Hat-trick hero Parsons hopes Ireland return to Connacht fortress

Ireland players, from left, Béibhinn Parsons, Stacey Flood and Katie Whelan, sing along with team-mate Robyn O'Connor, not pictured, after being presented with her first international cap in the Women's Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Italy at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Busloads from Ballinasloe, a packed out Dexcom Stadium and a hat-trick of tries from Beibhinn Parsons. Saturday’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations debut in Galway and a big Ireland victory over Italy could not really have gone any better for the homecoming Connacht wing.

The 9,206 crowd, a record home attendance for the Ireland women were treated to a powerhouse performance as Scott Bemand’s team bounced back from an opening-round defeat to world champions England at Twickenham seven days earlier with 57-20 victory over the Italians. The try bonus point had been wrapped up in 23 minutes and Parsons’ first-half hat-trick was the centrepiece of a seven-try blitz in the opening period.