Ireland Bounce Back With Brilliant Five-Try Victory

Ireland were much-improved in the set piece and attack as as five-try performance propelled them to a 29-8 TikTok Women’s Six Nations win over Italy at Musgrave Park.

Match Photo Gallery: Ireland Women 29 Italy Women 8

It was the maiden victory of Greg McWilliams’ coaching reign, and the vocal Cork crowd watched Stacey Flood, player-of-the-match Sam Monaghan and Hannah O’Connor all play leading roles.

Cancelling out an early Beatrice Rigoni penalty, unconverted tries from Lucy Mulhall, on her first start at full-back, and Neve Jones, via a well-worked maul, guided Ireland into a 10-3 half-time lead.

Before Italy number 8 Elisa Giordano’s return from the sin bin, Eve Higgins gobbled up a kick from the influential Kathryn Dane to grab her second try of the tournament.

The determined Irish scrum pocketed a 51st-minute bonus point courtesy of a penalty try, and despite Melissa Bettoni opening Italy’s Six Nations try account, an opportunist late score from replacement Katie O’Dwyer restored the 21-point margin.

Enniscorthy youngster Aoife Wafer came on for her debut, responding to her sin-binning with a terrific turnover penalty late on. 5,039 spectators turned out for the first Women’s rugby international held in Cork.

It was first blood to Italy, the strong wind behind Rigoni helping her to find space and Mulhall’s skewed clearance led to Rigoni opening the scoring as she punished Linda Djougang for going off her feet.

There were promising signs from Ireland in response, Djougang winning a turnover from a counter ruck, O’Connor forcing a penalty a few minutes later, and Beibhinn Parsons got her hands on the ball with a decent early supply.

Murphy Crowe was launched forward up the right wing, the resulting lineout being pinched by the Azzurre. However, their handling errors kept Ireland in and around the Italian 22 along with Stacey Flood’s kicking in behind.

Murphy Crowe showed her footballing skills with a neat pick-up off, the home side again finding joy on the near wing with a penalty and an improved lineout – O’Connor claimed it in strong fashion.

The forwards carried up close off penalty advantages before Nicole Cronin’s skip pass was gobbled up by Wicklow native Mulhall for the finish in the left corner.

After Cronin missed the difficult conversion, Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, who was switched to full-back due to Italy’s Covid-19-enforced changes, strode forward to spark the best out of the Italian attack. A crunching Dorothy Wall tackle helped to stem the tide.

Ireland’s own attack continue to prosper approaching the half hour, with Monaghan and Edel McMahon both getting over the gain-line. Flood retrieved a Cronin chip too, and hooker Jones drove up within try-scoring range.

Murphy Crowe was harshly denied a try on the half hour, referee Aurélie Groizeleau ruling it out as she felt the winger had been tackled and should have released the ball before diving over the line. The TMO review also went against Ireland.

The girls in green redoubled their efforts, drawing successive offsides out of Italy in scoring range. Giordano saw yellow and following an O’Connor-won lineout, Jones was driven over from a well-executed forwards drive.

O’Connor increased her influence on the restart, her turnover being sent skywards by Dane whose kick was hoovered up by Higgins for a cruising run-in from the Italian 10-metre line. Cronin converted to open up a 14-point advantage.

Ireland’s confidence was now flowing, their scrum and some sharp interplay between backs and forwards keeping them on the front foot. A clever Flood kick, and Murphy Crowe’s follow-up tackle, forced Manuela Furlan to concede a five-metre scrum.

Christy Haney, on her first start, piled on the pressure at the set piece, drawing successive penalties out of loosehead Gaia Maris and it was enough for referee Groizeleau to award the hosts a penalty try, making it 24-3.

Monaghan and Haney continued to rack up the tackles, driving Italy back behind the gain-line, and the Irish bench was soon unloaded. Nichola Fryday’s departure saw number 8 O’Connor take over the captaincy.

As the rain and wind made for a scrappier final quarter, Alyssa d’Inca’s break from deep offered encouragement for Italy. TMO Eric Gauzins highlighted a dangerous clear-out which saw Wafer sent to the sin bin with just over 12 minutes remaining.

Italy’s persistence paid off when hooker Bettoni broke off a maul to score in the 71st minute, but Ireland, who visit reigning champions England in two weeks’ time, were able to sign off with a fifth try.

They won back territory with an Aoibheann Reilly turnover and Flood’s ever-reliable left boot which turned Italy again. Enya Breen’s charge-down pinned them back.

Although a subsequent lineout went loose, O’Dwyer swooped to gather it, spin past a defender and score, prompting a celebratory pile-on from her team-mates. Job done, Ireland move up to fourth ahead of their trip to Welford Road.

TIME LINE: 4 minutes – Italy penalty: Beatrice Rigoni – 0-3; 20 mins – Ireland try: Lucy Mulhall – 5-3; conversion: missed by Nicole Cronin – 5-3; 33 mins – Italy yellow card: Elisa Giordano; 34 mins – Ireland try: Neve Jones – 10-3; conversion: missed by Nicole Cronin – 10-3; Half-time – Ireland 10 Italy 3; 42 mins – Ireland try: Eve Higgins – 15-3; conversion: Nicole Cronin – 17-3; 51 mins – Ireland try: Penalty try & conversion – 24-3; 67 mins – Ireland yellow card: Aoife Wafer; 71 mins – Italy try: Melissa Bettoni – 24-8; conversion: missed by Beatrice Rigoni – 24-8; 76 mins – Ireland try: Katie O’Dwyer – 29-8; conversion: missed by Nicole Cronin – 29-8; Full-time – Ireland 29 Italy 8

IRELAND WOMEN: Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC/Leinster); Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster); Linda Djougang (ASM Romagnat Rugby/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster).

Replacements used: Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Fryday, Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Wall, Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster) for Parsons (all 59 mins), Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Jones, Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Haney (both 60), Enya Breen (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for Murphy Crowe (63), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for Djougang (65), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Dane (69).

ITALY WOMEN: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova); Manuela Furlan (Villorba Rugby) (capt), Alyssa d’Inca (Villorba Rugby), Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Maria Magatti (CUS Milano Rugby); Veronica Madia (Rugby Colorno), Sara Barattin (Villorba Rugby); Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais), Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Sara Tounesi (ASM Romagnat), Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain), Beatrice Veronese (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Colorno), Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova).

Replacements used: Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova) for Madia (half-time), Alessandra Frangipani (Villorba Rugby) for Locatelli (53 mins), Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana Rugby Padova) for Maris (58), Alessia Margotti (Valsugana Rugby Padova) for Tounesi (72), Emanuela Stecca (Villorba Rugby) for Bettoni, Sara Seye (Rugby Calvisano) for Gai (both 76). Not used: Beatrice Capomaggi (Villorba Rugby), Federica Cipolla (Villorba Rugby).

Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (France)