Ireland not up to scratch as they lose to USA — coach Griggs

IRELAND women’s head coach Adam Griggs pinpointed a lack of cohesion around the breakdown as a key factor in his side’s defeat to the USA at Energia Park yesterday.

Despite registering tries in each half through UL Bohemian wingers Laura Sheehan and Eimear Considine, the hosts came off second best to their Stateside counterparts.

“We base our game off trying to play with tempo and getting good, quick ball.

“I think certainly around the breakdown, we didn’t create the ball we wanted to actually use. Over the 80 minutes, it just wasn’t up to scratch.”

After early attacking momentum failed to yield a breakthrough score, Ireland subsequently fell behind on 13 minutes. Following a quick ‘tap and go’ by scrum-half Carly Waters, skipper Kate Zackary offloaded to Kimber Rozier for a superb USA try.

This was a significant setback for the hosts, who also lost Ciara Cooney to a suspected dislocated shoulder on 32 minutes. In her absence, Kaitlyn Broughton crossed over for a second USA try.

It was proving to be a frustrating opening period for Ireland, though Sheehan marked her own debut with an outstanding individual try off a Michelle Claffey pass. This helped to reduce their deficit to a more manageable seven points (12-5) at the break.

The visitors continued to create the greater attacking inroads on the resumption, however, and they were eventually rewarded with a third try on the hour mark. Meza Bizer applied the finishing touches to an extended move on the left-flank, before her midfield partner – Rozier – split the posts to leave 14 points between the teams.

In an attempt to address this balance, Ireland unloaded their replacements’ bench inside the final-quarter.

And with just seven minutes remaining in the contest, 16-year-old back Beibhinn Parsons was introduced in place of full-back Lauren Delany.

She became Ireland’s youngest senior women’s international as a result.

Parsons’ introduction was greeted by a massive roar from the stands and she made an explosive break towards the line on 79 minutes.

The Ardscoil Mhuire student was held up just shy of the line, but Ireland’s patience finally paid dividends in the shape of Considine’s consolation e

She’s an exciting player to have moving forward,” said Griggs on Parson’s debut. “She’s well able.”