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FT Score: Connacht 21 - 61 Leinster
By Ciarán Ó Flaithearta
With both teams unbeaten heading into the clash, Leinster stamped their authority early in the PwC Girls Under-18 Interprovincial Championship, powering to a dominant 61-21 win over Connacht.
Diana Izekor opened the scoring just two minutes in, showing pace and power to race under the posts. Which Sophie White converted. Izekor quickly added two more tries by the 12th minute, including a blistering run down the wing. White’s boot extended the lead to 21-0.
Jessica Briody got in on the action, slicing through the defence in the 15th minute for Leinster’s fourth try. Isabella Larkin added another under the posts, with White converting both to stretch the lead to 33-0.
Connacht’s Tara Power was forced off with injury after 20 minutes, and shortly after, Leinster’s Ruby Osumah was yellow-carded for a tip tackle. But the numerical advantage didn’t help Connacht, as Meabh Ní Cholla sprinted from inside her own half to score Leinster’s sixth try. White’s pinpoint conversion made it 40-0.
Connacht finally responded just before halftime through Sally Fleming, who regathered her own grubber kick to score and convert. Connacht trailing 40-7 at the break.
The second half started brightly for Connacht, with Rhea Sestak and Juno Hayes both scoring impressive tries, again converted by Fleming to close the gap to 40-21. However, Sestak was soon sidelined with injury.
Leinster hit back quickly — Alex O’Shea finished off a well-worked move on the right, with Izekor converting. A second yellow card for Leinster saw Grace Cosgrove leave the pitch, but the setback didn’t slow them down.
Orlagh O’Brien crossed for Leinster’s eighth try, before Izekor bagged her fourth of the game. Ruth Conway added the final conversions, sealing a commanding 61-21 victory.
Teamsheets
Connacht
15. Mya Russell (Ballinasloe RFC),14. Tara Power (Ballinasloe RFC) 13.Julianne Moore (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC) 12. Leah McNamara (Westport RFC) 11. Katie Corcoran (Claremorris RFC) 10. Sally Fleming (Buccaneers RFC) 9. Maebh Smith (Claremorris RFC) 1. Holly Horkan (Westport RFC) 2. Millie Ager (Claremorris RFC)(C) 3. Sharron Thornton (Tuam/Oughterard RFC) 4. Orla Palasz (Westport RFC) 5. Juno Hayes (Tuam/Oughterard RFC) 6. Losalia Atonio (Tuam/Oughterard RFC) 7. Poppy Tunney Ware (Westport RFC) 8. Rhea Sestak (Loughrea RFC)
Replacements:
16. Isabel Lynott (Ballina RFC), 17. Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC), 18. Ciara Sheridan (Westport RFC), 19. Róise Ní Scanláin (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), 20. Aoibhinn Lyons (Westport RFC) 21. Katie Sweeny (Creggs RFC), 22. Ruth Conway (Westport RFC) 23. Esther Albert (Ballinasloe RFC)
Leinster
15. Sloane Rangitaawa (Wicklow), 14. Isabella Larkin (Longford), 13. Diana Izekor (Longford), 12. Pearl Tyner (Arklow), 11. Jessica Briody (Mullingar), 10. Sophia White (Arklow) (V.C), 9.Maebh Ní Cholla (Tullamore) 1. Coumba Sow (Clontarf), 6. Sophie O’Mahony (Greystones), 3. Grace Cosgrove (Dundalk), 4. Eimear Duffy (Ardee), 24. Ruby Osumah (Tullamore), 2. Molly Noons (Cill Dara), 7. Alex O’Shea (MU-Barnhall), 8. Erin McFadden (Balbriggan) (C)
Replacements:
(Blank). Bobbi Cahill (Enniscorthy), 17. Eabha O’Mahony (Mullingar), 5. Milita Valteryte (Dundalk), 19. Orlagh O’Brien (Mullingar) 20. Emma O’Rourke (Navan), 21. Jade Carroll (Arklow), 22. Grainne Cleary (Mullingar), 23. Jayne Charles (Mullingar)
