Ulster Women travelled to Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin on Saturday evening for the 3rd Place Playoff game against Munster Women.

Report and photo credit – Bob Given Photography

Relentless pressure from the kick off saw Ulster 22 – 0 down in 22 minutes, through four Munster tries as Eimear Considine and Steph Carroll crossed once and Roisin Ormond twice, Enya Breen converting one.

Ulster did manage occasional forays into Munster territory from breaks but it was almost entirely one way traffic and Ulster conceded another two tries, from Nicole Cronin and Fiona Reidy, before the break to leave Munster 34 – 0 to the good at half time.

An Ulster break, minutes after the restart, saw the ball quickly transferred to the left, allowing Diane Ramsay to squeeze in at the corner for an unconverted try.

Ulster withstood another Munster onslaught, but on 50 minutes conceded another unconverted try as Fiona Hayes crossed.

A few minutes later slow ball from a Munster ruck put pressure on their back line and Maeve Liston intercepted and ran unopposed to the posts for a try, converted by Vicky Irwin.

After a welter of substitutions the game became bogged down between the ’22s’ and in the rain the game stagnated, with no further scores.

Munster were well worth their victory. Ulster can take heart in an improved 2nd half performance in what was ultimately a very disappointing championship.

MUNSTER: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians), Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union), Enya Breen (UL Bohemians), Ciara Scanlan (St. Mary’s), Laura O’Mahony (UL Bohemians), Rachel Allen-Connolly (UL Bohemians), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians); Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemians), Kate Sheehan (UL Bohemians), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians), Ciara O’Halloran (UL Bohemians), Roisin Ormond (Ballincollig), Edel Murphy (UL Bohemians), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians), Sarah Quin (UL Bohemians). Replacements: Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians), Laura Delaney (UL Bohemians), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemians), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemians), Grainne Fennelly (Thurles), Christine Coffey (Thurles), Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemians), Roisin Willis (UL Bohemians).

ULSTER: Ella Durkan (Malone), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere), Maeve Liston (Cooke), Vicky Irwin (Cooke), Diane Ramsay (Queen’s University), Jemma Jackson (Old Belvedere), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere), Emma Kearney (Cooke), Stacey-Lea Kennedy (City of Derry), Ilse van Staden (Cooke), Chloe McIlwaine (Malone), Keelin Brady (MU Barnhall), Beth Cregan (Cooke) (C), Katie Hetherington (Cooke), Lauren Maginnes (Malone). Replacements: Megan Brodie (Exile), Aishling O’Connell (Cooke), Shannon Heapes (Cooke), Shannon Buller (Queen’s University), Delores Hughes (Cooke), Kelly McCormill (Cooke), Lucinda Kinghan (Ireland Sevens), Holly Brannigan (Malone).

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