Clara Barrett shines as Connacht overcome Ulster in Women's Interpros

Ulster 19-25 Connacht

Clara Barrett celebrated her 19th birthday a little early with a brace of tries in Connacht's 25-19 bonus point win over Ulster in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship.

Ireland Under-18 winger Barrett, who turns 19 next Thursday, scored in each half at a wet and windy Kingspan Stadium, with her 69th-minute score confirming Lyndon Jones' side as deserved winners.

Connacht did the majority of the damage in the first half, building a 20-0 lead with Mayo natives Barrett, Ava Ryder and Emma Fabby all touching down with Nicole Foley kicking the other points.

Captain Beth Cregan led a determined response from Ulster, registering tries in the 45th and 55th minutes, before Fowley and Shannon Touhey combined to send Barrett over out wide.

Connacht had done enough to earn their first Interprovincial victory since the 2019/20 campaign, but Ulster did manage to salvage a late losing bonus point as Ella Durkan converted a Niamh Marley effort past the 80-minute mark.

Ulster struggled for territory early on, the westerners turning down a kick at the posts before Fowley was just short with a shot from the 40-metre range.

The Connacht out-half pulled a second effort wide in the 10th minute, but they opened the scoring soon after, Mairéad Coyne dangling a kick through and Barrett beat Fern Wilson and Rachel McIlroy to get the grounding in the right corner.

A charge down from Kelly McCormill lifted the hosts and Maeve Liston was able to put Dungannon's Marley into space on the left, yet Connacht responded with a well-won scrum penalty.

The Connacht forwards wielded more influence with ball in hand, some impressive passing in midfield releasing Ryder just outside the Ulster 22, and the Railway Union youngster tore