McInerney hat-trick gets Munster off to winning interpros start

Captain Chloe Pearse and Chisom Ugwueru also scored for a bonus point win

Munster's Alana McInerney is tackled by Vicky Irwin of Ulster. Pic ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship:

Munster 29 Ulster 22

Alana McInerney’s first half hat-trick of tries ensured a winning start for Munster under Fiona Hayes, but Ulster fought back impressively in this Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship opener to earn two bonus points.

Adding to McInerney’s trio of scores, Munster captain Chloe Pearse also crossed before half-time, and a superb solo effort from Chisom Ugwueru steered them to an eventual 29-22 bonus point win at Virgin Media Park.

However, on a day when new skipper Kathryn Dane made her inspirational return to the pitch and eight players made their Ulster debuts, Murray Houston’s young squad emerged with a lot of credit.

Munster's Lucia Linn, Alana McInerney and Emma Dunican celebrate after the game. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

They finished the stronger outfit thanks to closing tries from newcomer Lucy Thompson and Brittany Hogan, and can take a lot of positives forward considering that Munster’s average winning margin in this fixture since 2019 has been almost 32 points.

This was Ireland scrum half Dane’s first competitive match since suffering a brain haemorrhage in November 2022. Her side had some regrouping to do at half-time, trailing 22-5 with teenage centre Tara O’Neill their only scorer.

India Daley’s early second half try lit the touchpaper for a much-improved second half from the visitors. Ugwueru’s 53rd-minute reply ultimately proved decisive for Munster, with their industrious lock Claire Bennett picking up the Vodafone player-of-the-match award.

It was an attritional affair as apart from a pre-match knock delaying Eimear Considine’s return from an ACL injury, Munster lost Muirne Wall and McInerney before the break. Lauren McFarrell McCabe and Fiona Tuite both came off for Ulster in a bruising battle.

Scorers: 

Munster: Tries: Alana McInerney 3, Chloe Pearse, Chisom Ugwueru; Cons: Kate Flannery 2 

Ulster: Tries: Tara O’Neill, India Daley, Lucy Thompson, Brittany Hogan; Con: Vicky Irwin  

MUNSTER: Maggie Boylan (Blackrock College RFC); Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC); Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC); Siobhan McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC), Éilis Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC) Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC) (capt).

Replacements used: Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC) for Wall (31 mins), Michelle O’Driscoll (Ballincollig RFC) for McInerney (39), Lucia Linn (Loughborough Lightning) for Boylan (46), Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC) for Cahill, Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC) for O’Halloran (both 56), Ciara O’Dwyer (UL Bohemian RFC) for McCarthy, Annakate Cournane (Shannon RFC) for Clohessy (both 67), Emma Dunican (Tralee RFC) for Buttimer (80).

ULSTER: Lauren Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC); Sophie Meeke (Enniskillen RFC), Peita McAlister (Malone RFC), Tara O’Neill (Cooke RFC), Lauren Patterson (MU Barnhall RFC/Blackrock College RFC); Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC) (capt); Gemma McCamley (Cooke RFC), India Daley (Enniskillen RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Railway Union RFC), Brenda Barr (Suttonians RFC), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC), Moya Hill (Enniskillen RFC), Christy Hill (Ballymena RFC), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC).

Replacements used: Megan Brodie (Blackrock College RFC) for C Hill (40+2 mins-49), Brodie for Barrett (49-58), Bronach Cassidy (Queen’s University Belfast RFC) for McCamley (half-time), Lucy Thompson (Enniskillen RFC) for Farrell McCabe (43), Cara O’Kane (Cooke RFC) for Tuite (49), Stacey Sloan (Cooke RFC) for M Hill, Rachael McIlroy (Queen’s University Belfast RFC) for Dane, Paige Smyth (Ballynahinch RFC) for Patterson (all 62). Not used: Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC).

Referee: Cathal Roddy (IRFU)