KATIE Corrigan’s first international try set up a grandstand finish, but Ireland (sponsored by Aon) fell short in a 27-21 Guinness Women’s Six Nations defeat to Italy.
Scott Bemand’s first home game in charge of Ireland brought an attendance of 6,605 to the RDS, bettering the previous record for a standalone Women’s Six Nations fixture on Irish soil (6,113) which was set against Wales at the same venue in 2022.
The hosts dominated the opening quarter with Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi’s deliberate knock-on giving them a sixth-minute penalty try. However, they were held scoreless before the Italian full-back returned from the sin bin.
Indeed, with the experienced Azzurre pack growing into the game, Vittoria Vecchini and Valeria Fedrighi claimed tries, coupled with a Beatrice Rigoni penalty, to establish a 15-7 half-time lead.
A Neve Jones maul effort cancelled out player-of-the-match Vecchini’s second try before Aura Muzzo, having had a previous score ruled out, bagged Italy’s bonus point with 12 minutes remaining.
18-year-old winger Corrigan expertly intercepted a Rigoni pass to score on her home debut, yet Ireland’s late push for a match winner was undone by a last-gasp Beatrice Veronese turnover.
While Italy were deserving winners given their ability to put their chances away, the girls in green were left to rue a high amount of handling errors and a lack of composure at key stages. They move on to Cork to host Wales at Virgin Media Park in a fortnight’s time.
Béibhinn Parsons swiftly raised the decibel level with two big fends on the left wing, linking with Aoife Wafer who also exploded into life early on. Silvia Turani broke up the initial Irish momentum with a turnover penalty.
A couple of five-metre scrums allowed Ireland to press again, and with Dannah O’Brien and Eve Higgins working the ball wide, Ostuni Minuzzi’s infringement resulted in a yellow card and a penalty try. The waiting Parsons would have scored from close range.
Switching to number 8 for attacking scrums, Wafer continued to impress with a big charge off the set-piece. Corrigan was also seeing a good deal of ball on the right wing, and Parsons and Wafer soon threatened again on the left side.
Nonetheless, the Italian full-back returned to the pitch with the difference still at seven points. Despite a turnover penalty won by Wafer, Italy built pressure off successive lineouts and a well-executed 24th-minute maul saw hooker Vecchini pull back five points.
Nearing the half hour mark, Ireland were back on the front foot but the decision to turn down three points backfired when O’Brien missed touch. Italy made them pay with a second try from their next visit to the 22.
Aoibheann Reilly was caught offside from a Parsons knock-on, allowing Italy’s forwards to maul near the right corner and a bulldozing Sara Tounesi carry took them right to the posts. From a subsequent ruck, lock Fedrighi burrowed over for Rigoni to convert.
Ireland suffered a further blow when Lauren Delany sustained a match-ending injury in contact, leaking a penalty in the process. Nicole Fowley came on at out-half, with O’Brien shifting to full-back. Rigoni split the posts when play resumed.
Donard youngster Corrigan was squeezed out near the right corner as Ireland threatened quickly once the second half got under way. Fowley missed touch from a penalty, though, and Italy pinched a lineout soon after to claw back more territory.
Snipes from Higgins and Reilly got the Irish attack firing, and Brittany Hogan, released by Higgins, barged up towards the right corner. Italy survived a further bout of pressure, with Enya Breen’s long pass knocked on by Parsons with the try-line in her sights.
It was Alyssa D’Incà’s brilliant break from deep that lit the touchpaper for this Easter Sunday fixture’s next score. Breen and Corrigan denied her a try, but with turnover ball frustratingly handed back to Italy and some missed tackles, Vecchini powered over to the right of the posts.
Despite Rigoni’s conversion, off the left hand post, stretching the margin to 15 points, Ireland hit back just five minutes later. O’Brien’s left boot set up prime position from a penalty, and a strong maul sent Jones over the whitewash.
A cracking conversion from O’Brien reduced the arrears to 22-14, and the eight-point gap remained after a Muzzo try was chalked off for a forward pass from Veronia Madia. O’Brien and Aoife Dalton had done well to deny Ilaria Arrighetti before that.
Crucially, Giovanni Rainieri’s charges made no mistake from their next scoring chance. Their maul did some damage before Rigoni’s footwork in midfield and a scooped pass released winger Muzzo for the left corner.
Just like last week’s match against France, Ireland finished strongly. Parsons continued to threaten, cutting in off her left wing only to be hauled down by Veronese’s try-saving tackle. A subsequent knock-on from replacement Dalton lifted the pressure off Italy.
The visitors had to endure a nervy conclusion though, with Corrigan picking off Rigoni’s high pass, 35 metres out, for a speedy run-in behind the posts. O’Brien converted and then found a terrific touch from a closing penalty.
Ireland captain Sam Monaghan, who emptied the tank on her return to action, won the lineout and the maul advanced. Italy held firm on this occasion, as Veronese stole possession, a few phases later, to leave Bemand’s charges with just a losing bonus point to show for their efforts.
TIME LINE: 6 minutes – Italy yellow card: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi; 7 mins – Ireland penalty try & conversion – 7-0; 24 mins – Italy try: Vittoria Vecchini – 7-5; conversion: missed by Beatrice Rigoni – 7-5; 32 mins – Italy try: Valeria Fedrighi – 7-10; conversion: Beatrice Rigoni – 7-12; 36 mins – Italy penalty: Beatrice Rigoni – 7-15; Half-time – Ireland 7 Italy 15; 56 mins – Italy try: Vittoria Vecchini – 7-20; conversion: Beatrice Rigoni – 7-22; 61 mins – Ireland try: Neve Jones – 12-22; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 14-22; 68 mins – Italy try: Aura Muzzo – 14-27; conversion: missed by Beatrice Rigoni – 14-27; 78 mins – Ireland try: Katie Corrigan – 19-27; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 21-27; Full-time – Ireland 21 Italy 27
