The Ulster U18 Girls were unable to defend their Inter-Provincial title, as they lost out to a strong Munster squad 23-12 at Barnhall RFC last Saturday, in the third and final round of the Inter-Provincial series.
Going into the final round of games, Munster lead the table on 8 points with Leinster on 6, defending champions Ulster on 5, and Connacht on ???, meaning three Provinces remained in the hunt for silverware.
Ulster had a point to prove from the previous week's game against Leinster and did so in great fashion in the first half of this hard-fought game, with prop, Emma Kearney crashing over for the first score of the match. Munster tried to keep the eagerness of Ulster's pack, in particular Bethany McDowell and Keelin Brady, at bay for the remainder of the first half, with an excellent display of rugby shown by both sides during this period.
However, Munster, with their mass of supporters, came out fighting in the second half. Two quick tries in the space of 15 minutes saw Munster edging closer to lifting the trophy for the first time. Even so, the defending champions refused to give up easily with captain, Grace Shrestha ensuring that Ulster kept their heads in the game until the final whistle, while Ellie Ingram and Lucinda Kinghan countered many of the threats from the Munster back three which kept the girls in red pinned inside their own half.
In the last play of the game, when they knew the match was essentially over, Ulster showed their determination to finish the game on a high with a fantastic score by Mya Alcorn, which Lisa Mullen converted.
Ulster Team:
(1-8): Emma Kearney (Armagh RFC), Grace Shrestha (Capt) (Dungannon RFC), Ella Garland (Monaghan RFC), Megan Brodie (Virginia RFC), Caolinn McCormack (Virginia RFC), Bethany McDowell (Malone RFC), Katie Hetherington (Clogher Valley RFC), Keelin Brady (VC) (Virginia RFC)
(9-15): Amber Redmond (Virginia RFC), Lisa Mullen (Virginia RFC), Lucinda Kingham (Monaghan RFC), Lucy Turkington (Dungannon RFC), Kelly McCormill (Monaghan RFC), Mya Alcorn (Letterkenny RFC), Ellie Ingram (Enniskillen RFC).
Replacements: Aoife Cahill (Malone RFC), Ava Fannin (Virginia RFC), Tammy Millar (Enniskillen RFC), Sorcha McCormack (Virginia RFC), Ciara Byers (Virginia RFC), Holly Brannigan (Malone RFC), Meabh McAleavey (Armagh RFC), Ruth Gilsenan (Virginia RFC).
Management Team:
Zoe Templeton - Backs Coach
Charlie Farrell - Forwards Coach
Jemma Jackson - Manager
Imogen Porter - Physio
The Ulster management team would like to thank all players and parents for their commitment to the programme, as well as all the clubs and coaches for their support over the past couple of months.
Ulster U18 Girls Inter-Pro Results
24/09/2017 Ulster 37-12 Connacht Virginia RFC
30/09/2017 Leinster 22-5 Ulster North Kildare RFC
07/10/2017 Munster 23-12 Ulster Barnhall RFC
U18 Girls Inter-Pro Final Table
TOP SCORERS AFTER FINAL ROUND:
POINTS -
25 - Ciara Clancy (Munster)
15 - Molly Fitzgerald (Leinster), Rebecca Hayes (Munster)
14 - Natasja Behan (Leinster)
10 - Beibhinn Parsons (Connacht), Aine Galvin (Connacht), Megan Burns (Leinster), Orla Curtin (Munster), Bethany McDowell (Ulster), Ellie Ingram (Ulster), Mya Alcorn (Ulster)
TRIES -
3 - Molly Fitzgerald (Leinster), Rebecca Hayes (Munster)
2 - Beibhinn Parsons (Connacht), Aine Galvin (Connacht), Megan Burns (Leinster), Orla Curtin (Munster), Bethany McDowell (Ulster), Ellie Ingram (Ulster), Mya Alcorn (Ulster)
1 - Muireann Cawley (Connacht), Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht), Sarah Walsh (Connacht), Grace Kelly (Leinster), Ciara Carbery (Leinster), Anna Doyle (Leinster), Tess Meade (Leinster), Orla Molloy (Leinster), Bethany Sharpe (Leinster), Meadbh Scally (Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Munster), Stephanie Nunan (Munster), Muirne Wall (Munster), Lucy Turkington (Ulster), Kelly McCormill (Ulster), Amanda McQuade (Ulster), Emma Kearney (Ulster)
Going into the final round of games, Munster lead the table on 8 points with Leinster on 6, defending champions Ulster on 5, and Connacht on ???, meaning three Provinces remained in the hunt for silverware.
Ulster had a point to prove from the previous week's game against Leinster and did so in great fashion in the first half of this hard-fought game, with prop, Emma Kearney crashing over for the first score of the match. Munster tried to keep the eagerness of Ulster's pack, in particular Bethany McDowell and Keelin Brady, at bay for the remainder of the first half, with an excellent display of rugby shown by both sides during this period.
However, Munster, with their mass of supporters, came out fighting in the second half. Two quick tries in the space of 15 minutes saw Munster edging closer to lifting the trophy for the first time. Even so, the defending champions refused to give up easily with captain, Grace Shrestha ensuring that Ulster kept their heads in the game until the final whistle, while Ellie Ingram and Lucinda Kinghan countered many of the threats from the Munster back three which kept the girls in red pinned inside their own half.
In the last play of the game, when they knew the match was essentially over, Ulster showed their determination to finish the game on a high with a fantastic score by Mya Alcorn, which Lisa Mullen converted.
Ulster Team:
(1-8): Emma Kearney (Armagh RFC), Grace Shrestha (Capt) (Dungannon RFC), Ella Garland (Monaghan RFC), Megan Brodie (Virginia RFC), Caolinn McCormack (Virginia RFC), Bethany McDowell (Malone RFC), Katie Hetherington (Clogher Valley RFC), Keelin Brady (VC) (Virginia RFC)
(9-15): Amber Redmond (Virginia RFC), Lisa Mullen (Virginia RFC), Lucinda Kingham (Monaghan RFC), Lucy Turkington (Dungannon RFC), Kelly McCormill (Monaghan RFC), Mya Alcorn (Letterkenny RFC), Ellie Ingram (Enniskillen RFC).
Replacements: Aoife Cahill (Malone RFC), Ava Fannin (Virginia RFC), Tammy Millar (Enniskillen RFC), Sorcha McCormack (Virginia RFC), Ciara Byers (Virginia RFC), Holly Brannigan (Malone RFC), Meabh McAleavey (Armagh RFC), Ruth Gilsenan (Virginia RFC).
Management Team:
Zoe Templeton - Backs Coach
Charlie Farrell - Forwards Coach
Jemma Jackson - Manager
Imogen Porter - Physio
The Ulster management team would like to thank all players and parents for their commitment to the programme, as well as all the clubs and coaches for their support over the past couple of months.
Ulster U18 Girls Inter-Pro Results
24/09/2017 Ulster 37-12 Connacht Virginia RFC
30/09/2017 Leinster 22-5 Ulster North Kildare RFC
07/10/2017 Munster 23-12 Ulster Barnhall RFC
U18 Girls Inter-Pro Final Table
| Played | Won | Draw | Loss | Bonus Pt | Points | |
| Munster | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| Leinster | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| Ulster | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Connacht | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
TOP SCORERS AFTER FINAL ROUND:
POINTS -
25 - Ciara Clancy (Munster)
15 - Molly Fitzgerald (Leinster), Rebecca Hayes (Munster)
14 - Natasja Behan (Leinster)
10 - Beibhinn Parsons (Connacht), Aine Galvin (Connacht), Megan Burns (Leinster), Orla Curtin (Munster), Bethany McDowell (Ulster), Ellie Ingram (Ulster), Mya Alcorn (Ulster)
TRIES -
3 - Molly Fitzgerald (Leinster), Rebecca Hayes (Munster)
2 - Beibhinn Parsons (Connacht), Aine Galvin (Connacht), Megan Burns (Leinster), Orla Curtin (Munster), Bethany McDowell (Ulster), Ellie Ingram (Ulster), Mya Alcorn (Ulster)
1 - Muireann Cawley (Connacht), Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht), Sarah Walsh (Connacht), Grace Kelly (Leinster), Ciara Carbery (Leinster), Anna Doyle (Leinster), Tess Meade (Leinster), Orla Molloy (Leinster), Bethany Sharpe (Leinster), Meadbh Scally (Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Munster), Stephanie Nunan (Munster), Muirne Wall (Munster), Lucy Turkington (Ulster), Kelly McCormill (Ulster), Amanda McQuade (Ulster), Emma Kearney (Ulster)