OSPREYS’ LATE DROP GOAL ENOUGH TO SEE OFF ULSTER

DENISE O’Sullivan and Tyler Toland have been ruled out of the Republic of Ireland’s international friendlies against Italy and Wales due to injury. Peamount United teenagers Erin McLaughlin and Jess Fitzgerald have been added to the group. Louise Quinn has been passed fit after a scan on a shoulder injury. The squad assemble in Florence today and train in Viola Park – the home base for ACF Fiorentina – ahead of the game against Italy on Friday.

DAN EDWARDS scored a brilliant last-minute drop-goal to earn Ospreys a dramatic 19-17 win over Ulster yesterday. Out-half Edwards finished with 14 points, adding his match-winning dropgoal to three penalties and the conversion of a try from Keiran Williams, as Ospreys joined their mid-table opponents on six wins from 10 games. Marcus Rea and Tom Stewart scored Ulster’s tries, with Nathan Doak converting both and Jake Flannery adding a late penalty which had briefly looked like snatching victory for the visitors. Ospreys had marginally the better of theopening period, putting their opponents under considerable pressure in the scrums, but Ulster should have taken the lead. The northern province were presented with a simple kick at goal, but Jake Flannery chose a quickly-taken cross-field kick which Jacob Stockdale was unable to collect to secure the touchdown. Ulster suffered an injury blow when prop Marty Moore was forced to leave the field and they soon received another setback when Edwards kicked Ospreys into the lead with a 29th-minute penalty. The visitors’ woes continued when their captain and Ireland international Iain Henderson became their second forward to depart with injury, but they went on to lead 7-6 at the interval.