Irish ladies still searching for home win

IRELAND are still waiting for a Six Nations home win as they went down in adverse conditions to Spain in Thomond Park on Saturday.

Ireland 7 Spain 8

Spain were on the score sheet after only 10 minutes with a try from wing Olga Garcia.

It was stalemate for the remainder of the half and Ireland didn't really spark to life until the second half when Joy Neville crashed over following a superb display of rolling mauls and a Spanish sin-binning. Sarah-Jane Belton, playing her first game for Ireland in the number ten shirt, converted.

By the end Spain had three players binned but still managed to steal the points thanks to a wonderfully struck penalty from out-half Ines Etxegibel.

Ireland will have to dig deep next week against Scotland to avoid finishing bottom of the table, a feat they achieved last year by beating Spain away from home.

England remain favourites and top of the table after hammering Wales 53-3

Scorers: Spain: O Garcia, try (10 mins), I Etxegibel, Pen (73 mins). Ireland: J Neville, try (57 mins), SJ Belton-Con (58 mins).

IRELAND: A Greensmith, L. Cantwell, S. Fleming (Capt.), P Kelly, N. Ni Chadhain, SJ Belton, L. Beamish ( T Rosser 70), F. Coghlan, J. Lonergan, G. McAllister (M Dolo 49), R. Foley( J Leacy 70), AM. McAllister, R. Boyd, F. Steed (Vice-Capt.), J. Neville. Replacements: M Dolo, M McCarthy, J Leacy, E O Sullivan, T Rosser, N Milne, D Tracy.