Breen’s boot brings Ireland some cheer
IRELAND 15
SCOTLAND 14
By Daire Walsh
Enya Breen was the stoppage-time hero at Kingspan Stadium last night as Ireland ended the Women’s Six Nations Championship on the most dramatic of highs.
Three points in front at the break, Greg McWilliams’ side looked set for a fourth defeat in five games – and a potential bottom-placed finish – when three successive penalties from Helen Nelson put their opponents Scotland in the driving seat. However, having been eliminated from World Cup qualification by the Scots due to a concession of a last-gasp converted try in Parma last September, Ireland ensured their Celtic cousins suffered the same fate courtesy of Breen’s seven-point salvo at the death.
Injuries to Eimear Considine and Nicole Cronin had impacted a back line that was already threadbare due to five of them being involved in this weekend’s Sevens World Series tournament in Langford. This game did present debutant Vicky Irwin and Nikki Caughey with an opportunity to shine in their home province, but Ireland found themselves chasing the game almost immediately.
After opting for touch off a close-range penalty, the visitors had a number of opportunities to drive over the whitewash before the No 8 Evie Gallagher eventually supplied the finishing touches for an unconverted try.
This was an early set-back, but Ireland eventually settled and finally opened their account in the 16th minute.
Despite being a back-row by trade, Hannah O’Connor is a gifted place-kicker – a talent she showcased when superbly splitting the uprights off a long-range penalty.
She subsequently had a chance to edge Ireland in front off a turnover penalty on 27 minutes, but on this occasion was inches short of the target.
The home team regardless remained patient and got their just rewards at the tail end of the first half. Caughey’s decision to kick a 38th-minute penalty to touch was a shrew one as an elongated set-piece move ended with Neve Jones clinically dotting the ball down.
O’Connor couldn’t supply the extras, but it didn’t prevent Ireland bringing a 8-5 buffer into the interval. This was never going to be a lead that McWilliams’ troops could rely upon and, after keeping their opponents camped inside their own half, Scotland deservedly drew level through Helen Nelson’s routine penalty on 53 minutes.
With the wind now behind them, Scotland were looking for inspiration from their inside centre’s right boot and she duly delivered. Following further infringements by an under siege Irish rearguard, Nelson slotted over two penalties in the space of three minutes – including a monstrous effort on the 10-metre line – to give Scotland a six-point stranglehold.
In a bid to wrestle his outfit back into contention, McWilliams introduced a plethora of replacements and their fresh legs allowed them to establish a constant foothold inside the Scottish 22 during the closing ten minutes. A charge down from Jones kept Scotland under the pump, and Ireland were suddenly relentless in their pursuit of a comeback victory.
It looked like it was going to be so near and yet so far, until Breen powered her way over the line under a slew of Scottish bodies in time added on. It was all down to her at this point, and she displayed nerves of steel to convert her own five-pointer and secure a one-point triumph for Ireland.
Scorers: Ireland: Tries N Jones, E Breen Pens H O’Connor Cons E Breen Scotland: Tries E Gallagher Pens H Nelson 3.
Ireland V Irwin; A Doyle, S Naoupu, E Breen, M Scuffil-McCabe; N Caughey (M Claffey 60), K Dane (A Hughes 76); L Djougang, N Jones, C Haney (K O’Dwyer 60); N Fryday, S Monaghan; D Wall (G Moore 65), E McMahon (M Og O’Leary 65), H O’Connor.
Scotland C Rollie; R Lloyd, L Thomson, H Nelson, S Campbell (E Orr 58); S Law (M Gaffney 58), C Mattinson; M Wright (L Bartlett 65), L Skeldon, C Belisle; E Wassell, S Bonar; R Malcolm, R McLachlan (L McMillan 63); E Gallagher.
Referee M Cogger-Orr (New Zealand).