Replacement Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton’s opportunist 82nd-minute try put the seal on the Ireland Under-20 Women’s impressive 29-10 win over Wales in their opening Six Nations Women’s Summer Series match.
O’Sullivan Sexton dribbled through a loose Welsh pass to score in the last minute in the Caerphilly rain, adding to earlier unconverted scores from Sophie Barrett, Robyn O’Connor, Hannah Clarke, and player-of-the-match Jemima Adams Verling.
This was a significant victory for Niamh Briggs’ Ireland youngsters – only their second at this level after they beat Scotland in last summer’s inaugural tournament – and the margin would have been more but for some missed opportunities.
Facing into the wind, Ireland built a 10-5 half-time lead with Barrett, their 2024 Summer Series MVP, and O’Connor both crossing. Wales, who lost Freya Bell to a yellow card, were unable to turn their early pressure into points.
Savannah Picton-Powell’s 30th-minute score lifted the hosts, yet Ireland pushed on to win by 19 points. Clarke (47 minutes) and Adams Verling (58) sandwiched a Seren Singleton effort, before O’Sullivan Sexton had the final say.
Captained by influential lock Jane Neill, the Ireland U-20s will now set their sights on France for next Friday’s second round clash. Les Bleuettes have been the standard bearers at this age-grade in recent years, and ran out 46-5 winners over Italy earlier today.
Back for a second year after last year’s successful event in Parma, the Women’s Summer Series features predominantly Under-20 players, with each nation permitted to include up to five U-23 players per matchday squad.
As her team’s defence was tested by a strong Welsh start, Neill led by example with a textbook turnover penalty. Wales continued to have the field position, but Ireland defended smartly at a few lineout mauls and also out wide.
A fleet-footed exchange between Ireland Sevens internationals Clarke and O’Connor saw the latter gobble up the metres down the left wing. She made it up to the Welsh 10-metre line where Bell’s high tackle earned her 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Niamh Gallagher countered well on the 20-minute mark, her kick chase causing problems for the Welsh back-three, with Jade Gaffney following up to force a penalty. The subsequent lineout drive worked to a tee, with tighthead Barrett powering over on the left.
Finn missed the conversion and her pack could not capitalise on her well-struck 50:22 kick. O’Connor continued to catch the eye with another snappy run, Neill straightening up the attack with a purposeful carry before Wales conceded a five-metre scrum.
The subsequent 26th-minute set-piece allowed Ireland to strike for their second try, taking advantage of Bell’s absence in the back-line. Hannah Clarke popped up out to the left, her pace drawing in a defender and allowing her to release O’Connor to make it 10-0.
Wales wasted little time in responding, as eager replacement Chiara Pearce used a hand-off to create the opening on the stand side. She timed her return pass perfectly for the supporting Picton-Powell to pull back five points.
Ireland props Barrett and Ella Burns then put in a couple of incisive carries to splinter the Welsh defence, which showed its resilience to hold up Beth Buttimer as the Irish forwards left empty-handied on this occasion.
Connacht starlet Adams Verling increased her influence with a barnstorming break from halfway. The strong-running number 8 drew a high tackle for a penalty, and crossed from the resulting maul but a TMO intervention ruled it out for obstruction by Burns.
Adams Verling had a second try chalked off, early on the resumption, with the match officials spotting another case of obstruction. However, there was no denying winger Clarke, who was released by Gallagher to go over on the right after a sustained bout of forward pressure.
Back came Wales, earning a penalty to set up a maul opportunity. The Irish defence did well initially, but space was created on the right where the home backs combined nicely, Singleton going over from Mollie Wilkinson’s pass to close the gap to 15-10.
Ireland’s replacements were to the fore in the build-up to their fourth try. It was third time lucky as Adams Verling got the grounding from close in, following a powerful carry from Alma Atagamen, the support from Aoibhe O’Flynn, and a solid carry too from Maebh Clenaghan.
Finn’s successful conversion gave the girls in green a decisive cushion at 22-10, and Atagamen’s carrying and offloading continued to cause problems for Wales. Finn ripped possession away from her opposite number Carys Hughes, albeit that Wales were now having more of the ball.
Ireland kept their opponents at arm’s length – Hannah Clarke chased down replacement Ffion Williams to deny her an intercept try – and two scrum penalties gave further encouragement to their replacement front rowers.
Just when it looked like there would be no further scores, O’Sullivan Sexton pounced when the ball went to ground inside the Welsh 22 and kicked through to score under the posts, adding the conversion herself.
Featured photo: INPHO/Andrew Dowling