Fit-again winger Alison Miller marked her first international start in the space of a year with a try as the Ireland Women triumphed 22-5 over Scotland at a wet and windy Scotstoun Stadium last night. Adam Griggs' side picked up their first Six Nations points with a very encouraging display on the 3G pitch, dominating possession for long stretches with tries from influential forwards Aoife McDermott and Leah Lyons sandwiching Scottish centre Hannah Smith's 20th-minute score to set up a 10-5 interval lead. Miller's 20th try of her Six Nations career arrived five minutes into the second half and player-of-the-match Anna Caplice burrowed over on the hour mark as Ireland avenged last year's 15-12 home defeat to Scotland. In all, four Connacht players featured on the starting team, Galwegians trio Nicole Fowley, Laura Feeley and Nichola Fryday, as well as Old Belvedere's Alison Miller, while Galway native Claire Molly (Wasps) and former Connacht star Sene Naoupu also played last night.
IRELAND WOMEN: Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo Ladies/IQ Rugby); Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster), Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Michelle Claffey (Blackrock/Leinster), Alison Miller (Old Belvedere/Connacht), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht); Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster), Laura Feely (Galwegians/Connacht), Emma Hooban (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Leah Lyons (Harlequins), Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Galwegians/Connacht), Anna Caplice (Richmond), Claire Molloy (Wasps), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt).
Replacements used: Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster) for
Hughes, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (UL Bohemians/Munster) for Hooban, Claire
Boles (Railway Union/Ulster) for Molloy (all 60 mins), Megan Williams
(Old Belvedere/Leinster) for Miller (64), Linda Djougang (Old
Belvedere/Leinster) for Feely (67), Claire McLaughlin (Old
Belvedere/Ulster) for Caplice (70), Ellen Murphy (Old
Belvedere/Leinster) for Fowley, Caplice for McLaughlin (both 74). Not
used: Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster).
