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Ireland had no trouble putting Colombia away 64-3 in their WXV encounter at Dubai on Saturday. By halftime the Six Nations side had run up a 38-nil score and finished the game with 10 tries against only a single penalty goal for the South Americans.
The speed and width of the Irish attack continually stretched the Colombians, with Neve Jones on the end of a sweeping move to score with under three minutes on the clock. Jones would grab a double in the second half, with further first half tries for Natasja Behan, Grace Moore, Meabh Deely, Brittany Hogan, and Edel McMahon.
Only a minute into the second half Ireland were in again with Beibhinn Parsons picking up the first of her two tries. A three-pointer from María Arzuaga assured that Colombia would not be shut out, but that was the only affect on the scoreboard with Leah Tarpey the other Irish try-scorer.
Las Tucanes will close out their WXV against Kenya on Friday. The Africans are also 0-2, having lost to Spain and Kazakhstan. Ireland will take on Spain with the winner taking bragging rights in the third division of the new competition.
SCORING
IRELAND 64
Tries (10) – N. Jones 2 (3′, 51′), N. Behan (11′), G. Moore (17′), M. Deely (21′), B. Hogan (25′), E. McMahon (38′), B. Parsons 2 (41′, 69′), L. Tarpey (74′)
Cons (7) – D. O’Brien 5/8 (4′, 22′, 36′, 39′, 52′), M. Deely 2/2 (70′, 75′)
COLOMBIA 3
Pens (1) – M. Arzuaga 1/1 (62′)
TEAMS
IRELAND
1 Linda Djougang (17 Niamh O’Dowd 70′), 2 Neve Jones (16 Sarah Delaney 70′), 3 Christy Haney (18 Sadhbh McGrath 53′), 4 Eimarr Corri (19 Fiona Tuite 53′), 5 Sam Monaghan (capt.), 6 Grace Moore, 7 Edel McMahon, 8 Brittany Hogan (20 Dorothy Wall 62′), 9 Aoibheann Reilly (21 Molly Scuffil-McCabe 61′), 10 Dannah O’Brien (22 Clara Barrett 61′), 11 Natasja Behan, 12 Aoife Dalton (23 Leah Tarpey 53′), 13 Eve Higgins, 14 Beibhinn Parsons, 15 Meabh Deely
COLOMBIA
1 María Cortes (17 Natalia Barajas HT), 2 Silvia Olave (16 Natalia Caisedo 65′), 3 Gisel Gómez (18 Carolina Naranjo HT), 4 Sara Vélez, 5 Valentina Álvarez (19 Daniela Quintero 65′), 6 Valentina Peña, 7 Ángela Alzate (20 Valeria Muñoz 65′), 8 Laura Gutierrez, 9 Stefania Sarmiento (21 Laura Noguera HT), 10 Camila Lopera (capt.) (22 Sofia Cardenas 65′), 11 Angie Manyoma, 12 Luisa Zurique, 13 Maribel Mestra (23 María Arzuaga 56′), 14 Melisa Rios Mena, 15 Leidy García
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Ano Kuwai (Japan)
Assistants: Maria Latos (Germany) & Sunny Lee (Hong Kong)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Venue: Sevens Stadium, Dubai
