Connacht come from behind twice to win Women's Interpro third place play-off

Connacht players celebrate the win. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Women's Interprovincial Championship 3rd-4th place play-off: Connacht 37 Ulster 30

Connacht came from behind twice, initially from 17 points down, as Hannah Clarke's superb 76th-minute try was the defining moment in their 37-30 play-off win over Ulster at Energia Park.

Ulster did almost everything they could to record their first Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship victory in two years, yet Connacht showed their mettle to finish the stronger thanks to Clarke's second score of the day, and an Éabha Nic Dhonnacha penalty.

Ulster's out-half and player-of-the-match Abby Moyles starred with 15 points, including a snappily-taken 22nd-minute try, and they were good value for a 22-10 half-time lead.

Tara O'Neill and Sophie Barrett also touched down for Murray Houston's side, who had lost 12-7 in Galway a fortnight ago. They looked on course to avenge that result until the westerners mounted a stirring comeback.

Ireland Sevens speedster Clarke had given Connacht a seventh-minute lead, and captain Nic Dhonnacha's late first-half try was a timely boost. Ava Ryder did likewise just 69 seconds after the restart.

Despite Grace Browne Moran and Jemima Adams Verling crossing to leave Ulster 29-22 behind, their skipper India Daley replied during Faith Oviawe's sin-binning. Moyles then had them leading 30-29, thanks to a further penalty.

Clarke's individual brilliance was their undoing, though, as the 20-year-old broke Ulster's hearts at the Bective end. The impressive Nic Dhonnacha tagged on a late penalty to seal a real rollercoaster of a result.

The 3rd-4th place play-off was the definition of a 10-try thriller, and a real sign of the progress made by both young squads under the tutelage of their respective coaches, Emer O'Dowd and Houston.

Scorers for Connacht: Tries: H Clarke 2, É Nic Dhonnacha, A Ryder, G Browne Moran, J Adams Verling; Cons: É Nic Dhonnacha 2; Pen: É Nic Dhonnacha.

Scorers for Ulster: Tries: T O'Neill, A Moyles, S Barrett, I Daley; Cons: A Moyles 2; Pens: A Moyles 2.

CONNACHT: C Barrett (UL Bohemian); A Ryder (Blackrock College), O Dixon (Galwegians), F Ní Bhraonáin (Tuam/Oughterard), H Clarke (Old Belvedere); É Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian) (capt), G Moran (Galwegians); H Coen (Creggs), S Hanley (Galwegians), R Maher (Galwegians), P Garvey (Railway Union), G Browne Moran (Galwegians), F Oviawe (Railway Union), L Ring (Old Belvedere), J Adams Verling (Creggs).

Replacements: L Brady (UL Bohemian), E Connolly (Galwegians), H Lowney (MU Barnhall), B Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard), C Conway Morrissey (Ennis), K Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard), S O'Brien (Galwegians), A Whyte (South East Galway Warriors).

ULSTER: L Farrell McCabe (Suttonians); C Fitzsimons (Queen's University Belfast), S Sheerin (Clogher Valley), T O’Neill (Cooke), N Marley (Cooke); A Moyles (UL Bohemian), G Boyce (Enniskillen/Cooke); C McLean (Larne), I Daley (Enniskillen/Blackrock College) (capt), S Barrett (Enniskillen), L Darley (Queen's University Belfast), B Barr (Suttonians), M Hill (Enniskillen), R Starrett (Queen's University Belfast), S Sloan (Cooke).

Replacements: M Clenaghan (Queen's University Belfast), A O’Connell (Monaghan/Cooke), S Roberts (Queen's University Befast), E Whittle (Queen's University Belfast), R Beacom (Enniskillen), S Meeke (Enniskillen), K Farrell McCabe (Suttonians), L Thompson (Enniskillen/Cooke).

Referee: A Cole (IRFU).