what we’re doing. As I’ve mentioned already, we have to bring a bigger physicality. England aren’t going to lie down at Twickenham. We’re going to have to make sure we’re really up for that.”

Scorers for Ireland: L Sheehan, E Considine try each.

Scorers for USA: K Rozier try, 2 cons, K Broughton, M Bizer try each.

IRELAND: L Delany; E Considine, S Naoupu, M Claffey, L Sheehan; N Caughey, A Hughes; L Peat, S Mimnagh, F Reidy; A McDermott, C Cooney; E McMahon, C Molloy, C Griffin.

Replacements: N Fryday for Cooney (32), N Cronin for Hughes (46), E Hooban for Mimnagh, L Lyons for Reidy (both 56), J Deacon for McMahon (58), B Parsons for Delany, C McLaughlin for Caughey, L Feely for Peat (all 73).

USA: K Broughton; K Stockert, M Bizer, K Rozier, J Duncan; G Cantorna, C Waters; C Benson, K Augustyn, N James; S Bridges, K Sommer; R Johnson, K Zackary, J Gray-Matyas.

Replacements: M Hawkins for Cantorna (56), T A’au for Augustyn, J Taufa for Sommer (both 61), A Nalbandian for James (69), A Washington for Gray-Matyas (74).

Referee: R Mahoney (New Zealand).

Griggs rues breakdown malfunction in loss to USA

Ireland 10 USA 19

Women’s international: USA prove too strong for Ireland

Ireland suffer third straight loss as visitors run in three tries at Donnybrook

Daire Walsh  at Donnybrook

Ireland 10 USA 19

Ireland fell to a disappointing defeat at the hands of the USA in a fiercely-contested women’s Test at Donnybrook on Sunday afternoon.

Despite securing tries in each half through wingers Laura Sheehan – on her debut – and Eimear Considine, the hosts couldn’t halt the charge of the American side.

During a positive opening to the contest, loosehead Lindsay Peat created momentum for Ireland with a powerful attacking carry. The opposition defence held firm under this early pressure, with Jennine Duncan eventually breaking forward into the Irish half.

This was the catalyst for their opening try of the game, which arrived in the 13th minute. Following a ‘tap and go’ by scrumhalf Carly Waters, skipper Kate Zackary offloaded to Kimber Rozier for a clinical finish at the right of the posts.

The Boston centre was on hand to convert her own five-pointer, creating further daylight between the teams. Ireland struggled to develop sustained pressure on their home patch and suffered a further set-back when Ciara Cooney was forced off through injury on 32 minutes.

Her place in the secondrow was taken by Offaly’s Nichola Fryday, who couldn’t prevent fullback Kaitlyn Broughton from securing the USA’s second try of the contest. It had been a difficult opening period for Ireland, but Sheehan ensured they at least finished it on a high. After Michelle Claffeypicked her out in space on the left flank, the UL Bohemian winger utilised her explosive pace to claim a much-desired score.

Ireland’s deficit was reduced to seven points (12-5) as a result, but it was USA who controlled possession on the resumption.

Their patience was subsequently rewarded on the hour mark, when the impressive Meza Bizer applied the finishing touches to an extended move. This was supplemented by Rozier’s superb touchline strike, leaving Ireland to contend with a 14-point deficit.

In an effort to rein in the challenge of Rob Cain’s charges, Ireland unloaded their replacements bench during the final quarter. Ballinasloe teenager Beibhinn Parsons was among those to be introduced and she became Ireland’s youngest senior women’s international – at 16 years and 353 days – in the process.

She was eager to make an impact on the proceedings and was just short of the line on 79 minutes. The visitors’ resistance was finally broken by Considine on the stroke of fulltime, though this try wasn’t enough to prevent a third consecutive loss for an underwhelming Ireland, who travel to Twickenham to take on England next Saturday.

SCORERS – Ireland: L Sheehan, E Considine try each. USA: K Rozier try, 2 cons, K Broughton, M Bizer try each.

IRELAND: L Delany; E Considine, S Naoupu, M Claffey, L Sheehan; N Caughey, A Hughes; L Peat, S Mimnagh, F Reidy; A McDermott, C Cooney; E McMahon, C Molloy, C Griffin.

Replacements: N Fryday for Cooney (32 mins); N Cronin for Hughes (46); E Hooban for Mimnagh, L Lyons for Reidy (both 56); J Deacon for McMahon (58); B Parsons for Delany, C McLaughlin for Caughey, L Feely for Peat (all 73).

USA: K Broughton; K Stockert, M Bizer, K Rozier, J Duncan; G Cantorna, C Waters; C Benson, K Augustyn, N James; S Bridges, K Sommer; R Johnson, K Zackary, J Gray-Matyas.

Replacements: M Hawkins for Cantorna (56 mins); T A’Au for Augustyn, J Taufa for Sommer (both 61); A Nalbandian for James (69); A Washington for Gray-Matyas (74).

Referee: R Mahoney (New Zealand).

Sheehan Scores Debut Try In Ireland Women’s Defeat To Eagles

The Ireland Women’s team fell to a 19-10 defeat at the hands of a physical USA side in a fiercely-contested November Test at Energia Park this afternoon.

Despite tries in each half from wingers Laura Sheehan, who ran in a fine effort on her international debut, and Eimear Considine, Adam Griggs’ charges were second best against an Eagles outfit that showed the benefits of recent outings against New Zealand and England.

The USA finished off their tour with a well-earned victory which was built on first half tries from Kimber Rozier and Kaitlyn Broughton, with fellow back Meya Bizer crossing the whitewash on the hour mark before Considine claimed a late consolation score for Ireland.

Stepping up for their first international since the end of last season’s Six Nations, the Ireland Women were quick out of the blocks as they looked to establish some early territory. Second row Aoife McDermott called the lineouts for the first time and provided her side with a formidable set piece option.

As Ireland edged closer to the right corner from a penalty, powerful carrier Lindsay Peat almost made the breakthrough. Another penalty set up a maul opportunity but the USA managed to steal the ball and draw clear of their own try-line.

The difference between the sides was the US’s clinical edge when in sight of the whitewash. A surging run up the right wing from Jennine Duncan brought them into the Irish 22, with the returning Considine getting across from the opposite wing to make a crucial tackle.

However, a subsequent penalty saw scrum half Carly Waters go from a tap and captain Kate Zackary spun in a tackle to offload for supporting centre Rozier to dive in just to the right of the posts. She converted her 13th-minute try for a 7-0 lead.

Considine almost replied five minutes later but out-half Nikki Caughey was adjudged to have knocked forward prior to releasing the Clare native. Despite some early promise, and the backing of another vocal home crowd in Donnybrook, Ireland struggled to create sustained pressure in attack.

In contrast, the Americans’ athleticism and impact at the breakdown and in contact saw them grow in confidence, particularly with strong-running number 8 Jordan Gray-Matyas on the prowl. Ireland captain Ciara Griffin was equally effective with a clutch of important turnovers.

Scrum half Ailsa Hughes scampered back to cover a dangerous kick through, and Ireland had to reshuffle their pack past the half hour mark when Railway Union lock Ciara Cooney succumbed to injury. Nichola Fryday, an Offaly woman like Hughes and Michelle Claffey, was sent on in her place.

The visitors wore down the Irish defence with a series of pick-and-goes before sweeping play out to the right wing where Broughton was tackled by her opposite number, Ireland’s new full-back Lauren Delany, but she bounced up quickly to reach over the line with referee Rebecca Mahoney confirming the score which went unconverted.

A timely five-pointer lifted Ireland before half-time, closing the gap to 12-5 in the process. Turnover ball was shifted wide through the hands of Hughes, Claire Molloy and Claffey who released the fleet-footed Sheehan to evade Duncan from 40 metres out and ground the ball wide on the left.

The winger’s excellent 38th-minute try went unconverted, with Caughey’s conversion attempt just dropping short. The momentum appeared to be swinging in Ireland’s favour but, on the resumption, the USA once again proved a tough nut to crack.

They made the greater attacking inroads in the third quarter, with the notably exception of a Sheehan break out of defence. Nicole Cronin was introduced at scrum half, cleverly winning a penalty at a ruck as the Irish defence came under further pressure.

The USA’s third try arrived bang on 60 minutes, their forwards driving up close with impressive flanker Rachel Johnston exploding through and gaining important ground before centre Bizer was fed to convert a two-on-one overlap near the left corner flag.

Rozier added a terrific conversion from the touchline for a 19-5 scoreline, leaving Ireland with it all to do. Griggs sent on Portlaoise youngster Emma Hooban for her first cap at hooker, alongside Harlequins recruit Leah Lyons, and Ballinasloe starlet Beibhinn Parsons slotted in on the right wing.

That took the number of Ireland debuts on the day to four with Parsons, at the tender age of 16 years and 353 days, becoming the youngest female or male Ireland senior international player. Despite having to wait until the 73rd minute for an opportunity to shine, the teenage sensation were determined to make her mark.

There was increased forward momentum from Ireland in the closing stages with Molloy standing out, although they were twice denied a pushover try by stubborn Eagles defence. Parsons charged infield from her wing to almost break their resistance, her pace beating two defenders but the gifted Ardscoil Mhuire student was held up for a five-metre scrum.

Ireland’s persistence was finally rewarded past the 80-minute mark, Considine finishing well to the left of the posts after replacement Jeamie Deacon’s quickly-taken penalty and a nicely delayed final pass from Claffey. Cronin’s conversion attempt was off target, leaving Ireland with a nine-point reversal to review ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Twickenham to face England.

Referee: Rebecca Mahoney (New Zealand)

Ireland Women

10

–

19

USA Women

KO : 13:00

Sun 18th Nov 18