RUGBY
Mixed day for Murphy as Leinster women triumph
By Daire Walsh
IT was a memorable day for the Leinster Women’s side in Donnybrook on Saturday afternoon, when they secured the Interprovincial Series title with a 21-12 victory over arch rivals Munster in a crunch winner-takes-all encounter.
Heading into the weekend’s action, Munster found themselves at the summit of the interpro table, and they dominated possession during the opening ten minutes of the action. However, Leinster – who were captained by former Cill Dara RFC star and Kildare resident Carmela Morey – managed to weather this storm, and they eventually broke the deadlock with a seven-point salvo by Kilcullen’s Jenny Murphy in the 18th-minute.
Murphy converted her try with consummate ease, and she also added the bonuses to a score from her midfield partner, Michelle Claffey, on the half-hour mark. This meant that the hosts brought a commanding 14-0 cushion into the interval, but following a converted score from Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird after the restart, this lead cut in half.
Indeed, Leinster’s chances of progression sustained a further blow on 51 minutes – when Murphy received a red-card for an altercation with Munster flanker Siobhan Fleming. Momentum appeared to be with the southern province at this point, but it was Blues replacement Cliodhna Moloney who claimed a game-defining third try nine minutes from time.
Leah Lyons secured a consolation try in the final-minute for Munster, but Leinster ultimately pipped Connacht (who defeated Ulster at Corinthians RFC on the same day) to the interpro crown on score difference.
There were several international players on display for both teams, who also represent their clubs in the Women’s All-Ireland League. However, Leinster coach Adam Griggs has called for a greater focus on the interpro series, which he feels could be extremely beneficial for the national side.
“I would like to see some more focus on the interpros, because I think when we got the Irish girls back from camp and the Autumn internationals, they added something to not just the squad, but the players that were there,” Griggs remarked.
“It can only make Irish rugby better, that if these girls are playing each other more with higher level of competition. I really do believe we should be focusing on that.”
Elsewhere, there was another set-back for Leinster ‘A’ in their British & Irish Cup Pool Four campaign on Saturday at Carmarthen Park – where they fell to a 27-7 defeat at the hands of Scarlets Premiership Select.
Leinster got their group campaign back on track with an emphatic 65-13 victory last weekend, and they were expected to build on that positive result. Head coach Hugh Hogan included the Kildare duo of Jimmy O’Brien and Jeremy Loughman in his starting line-up, and a converted try from Eadestown’s O’Brien moved Leinster into the ascendancy during the opening period.
Yet, courtesy of five-pointers by Morgan Allen (two), Tom Williams and Dan Jones, Scarlets Select are in pole position to progress as pool winners with two games left to play.