Quick attacks set up Ireland victory

Women's International: Ireland 55 Japan 0 With France awaiting them in the spring, Ireland made good on their preparations for the forthcoming Six Nations campaign with this resounding win over the tourists at Donnybrook yesterday.

In their first outing of the season, the home side were the far superior team for virtually the whole match, with the Japanese only managing any sort of sustained pressure during the first 10 minutes.

Stars of very impressive team display were winger Lynne Cantwell, who scored four tries, inside centre Patrique Kelly, scrumhalf Tania Rosser, number eight Joy Neville and outhalf Sarah Jane Belton, who captained the team for the first time.

We could have passed on their rendition of the Irish Anthem but when it came to doing the business on the pitch, the Ireland team were on song.

The two, having previously met in the World Cup, were engaged in a fierce battle up front early on where the tourists expended much of their energy.

But the well-drilled Irish pack, though under pressure during the early exchanges, kept it tight with some big hits taking place in the loose.

Inevitably the difference between the two was in Ireland's ability to launch the quick attack and in UL student Cantwell they had the perfect weapon.

Cantwell ran in the first of her tries on 15 minutes when she successfully eluded a tackle to score in the right-hand corner.

Cantwell, operating down the left-hand side, then set up her team's second score midway through the half when she was stopped just short of the line. But the forwards quickly recycled the ball for Neville to cross for the touchdown.

Outhalf Belton then converted her own try on the half hour to leave it 17-0 at the break.

Ireland were reduced to 14 players for the first 10 minutes of the second half following the sin- binning of scrumhalf, Tania Rosser, on half-time.

But with Belton showing excellent distribution, Ireland were able to run away in the end with scores from Patrique Kelly, Nuala Ní Chadháin and the irrepressible Cantwell who went over for her fourth try 20 seconds from time.

Scorers: L Cantwell four tries, P Kelly 2 tries , J Neville, N Ní Chadháin try each, , S J Belton try, 5 cons

IRELAND: A Greensmith; N Ni Chadhain, S Fleming, P Kelly, L Cantwell; SJ Belton (captain), T Rosser; F Coghlan, J Lonergan, E Coen; R Foley, J Leacy; R Tucker, R Boyd, J Neville.

Replacements: M Coulter for Coen 61 mins, G Healy for J Leacy 67 mins, E Stanley for Lonergan 67 min.

JAPAN: M Udagawa; A Eltin, T Enomoto, Y Honma, C Kojima, K Asami (captain), M Hamada; A Shikania, S Nagata, M Takahashi, C Sasaki, T Noguchi, T Matsudaira, M Okada, A Inui.

Referee: J Sheehan (MAR).