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Captain Jane Neill scored two tries in a player-of-the-match performance as the Ireland Under-20 Women (sponsored by PwC) ran out comprehensive 62-7 winners over Scotland in Ystrad Mynach.
It was a record-breaking win for Ireland at this level, eclipsing last summer’s 37-7 defeat of Scotland, and saw Niamh Briggs’ side win two games at a Six Nations Women’s Summer Series for the first time.
Determined to put last week’s 41-12 loss to France behind them, tries from Neill, Alma Atagamen, and Emily Foley had the girls in green leading 19-7 at half-time.
With Scotland losing both Louise Taperell and Nicole Flynn to the sin bin, Ireland used their numerical advantage to build a handsome lead. Neill and replacements Sophie Barrett, Tara O’Neill, and Robyn O’Connor (2) touched down either side of the hour mark.
Briggs’ youngsters were in rampant form, with the bench eager to have its say, and Munster duo Aoibhe O’Flynn and Saoirse Crowe crossed late on as Ireland pushed through the half-century mark to finish with 10 tries in all.
It was a real squad effort with ten personnel changes seeing Clara Dunne, Foley, Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton, who kicked four conversions, May Goulding, Gráinne Burke, Maebh Clenaghan, Lily Morris, Beibhinn Gleeson and Rosie Searle make their first starts of the tournament.
Ennis back rower Sally Kelly, an Ireland Under-18 debutant in April, was also sprung from the bench to make her U-20 bow, capping off a rewarding campaign which gave the players an opportunity to gain vital experience and showcase their talents on the international stage.
