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Date Time Competition Season
21 January 2023 1:00 pm Women's Senior Interprovincials 2022/23

Match Report

Munster Retain Women’s Interpro Crown With Unbeaten Record

Munster are the 2023 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Series Champions after a commanding second half performance saw them to a bonus point win over Connacht this afternoon.

Munster soaked up early pressure from Connaht and managed to clear to touch after being awarded a penalty, they showed early threat after six minutes their forward got within inches of the line as Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird was held short, Connacht looked to have stole possession but the referee called playback for a scrum.

This gave Munster the chance to stay within distance of the try line, again like we have seen this year their forwards are huge game changers and will cause worry from short range, Maeve Og O’Leary made a great drive but was held short, in the end the ball went back out to Nicole Cronin, space opened on the left hand wing for Stephaine Nunan to exploit and she spotted Alana McInerney with tim to get over and touch down, Cronin unsuccessful from the tee but the visitors ahead early after eight minutes.

Connacht looked to press back after their early deficit, they kicked to the corner but their lineout was unable to drive close to the line, Nicole Fowley tried a crossfield kick in the hopes of a similar score in Energia Park in Round 1 but it went dead for a Munster dropout. 

The Red Army was able to move up the field and another penalty at the breakdown gave Cronin the chance to spearhead their attack with a kick for touch, inside their 22m line they went again forward heavy as Conancht put bodies on the line to stop a score, but Clodagh O’Halloran eventually was able to power over for their second try after 25 minutes, Cronin successful to extend the gap to 12-0.

Almost in the blink of an eye the visitors had their third try, from the restart they gathered and moved down the touchline, offloading back inside Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird gathered and broke clear, running through she avoided the tacklers and never broke stride to cross under the posts, all going the Munster way as cronin made it a 19-0 lead.

It was all Munster on the scoreboard but Connacht were causing issues just not getting the chance to exploit Munster, after another smart drive they looked an options but the visitors defence looked to me impenetrable, however smart thinking by Fowley saw her kick another crossfield ball to the corner where the bounce met the on rushing Clara Barett and the exciting Mayo teenager touched down for the opening try. Fowley was unsuccessful with her first attempt at goal to chip another portion off the lead, as the sides went in at the break on the same scoreline.

Four minutes after the restart Munster had their bonus point try and with it the title as the point would be enough, Dorothy Wall made the initial drive just held up short of the line, but Roisin Ormond was there to pick up the scraps and cross from close range as Cronin was again accurate from the tee.

Fowley played another pinpoint crossfield kick for Barrett to get her second try in the 51st minute, she did well under the high ball and managed to gather before touching down, wth Fowley’s conversion reducing the gap.

However Munster hit back and wanted to end the series unbeaten and two tries before the hour mark moved them 40-12 clear, fresh from the bench Eilis Cahill drove over from close range off a great Munster attack brought them shy of the line, the second another substitute Rachel Allen broke clear and made no mistakes in crossing the whitewash for another try, Cronin accurate on both occasions of the tee.

They kept the foot on the gas and Cahill added a second in the 68th minute to put the game really beyond doubt at a late stage, their seventh try again it was all from their maul and driving close to the line with Cahill Bulldozing over Cronin would miss the two points but a 45-12 lead had them cruising.

Conancht got a late consolation score with Emily Galvin crossing for their third try in the corner, but Munster would have the final say as Heather Kennedy ran home the eight and final try to cap off their incredible run in the competition.

But the home support on their only home game of the season had something to cheer late on as they would leave with a bonus point, as Hannah Coen crossed in injury time to a big roar from the home faithful as Fowley would convert the extras.

Connacht

15Mairead Coyne Full-Back
14Ava Ryder 22 Winger
13Orla Dixon Centre
12Shannon Touhey Winger
11Clara Barrett Winger 34', 51'
10Nicole Fowley Fly-Half 51', 81'
9Mary Healy 21 Scrum-Half
1Grainne O’Loughlin 17 Prop
2Lily Brady 16 Hooker
3Laura Feely 18 Prop
4Fiona Scally Lock
5Eva McCormack 19 Lock
6Karly Tierney Flanker
7Kayla Waldron 20 Flanker
8Grace Browne Moran 23 No. 8
16Emily Gavin 2 Flanker 75'
17Niamh O’Grady 1 Lock
18Hannah Coen 3 Prop 80'
19Sonia McDermott 5 Lock
20Orla Fenton 7 Lock
21Olivia Haverty 9 Scrum-Half
22Eabha Nic Dhonnacha 14 Centre
23Mollie Starr 8 Flanker

Munster

15Aoife Corey 23 Full-Back
14Aoife Doyle Winger
13Stephanie Nunan 22 Centre
12Kate Flannery 21 Centre
11Alana McInerney Winger 8'
10Nicole Cronin Fly-Half 26', 28', 45', 56', 59'
9Muirne Wall Scrum-Half
1Roisin Ormond 20 Prop 44'
2Kate Sheehan Hooker
3Fiona Reidy 18 Prop
4Clodagh O’Halloran 19 Lock 25'
5Claire Bennett 17 Lock
6Dorothy Wall Flanker
7Maeve Og O’Leary Flanker
8Deirbhile Nic an Bhaird 16 No. 8 27'
16Chloe Pearse 8 Prop
17Gillian Coombes 5 Lock
18Eilis Cahill 3 Prop 55', 68'
19Sarah Garrett 4 Flanker
20Ciara Farrell 1 Flanker
21Rachel Allen 12 Centre 59'
22Stephanie Carroll 13 Winger
23Heather Kennedy 15 Winger 78'

Past Meetings

(Round 8)
24 - 17
United Rugby Championship
Thomond Park

Munster v Connacht

(Round 4)
20 - 11
United Rugby Championship
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht v Munster

(Round 9)
10 - 8
United Rugby Championship
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht v Munster

(Round 4)
20 - 18
United Rugby Championship
Thomond Park

Munster v Connacht

(Round 2)
31 - 7
Women's Senior Interprovincials
Virgin Media Park

Munster v Connacht

(Round 14)
20 - 17
PRO14
Thomond Park

Munster v Connacht

(Round 11)
10 - 16
PRO14
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht vs Munster

Ground

Dexcom Stadium
The Sportsgrounds, Galway City, County Galway, Ireland

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.