McGhie’s dramatic late try shatters Ireland
Women’s Six Nations
Scotland 26
Ireland 19
Daire Walsh
Francesca McGhie grabbed an 81st-minute converted try as an injury-hit Ireland ended their Women’s Six Nations campaign with a defeat by Scotland at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh.
While a losing bonus point was enough to secure a second consecutive third-place finish in the Championship, there will be disappointment among the Irish camp that they weren’t able to add to wins against Italy and Wales.
Although there was plenty of experience in Ireland’s starting line-up, the Munster and UL Bohemian star Aoife Corey was drafted into the full-back position for her international test debut. Vicky Elmes Kinlan was named on the right wing for a first start in this year’s Championship and there was another debutant off the bench in the form of Jane Clohessy – daughter of the former Ireland men’s international Peter Clohessy.
Ireland drew first blood in this contest on the stroke of ten minutes. After she had broken at pace into the opposition 22, scrum half Molly Scuffil-McCabe, released winger Amee-Leigh Costigan for a typically clinical finish over the whitewash in the left-corner.
This was the Tipperary woman’s third try of the tournament and with Dannah O’Brien superbly splitting the uprights from a touchline conversion, Ireland established a seven-point platform.
There was to be a setback for the visitors in the 18th minute when Dorothy Wall was withdrawn through injury. This could be a significant concern for head coach Scott Bemand ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which gets underway for Ireland against Japan in Northampton on August 24.
The Irish weren’t placed under too much defensive pressure in the Hive – until superb work from the influential Evie Gallagher secured Scotland an attacking penalty on 25 minutes. The fly half Helen Nelson opted to kick the ball to touch on the left flank and this paid dividends for the home team when hooker Lana Skeldon got on the back of the ensuing lineout maul for her 19th international try.
A missed conversion attempt from Nelson kept their opponents in the ascendancy, but even though they ended the opening period with 72 per cent possession, Ireland were ultimately 12-7 adrift at the interval courtesy of a converted try in stoppage-time from Emma Orr.
O’Brien’s failure to kick the ball out of play when the clock was in the red proved costly and with the captain Edel McMahon and Enya Breen joining Wall in being forced off with injuries, Ireland needed to rediscover their attacking groove.
The tight-head prop Linda Djougang was twice held up by the Scottish defence in the first half of this game, yet after the intervention of the TMO nine minutes after the restart, she was finally adjudged to have dotted down beyond the Scotland line for an unconverted five-pointer.
This coincided with the sin-binning of the Scotland winger Rhona Lloyd for a head-high tackle on Costigan, but before Bryan Easson’s side were restored to their full compliment of players, Rachel McLachlan had rounded off an extended attack in the 58th minute with a try on the left wing.
An outstanding Nelson conversion left Ireland staring into a seven-point deficit inside the final quarter, but the visiting side subsequently put the Scots under relentless set-piece pressure.
From a tap and go by Cliodhna Moloney, fellow replacement Emily Lane pounced for her maiden international try. O’Brien added the bonuses to ensure the sides were now inseparable on the scoreboard.
Later in the game Scotland moved the ball towards the far side off a line-out move on the right wing and McGhie was on hand to ground a Lucia Scott pass.
Scorers: Scotland: Tries L Skeldon (25 mins), E Orr (40+2), R McLachlan (58), F McGhie (80+1) Cons H Nelson (40+3, 59, 80+2) Ireland: Tries A-L Costigan (10), L Djougang (49), E Lane (72) Cons D O’Brien (11), E Lane (73)
Scotland C Rollie; R Lloyd (L Scott 59), E Orr, L Thomson, F McGhie; H Nelson, L Brebner-Holden; L Bartlett (A Young 46), L Skeldon (E Martin 64), E Clarke (M Poolman 64); J Konkel, S Bonar; R Malcolm, R McLachlan, E Gallagher.
Ireland A Corey; V Elmes Kinlan (S Flood 47), A Dalton, E Breen (E Higgins 39), A-L Costigan; D O’Brien, M Scuffil-McCabe (E Lane 64); N O’Dowd (S McGrath 9-18 & 64), N Jones (C Moloney 64), L Djougang (C Haney 64); R Campbell, F Tuite; D Wall (18), E McMahon (J Clohessy 22), B Hogan.
Referee N Ganley (New Zealand).