The Front Row Union Sport - RWC2010: Ireland 3 USA 40 5th Place Semi Final

RWC2010: Ireland 3 USA 40 5th Place Semi Final

Sep 2, 2010

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It was a disappointing day for Ireland yesterday as they slumped to a comprehensive defeat by the USA in the 5th Place Semi Final.

With Ireland controlled the early exchanges but USA were first on the score board when their powerful wing Victoria Folayan sprinted clear on the 11th minute. Christy Ringgenberg added the conversion to give USA a 0 – 7 lead.

Ireland

Pen: Niamh Briggs

USA

Try: Victoria Folayan (2), Penalty Try, Amy Daniels (2), Vanesha McGee.
Con: Christy Ringgenberg (4)

The USA pushed on with a penalty try at the end of the first quarter after Ireland brought down a try line bound rolling maul before Niamh Briggs got Ireland’s score on the 29th minute with a well struck penalty.

However, it was a short lived resurgence for Ireland as USA centre Amy Daniels crashed through for her first try of the afternoon, bringing the score to 21-3 at the interval.

Ireland came out in the second half a rejuvenated side and spent the first 20 minutes camped inside the USA half with all the possession, but little to show for it on the scoreboard.

*Ireland try to push on in the second half against the USA*

The USA cut loose towards the end of the third quarter with Daniels crossing for her second try, Ringgenberg converting to move the score along to 28-3.

Ireland struggled to respond and the USA closed out the game with two late tries as Folayan crossed for her second before Vanesha McGee went over for the sixth. Ringgenberg converted one to give a final score of Ireland 3 USA 40.

Ireland must now regroup for a seventh place play-off against Scotland on Sunday.

Ireland Women: Niamh Briggs, Amy Davis, Lynne Cantwell, Shannon Houston, Eliza Downey, Joanne O’Sullivan, Louise Beamish, Fiona Coghlan (C), Yvonne Nolan, Gill Bourke, Kate O’Loughlin, Marie Louise Reilly, Orla Brennan, Sinead Ryan, Joy Neville. Replacements: Chris Fanning, Louise Austin, Caroline Mahon, Carol Staunton, Claire Molloy, Nora Stapleton, Máiréad Kelly

POST MATCH REACTION

Ireland coach Philip Doyle.

It didn’t go our way, the girls’ legs are getting a little bit tired this week. America, to their credit, were pretty, in their words, awesome.

Their power in the scrum was fantastic and they put us under tremendous pressure right from the start. Joy Neville at the back had a lot of problems trying to get that ball out. A lot of occasions we got it, but they were just too powerful for us today. You’ve got to call a spade a spade; they were just too powerful on the day.

Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan.

USA were the better team on the day, there’s no doubt about that, they deserved their win. They have serious pace on the wings and they were more physical than us.