McInerney hat-trick helps Munster to win over Ulster

Munster 29-22 Ulster

A hat-trick by winger Alana McInerney helped Munster on their way to a winning start in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship, but they were brought all the way by a plucky Ulster side in Cork.

Munster led from start to finish in their bonus-point win, but two tries in the final quarter allowed the visitors pick up two bonus-points of their own ahead of next week’s meeting with Connacht in Belfast.

McInerney’s first half hat-trick had put the hosts into a 22-5 lead at the break, with captain Chloe Pearse also crossing for Fiona Hayes’ side in the opening half, while Ulster’s only score in the first 40 minutes came through centre Tara O’Neill.

Ill-discipline had proven costly for Ulster in the first half, but they started the second half brightly, and were rewarded with a try for hooker India Daley, which briefly cut the deficit.

Munster settled, and a brilliant individual try from Chisom Ugwueru looked to have secured the result, but an impressive response from Murray Houston’s side saw Lucy Thompson and Brittany Hogan both grab tries, as they came away from Virgin Media Park with two match-points.

Munster were forced into a change before kick-off when Eimear Considine pulled out due to injury, replaced by Maggie Boylan at full-back, while Ulster were able to welcome back Kathryn Dane, who played her first competitive game since suffering a brain haemorrhage 20 months ago.

Ulster owned the majority of the ball early on, but that controlled start was upended on seven minutes when Dane’s pass was spilled by loosehead Gemma McCamley just outside the 22, and McInerney was first to pounce as she raced clear to score under the posts, giving Kate Flannery (below) a simple conversion to make it 7-0.

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