Connacht Women travel to Belfast on Saturday (2pm ) with a renewed pep in their step to face Ulster in this final Vodafone Interprovincial Championship fixture.
With holders Munster and Leinster challenging for the trophy, Connacht and Ulster are playing for the prize of third-place in this season’s competition - the two having drawn their round two game.
On that occasion Connacht conceded the win, having enjoyed a healthy lead by the 60th minute, but head coach Emer O’Dowd ensured those lessons were learned when her side staged an incredible comeback against Munster last weekend.
In addition to earning two bonus points, it is a template for this weekend’s game in Belfast. Eventually losing 24-29 to Munster, Connacht were the dominant force in the second half, having found themselves behind by 5-22 at half-time.
Munster, on the front foot throughout that 40 minutes, looked the more confident, stronger and physical, but in the second half when Connacht needed to gain control, they did just that. In delivering a hard-working and more accurate 40 minutes, they closed the gap to just five against a tiring Munster outfit, and were well worth their two bonus points.
“We lit a rocket at half-time and gave them areas to improve on,” said O’Dowd. "One the breakdown and two the tackle area. It was a different team, and as a management team, we could not be prouder. They never gave up and if we had another five minutes, I think we would have won.
“Our offloading game was very good and it was hard to stop. We had momentum, the crowd was getting behind us, and we played some really, really good rugby. Our start really let us down, and they got 12 points on the board. But there are so many positives.”
Helped by the wind, Munster had all the momentum in the first half - bagging two early tries which ensured the home side was chasing the game throughout.
Struggling to make their tackles stick, Connacht were on the back foot for long periods, unable to make an impression against Munster’s superior breakdown work.
Although Faith Oviawe bagged a try before the break, Munster looked well clear when Alana McInerney, one of 12 UL Bohemians players on the starting XV, added another. Connacht, however, began to play to their strengths, putting pace on the ball and stretching the Munster defence. It paid dividends.
Influential centre Orla Dixon bagged a hat-trick of tries, and Irish captain Edel McMahon ensured her presence was felt in her first start for her province this season, adding a fourth.
“As a management team, we couldn't be prouder of what they did in that last 40 minutes, especially the last couple of minutes,” said O’Dowd. “They never gave up. They still kept going. They still believed they were going to win it. And we came very, very close.”
O’Dowd will be confident ahead of the Ulster challenge with McMahon involved.
“When the Ireland captain is coming on for you, it gives everybody a lift, and she did her stuff. She's different gravy, and to have that type of player sitting on your bench, ready to come in, not only to lift the team that she was playing with, but lift management and the crowd - just to see her rocking up, and putting on the colours again.
“We were just so happy when we heard she could come out and play a couple of games with us. She's a real leader. We're very young, and the girls really love having her, not only training in the environment, but also getting to play alongside her in Dexcom.”
While McMahon added her experience in the second half, Connacht also gave an opportunity to 19-year-old Poppy Garvey, and Connacht will now head to Belfast with greater confidence.
Connacht’s record is also solid - their last was a 25-25 draw in Belfast, and in the previous five games, Connacht had prevailed on three occasions, with one loss.
“A huge game,” said McMahon. “We don't want to finish at the bottom. We want to beat Ulster up there, but it's hard to beat anyone in their home ground. They'll be very up front as well, because the last game against them was 25-25, but we're going up very confident.”
Connacht Women:
M Deely (Blackrock College RFC ); A Ryder (Exeter Chiefs ), O Dixon (Galwegians RFC ), E Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC ), L McGonagle (UL Bohemian RFC ); N Fowley (Galwegians RFC ) (co-capt ), G Moran (Ballina RFC ); E Burns (Tuam/Oughterard RFC ), L Brady (UL Bohemian RFC ), M Collis (Railway Union RFC ), K Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard RFC ), G Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC ), F Oviawe (Railway Union RFC ), B Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC ), S Touhey Tierney (Tullamore RFC ) (co-capt ).
Replacements: R Maher (Galwegians RFC ) for Collis (28 mins ), P Garvey (Sligo Rugby ) for Touhey Tierney (43 ), E McMahon (Exeter Chiefs ) for Gleeson, M Goulding (Saracens ) for Moran, S Purcell (Creggs RFC ) for Nic Dhonnacha (all 53 ), S Hanley (Galwegians RFC ) for Brady, H Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC ) for McGonagle, E Connolly (Galwegians RFC ) for Burns (all 58 ), Gleeson for Browne Moran (64 ), Collis for Maher (66 ).
Munster: A Corey (UL Bohemian RFC ); C Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC ), L Linn (Loughborough Lightning ), S Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC ), A McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC ); K Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC ), M Wall (UL Bohemian RFC ); S McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury ), B Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC ), E Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC ), D Wall (Exeter Chiefs ), C Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC ), C O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC ), J Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC ), C Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC ) (capt ).
Replacements: E Considine (UL Bohemian RFC ) for Ugwueru (48 mins ), N Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC ) for Wall, C Finn (UL Bohemian RFC ) for Nunan (both 58 ), C O’Dwyer (UL Bohemian RFC ) for McCarthy, C McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC ) for Cahill, A Cournane (Shannon RFC ) for O’Halloran (all 62 ), E Dunican (Tralee RFC ) for Buttimer, A O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC ) for Bennett (both 65 ), Nunan for Flannery (75 ).Referee: C Hogan (IRFU ).
Connacht v Sale
Connacht open their new season at Dexcom Stadium when English premiership side Sale Sharks visit on Saturday (1.30pm ). The two clubs have faced each other on numerous occasions, both in pre-season friendlies and European Rugby competition. Alex Sanderson’s squad is expected to feature new signings Le Roux Roets, Will Addison and Waisea Nayaceluvu.
