Report | Munster Secure Bonus-Point Win Over Connacht In Interpro Opener

The 2025 Women’s and U18 Girls Vodafone Interprovinial Championships kicked off in style this afternoon in a cracking double header in Virgin Media Park. The U18 Girl’s began the day with a narrow 5-10 loss to Connacht while the Senior outfit came away with an eight try, 44-5 win against the Connacht Senior side.

Munster got scores on the board in the 10th minute as debutant Grainne Burke drove over. Caitriona Finn’s conversion that followed just skimmed the post sending the ball wide.

Chisom Ugwueru was next on the score sheet as she gathered a clearance kick from Finn and ran straight for the whitewash. Shaking off her previous attempt Finn nailed her conversion, putting the side 12 points clear.

Connacht got their first scores on the board through Ava Ryder in the 30th minute.

Aoife Corey found the try line in 34th minute to put the side 12 points ahead once again going into the closing stages of the first half.

But Munster weren’t finished as just two minutes later Chisom Ugwueru breaks the line once again from within her own 22 to cross over in the 36th minute.

Munster ran into the sheds at half time with a lead of 22-5.

Vice captain Steph Nunan opened up the second half scoring as she found the line in the 48th minute. Finn followed with the conversion soaring right between the uprights.

Connacht were reduced to 14 in the 51st minute as Poppy Garvey was sent to the bin.

Ugwueru added to her tally for the day when she found the line once again to bringing the score to 34-5 with 30 minutes left on the clock.

Substitute Kate Flannery crossed over the line on the cusp of an hour to further extend the home side’s lead by 34 points.

Brianna Heylmann sealed the deal in the 77th minute as she ran in for Munster’s eight try of the game.

For her incredible game management skills Caitriona Finn was named a deserved Vodafone Player Of The Match.

The team will now travel to Energia Park next Saturday to take on current title holders Leinster.

Munster:

Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis RFC), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC); Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC); Gráinne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC); Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC); Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Maeve Óg O’Leary (C) (Blackrock College RFC); Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC).

Replacements:

Aoife Fleming (Ballincollig RFC), Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), Lily Morris (Ballincollig RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Annakate Cournane (Shannon RFC), Eve Prendergast (Ballincollig RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Orna Moynihan (Ennis RFC).

Connacht:

Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC); Emily Foley (Galwegians RFC), Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC), Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC) (C), Ava Ryder (Blackrock College RFC); Siofra Hession (Creggs RFC), Grainne Moran (Galwegians RFC); Ella Burns (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Galwegians RFC), Lily Brady (UL Bohemian RFC), Megan Collis (Railway Union); Poppy Garvey (Railway Union), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC); Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Lesley Ring (Old Belvedere); Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs RFC).

Replacements:

Stacy Hanley (Galwegians RFC), Hannah Coen (Creggs RFC), Roisin Maher (Galwegians RFC), Ailish Quinn (Galwegians RFC), Caoilfhionn Morrissey (Ennis/Kilrush RFC), Karly Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Sinead O’Brien (Galwegians RFC), Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin (Tuam/Oughterard RFC).

Our U18 girls kicked off the double-header day in Virgin Media Park as they also took on their Connacht counterparts in their Interpros opener.

Munster got scoring underway in just the 6th minute through Abi Kelly.

But Connacht took the half to retaliate as winger Kate Gallagher crashed over in the 29th minute to put the sides level.

A Connacht try in the 41st minute secured the win for the westeners with a score line of 5-10.

Munster U18 Girls:

Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC); Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC), Alice O’Donovan (Bantry Bay RFC), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC), Keelin O’Shea (Iveragh Eagles RFC); Eliza O’Sullivan (Iveragh Eagles RFC), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC); Aoife Martin (Ennis RFC), Erin Ridgeway (Kinsale RFC/Dolphin RFC), Aine O’Rourke (Mallow RFC); Lisa O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC), Sadhbh Brennan (Bantry Bay RFC); Elena O’Brien (Midleton RFC), Eliza Wiley Murphy (Scariff RFC); Cailinn O’Brien (Garryowen FC).

Replacements

Maya McMahon (Clonakilty RFC), Ciara O’Driscoll (Clonakilty RFC), Alice Buckley (Kanturk RFC), Laura Danaher (Scariff RFC), Orlaith Grimes (Shannon RFC), Sophie O’Riordan (Bruff RFC), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC), Maria O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC).

Connacht U18 Girls:

Roisin O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC); Kate Gallagher (Ballina RFC), Esther Albert (Ballinasloe RFC), Ruth Conway (Westport RFC), Aoibh Morrow (Tuam/Oughterard RFC); Mia White (Creggs RFC), Kitty Sweeney (Westport RFC); Isabel Lynott (Ballina RFC), Ciara Corrigan (Creggs RFC), Cairínn Kearns (Gort/Monivea RFC); Aoibhinn Lyons (Westport RFC), Juno Hayes (Tuam/Oughterard RFC); Ruby Jennings (Claremorris RFC), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC); Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC).

Replacements:

Millie Ager (Claremorris RFC), Holly Horkan (Westport RFC), Sharron Thornton (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Orla Palasz (Westport RFC), Rhea Sestak (Loughrea RFC), Maebh Smith (Claremorris RFC), Leah McNamara (Westport RFC), Julianne Moore (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC).

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