CONNACHT 37 ULSTER 30, Energia Park
Scorers: Connacht: Tries: Hannah Clarke 2, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Ava Ryder, Grace Browne Moran, Jemima Adams Verling; Cons: Éabha Nic Dhonnacha 2; Pen: Éabha Nic Dhonnacha
Ulster: Tries: Tara O’Neill, Abby Moyles, Sophie Barrett, India Daley; Cons: Abby Moyles 2; Pens: Abby Moyles 2
HT: Connacht 10 Ulster 22
CONNACHT came from behind twice, initially from 17 points down, as Hannah Clarke’s superb 76th-minute try was the defining moment in their 37-30 play-off win over Ulster at Energia Park.
Ulster did almost everything they could to record their first Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship victory in two years, yet Connacht showed their mettle to finish the stronger thanks to Clarke’s second score of the day, and an Éabha Nic Dhonnacha penalty.
Ulster’s out-half and player-of-the-match Abby Moyles starred with 15 points, including a snappily-taken 22nd-minute try, and they were good value for a 22-10 half-time lead.
Tara O’Neill and Sophie Barrett also touched down for Murray Houston’s side, who had lost 12-7 in Galway a fortnight ago.
They looked on course to avenge that result until the westerners mounted a stirring comeback.
Ireland Sevens speedster Clarke had given Connacht a seventh-minute lead, and captain Nic Dhonnacha’s late first-half try was a timely boost.
Ava Ryder did likewise just 69 seconds after the restart.Despite Grace Browne Moran and Jemima Adams Verling crossing to leave Ulster 29-22 behind, their skipper India Daley replied during Faith Oviawe’s sin-binning.
Moyles then had them leading 30-29, thanks to a further penalty.Clarke’s individual brilliance was their undoing, though, as the 20-year-old broke Ulster’s hearts at the Bective end.
The impressive Nic Dhonnacha tagged on a late penalty to seal a real rollercoaster of a result.
The 3rd-4th place play-off was the definition of a 10-try thriller, and a real sign of the progress made by both young squads under the tutelage of their respective coaches, Emer O’Dowd and Houston.
Ulster were quickest out of the traps in tricky conditions, their counter-rucking forcing an early penalty before Daley was held up from a gilt-edged maul opportunity.
A subsequent knock-on allowed Connacht to clear their lines.Teenager Adams Verling’s hard carrying, coupled with a well-placed kick to touch from Gráinne Moran, had Connacht advancing downfield for the first time, into the wind.
When Ulster’s lineout faltered in the sixth minute, their opponents made them pay as precise short passes across the back-line released elusive winger Clarke out wide to make it 5-0.
Ulster generated quick ruck ball in response, playing well off half-backs Moyles and Georgia Boyce. Turnovers were thwarting them, including Roisin Maher’s rip in the tackle, but the groundwork was there in attack.
They deservedly drew level in the 19th minute, Moyles inviting centre O’Neill to attack the space and show her strength to score from 10 metres out.
Siobhán Sheerin pushed her conversion attempt away to the left.
It was Sheerin’s charge-down on Nic Dhonnacha that led to Ulster taking an 8-5 lead, with Moyles nailing a central penalty.
The breakdown was fiercely contested, Connacht winning one decision before Daley wrestled the ball back a few phases later.
The possession and territory remained very much with Ulster, and when Daley collected a loose Connacht lineout deep inside their 22, they took full advantage.
The forwards carried infield before Moyles stepped off her left and evaded Maher’s tackle for a slick finish.
The 21-year-old from Trim converted her try, staying cool after the ball had initially fallen off the tee.
That left Connacht 15-5 down, and after their lineout misfired, an Orla Dixon-led break petered out past the halfway line.
Approaching the interval, Sheerin’s big tackle, and Ruby Starrett’s work at the breakdown, earned Ulster a penalty, leading to more forward pressure.
Connacht could not hold out, Barrett crashing into Dixon and grounding the ball, with support from Starrett.
However, there was a late spark from O’Dowd’s charges, with centre Dixon’s defence-slashing run doing the damage.
They threaded passes out to the right where Oviawe was tackled by Cara McLean, but got her hands free to put Nic Dhonnacha over.
Rallying just a week on from a painful home defeat to Leinster, which saw them miss out on a spot in the final, Connacht came back out from their dressing room in flying form, Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin initiating a quick-fire attack on the right, linking with Oviawe.
Dixon then did really well in contact, slipping Ryder away to score and reduce the arrears to just seven points.
Handling errors made for a scrappy third quarter until Moyles countered menacingly from a kick. She broke the line and exchanged passes with Lauren Farrell McCabe at pace, getting Niamh Marley involved, before Nic Dhonnacha grabbed a crucial interception.
As Connacht’s share of possession continued to rise, they built for a fantastic fourth try on the hour mark.
Ní Bhraonáin made the incision in midfield, her team-mates flooding forward, and a terrific one-handed offload from prop Maher put Browne Moran over from close range.
Nic Dhonnacha was pinpoint accurate with the difficult conversion, clearing the crossbar from the standside to set up an enthralling last quarter at 22-all.
Connacht held onto the momentum, playing with increasing levels of confidence with ball in hand.When they took a penalty quickly, the ball was worked out to number 8 Adams Verling who duly stormed over from 30 metres out, holding off Moyles in the process.
Nic Dhonnacha converted again with an even better kick than her last one.
Nonetheless, referee Andrew Cole deemed Oviawe’s actions at a 69th-minute ruck to be ‘reckless’, earning her a yellow card.
A well-executed maul immediately drove Daley over for Ulster’s fourth try, making it a two-point game with Moyles unable to convert from the far side.
Connacht let their discipline slip again, conceding two penalties in quick succession, and replacement Ellen Connolly gave Ulster 10 more metres for ‘kicking the ball away’.
Moyles stepped up to kick her side back in front with a 30-metre strike.
It was Clarke’s turn to take centre stage, responding to Connacht’s ambition to put width on the ball from deep. She was fed scrum possession and beat two players from just outside her own 22, racing down the left touchline and regaining her feet after Marley’s tap tackle to score.
Nic Dhonnacha’s missed conversion left the door slightly ajar at 34-30, but despite Ulster’s best efforts, it was a resilient Connacht who prevailed.
Nic Dhonnacha punished Maebh Clenaghan’s yellow for a deliberate knock-on with a final three points.
CONNACHT: Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC); Ava Ryder (Blackrock College RFC), Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC), Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Hannah Clarke (Old Belvedere RFC); Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC) (capt), Gráinne Moran (Galwegians RFC); Hannah Coen (Creggs RFC), Stacy Hanley (Galwegians RFC), Roisin Maher (Galwegians RFC), Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC), Lesley Ring (Old Belvedere RFC), Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs RFC).
Replacements: Lily Brady (UL Bohemian RFC), Ellen Connolly (Galwegians RFC), Hope Lowney (MU Barnhall RFC), Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Caoilfhionn Conway Morrissey (Ennis RFC), Karly Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Sinead O’Brien (Galwegians RFC), Aisling Whyte (South East Galway Warriors RFC).
ULSTER: Lauren Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC); Ciara Fitzsimons (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Siobhán Sheerin (Clogher Valley RFC), Tara O’Neill (Cooke RFC), Niamh Marley (Cooke RFC); Abby Moyles (UL Bohemian RFC), Georgia Boyce (Enniskillen RFC/Cooke RFC); Cara McLean (Larne RFC), India Daley (Enniskillen RFC/Blackrock College RFC) (capt), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC), Lauren Darley (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Brenda Barr (Suttonians RFC), Moya Hill (Enniskillen RFC), Ruby Starrett (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Stacey Sloan (Cooke RFC).
Replacements: Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Aishling O’Connell (Monaghan RFC/Cooke RFC), Sarah Roberts (Queen’s University Befast RFC), Emily Whittle (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Rebecca Beacom (Enniskillen RFC), Sophie Meeke (Enniskillen RFC), Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC), Lucy Thompson (Enniskillen RFC/Cooke RFC).
Referee: Andrew Cole (IRFU)
