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Ireland celebrated their first ever match at the RDS Arena in Dublin with a 20-10 win over the Women’s Eagles on Friday. Individual errors were largely to blame for the USA, who squandered several chances to score though a controversial moment in the second half will also be a point of discussion.
It was an even contest from the start with the two battling for superiority in the opening quarter. The Eagles had a golden opportunity to score first but after working an overlap on the right side, but Bulou Mataitoga dropped the potential scoring pass from Kayla Canett. Shortly after Rachel Johnson left the field injured with Elizabeth Cairns summoned from the bench.
Instead it was Ireland who would have the first say. Stacey Flood caught Mataitoga loitering out of position in defense, and her cross-kick bounced kindly for Beibhinn Parsons. The winger showed her pace and then turned Canett inside out to sprint over for a try.
A response looked to have come through the forwards as Saher Hamdan spun over the line, but a TMO review spotted a knock-on in the build-up. The Eagles kept the pressure on with advantage, however, and wide passes from Megan Foster and Katana Howard gave Canett a second chance to link with Mataitoga. This time there was no mistake and the scores were level.
Ireland came roaring back and capitalised on a mistake by Carly Waters, who dropped a ball cold into touch. Consecutive penalties gave the home side an attacking lineout and the forwards went to work until Leah Lyons barged over from close range. Flood’s conversion made it 12-5 at halftime.
The Eagles came flying out of the gates in the second half. Foster connected with Canett flat on the gainline, and the fullback offloaded to Howard. The center kept the ball alive for Cairns to do the finishing. A bizarre sight saw Foster’s conversion denied by an Irish player after the Eagles kicker was deemed to have begun her run-up to the ball.
It was Ireland’s forwards again who rolled up their sleeves. A driving maul was collapsed by Mataitoga, which landed the winger in the sin bin. Just a minute later the pack went back to work and Lindsay Peat was on the end of the drive for a try in her final international test.
Controversy struck just after the hour mark when what appeared to be a try to Tess Feury appeared to have scored in the corner. The winger was freed on the right side and stretched out to touch the ball to the line, but the officials ruled it a knock-on without going to the TMO. A replay suggested the ruling was incorrect.
With the clock ticking down it was the home side who would have the final say. Flood landed a penalty goal to bring on full-time as the Irish players erupted in delight with the victory. Their season comes to an end while the Eagles move on to play England at Worcester next Sunday.
SCORING
IRELAND 20
Tries – B. Parsons (25′), L. Lyons (38′), L. Peat (50′)
Cons – S. Flood 1/3 (39′)
Pens – S. Flood 1/1 (80′)
USA 10
Tries – B. Mataitoga (35′), E. Cairns (44′)
Cons – M. Foster 0/1*
YC – B. Mataitoga (49′)
*Foster was prevented from taking the second conversion by an Irish player
TEAMS
IRELAND
1 Lindsay Peat (17 Katie O’Dwyer 58′), 2 Cliodhna Moloney (16 Neve Jones 58′), 3 Leah Lyons (18 Linda Djougang 54′), 4 Nichola Fryday, 5 Sam Monaghan, 6 Ciara Griffin (capt.) (20 Maeve Óg O’Leary 63′), 7 Edel McMahon, 8 Anna Caplice (19 Hannah O’Connor 68′), 9 Ailsa Hughes (21 Kathryn Dane 58′), 10 Stacey Flood, 11 Beibhinn Parsons (23 Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe 67′), 12 Sene Naoupu, 13 Eimear Considine (22 Eve Higgins 54′), 14 Laura Sheehan, 15 Lauren Delany
USA
1 Catie Benson (18 Nick James 54′), 2 Saher Hamdan, 3 Hope Rogers, 4 Kristine Sommer, 5 Alycia Washington (19 Hallie Taufo’ou 71′), 6 Rachel Ehrecke, 7 Rachel Johnson (20 Elizabeth Cairns 17′), 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Carly Waters (21 Olivia Ortiz 67′), 10 Megan Foster (22 McKenzie Hawkins 67′), 11 Bulou Mataitoga, 12 Katana Howard, 13 Amy Talei-Bonte, 14 Tess Feury (23 Sarah Levy 67′), 15 Kayla Canett
Not used: 16 Kathryn Treder, 17 Maya Learned
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Sara Cox (England)
Assistants: Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy) & Maria Giovanna Pacifico (Italy)
TMO: Claire Hodnett (England)
