Six Nations: Ireland back on track with win over Wales
STAR TURN: Ireland's Aoife Wafer makes a break. Pic: INPHO/Nick Elliott
Ireland got back to winning ways in the Six Nations with an expected victory over Wales in Belfast where Aoife Wafer was the star of the show scoring two tries and making waves throughout.
Scott Bemand’s side also banked a bonus point with Brittany Hogan scoring two tries and Béibhinn Parsons crossing the once against a battling Wales.
The win allowed Ireland move up to third in the table and there were notable performances from Hogan and Parsons but also Eve Higgins, Linda Djougang and Aoife Dalton putting down strong markers. Dannah O’Brien also played well kicking four conversions and varying her game well.
After an early period of stalemate, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald’s inside pass to Stacey Flood gave Ireland access to the Welsh line. Ireland recycled a couple of times but kept it tight with Aoife Wafer powering over from close range.
Dannah O’Brien kicked the extras after the 12th minute try.
After an unlucky ricochet, Wales had a chance to score but Jasmine Joyce was unable to hold the pass, and Ireland escaped a dangerous moment.
However, Wales did respond and managed a try on 22 minutes when Georgia Evans drove over from close range, with Keira Bevan converging to tie things up.
Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald then nearly scored for the home side but was penalised for a double movement on the Welsh line. Shortly afterwards Wafer’s run off he back of a scrum and wonderful off-load put Béibhinn Parsons in space and she made no mistake.
O’Brien’s conversion hit the post and stayed out but Ireland had the lead again.
Then just on half-time, Ireland scored again after some chances had been missed. This time skipper Erin King won a jackal penalty with the clock in red. Ireland put the ball in touch and launched a maul from which Fiona Tuite came close to scoring before fellow lock Dorothy Wall touched down near the posts.
O’Brien again converted and Ireland led 19-7 as the sides trooped off.
The first score of the new half looked vital for both sides though the off the ball clash between Moloney-MacDonald and a prone Evans resulted in a yellow for the Ireland hooker for striking out with her boot.
It unsettled Ireland for a bit before Wafer surged downfield on 47 minutes, and feeding Eve Higgins before Joyce was shown yellow for killing the ball though from the penalty Ireland were turned over.
With Ireland back to full complement, they put the squeeze on with Djougang going close before Wafer finished the job with a close-in drive for the bonus point try. The conversion was slotted by O’Brien and Ireland now led 26-7 after 55 minutes.
Ten minutes later try number five seemed to have arrived when Ireland mauled over the Welsh line with Neve Jones getting the touchdown however the TMO intervened and the score was cancelled due to obstruction.
The game then became rather scrappy but then with three minutes left, Wales scored their first points of the half when Joyce got on the end of a cross-kick to beat Parsons and score an unconverted try.
However, it was Ireland, whose bench made a difference, who finished the stronger as with the clock in red, Hogan barrelled over for her second and Ireland’s fifth, O’Brien again converting.
: S Flood; B Parsons, A Dalton, E Higgins, R O'Connor; D O'Brien, E Lane; E Perry, C Moloney-MacDonald, L Djougang; D Wall, F Tuite; B Hogan, E King (capt), A Wafer.
Replacements: N Jones for Moloney-MacDonald 60mins, S McGrath for Perry 60mins, E Cahill for Djougang 78mins, R Campbell for Wall 60mins, S Monaghan for Tuite 60mins, G Moore for King 64mins, K Whelan for Lane 66mins, N Gallagher for Flood 60mins.
: K Powell; H Dallavalle, C Cox, C Keight, J Joyce; L George, K Bevan; G Pyrs, K Jones, S Tuipulotu; B Metcalfe, G Evans; J Aiono, B Lewis (capt), B King.
Replacements: M Reardon for Jones 60mins, M Davies for Pyrs mins, D Rose for Tuipulotu 60mins, N John for Metcalfe 57mins, A Joyce for Aiono 57mins, S Lockwood for Bevan 58mins, F Bell for Keight 67mins, N Prothero for Dallavalle 69mins.
: A Groizeleau (FFR).
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