Report | U18 Girls Fall To Defeat In Galway

Connacht U18 Girls 20 – 14 Munster U18 Girls

It wasn’t to be for Damien Hicks’ Under 18 Girls side as a late Connacht come back saw the Western Giants take the win with a final score of  20-14.

It was an enthralling contest from the outset, with both sides producing strong defensive performances. Munster thought they had opened the scoring after just three minutes, but the ball was held up.

Two minutes later, Charlotte Deegan crossed for Munster after Emer Purtill made an excellent break down the line, beating three Connacht defenders before finding Deegan. Eden Waters converted to give Munster a 7-0 lead.

Connacht responded with pressure of their own. After turning the ball over in their own half, scrum-half Kitty Sweeney kicked twice to put Munster under pressure and forced a penalty. Sweeney opted for a quick tap and Connacht worked the ball to the five-metre line, winning another penalty.

They took the tap & go option again and moved the ball across the line to Rhea Sestak, who crossed for Connacht’s opening try to leave the score 7-5.

Munster scored their second before half-time when Purtill broke through to score her second try, with Waters adding the conversion to make it 14-5 at the break.

Connacht came out strongly after the restart and reduced the deficit eight minutes into the second half. Róisie Ní Scanláin made a break off the back of a ruck to score Connacht’s second try, bringing the score to 14-10.

The game then became a battle of defences, with neither side able to find a breakthrough for the next 15 minutes.

Connacht eventually turned the pressure into points when Sally Fleming broke the line and found Leah McNamara, who held off the tackle to score Connacht’s third try. The conversion put the home side ahead for the first time, 15-14.

Connacht were denied another try in the 63rd minute when Anna Cooley was held up, but they continued to press. After working through several phases inside the Munster five-metre line, prop Cairínn Kearns barrelled over to score Connacht’s fourth try.

Though the result on the day may not have fallen in Munster’s favour the side have qualified for next week’s final and will face Leinster in Mullingar RFC.

Munster U18 Girls: Cate Foley; Emer Purtill, Alice O’Donovan, Elsa Quirke, Cora Miller; Eden Waters, Grace Cronin; Roisin Cullinane, Richelle Kingston, Charlotte Deegan; Pearl Phipps, Lisa O’Mahony; Laura Danaher, Catriona Conroy; Sadhbh Whenlan.

Replacements: Aobh Culloty, Ava Duggan, Alice Buckley, Danielle Naughton, Julie Moynihan, Saoirse Quinn, Keelin McCarthy, Ruby Wiley Murphy.

Connacht U18 Girls: Niamh Gannon; Leah McNamara, Esther Albert, Ruth Conway, Anna Cooley; Sally Fleming, Kitty Sweeney; Róise Ní Scanláin, Losalia Atonio, Cairínn Kearns; Anna Murphy, Aoibhinn Lyons; Orla Palasz, Rhea Sestak; Isabella Garvey.

Replacements: Millie Ager, Amy Moran, Holly Meehan, Poppy Tunney Ware, Cora Heneghan, Rose Fleming, Chloe O’Connor, Mila Fralkova