Sam's happy end to rugby campaign

This week Meath native Sam Monaghan can savour the fact that she played her part in helping raise the spirits of women's rugby in Ireland.

Monaghan played a major role in helping Ireland achieve a dramatic victory in the Women's Six Nations at the Kingspan Stadium, Belfast last night.

Trailing going into their final game with Scotland the Irish team staged a rousing comeback scoring a converted try when the clock had gone into the red with Enya Breen getting the touchdown. Breen also added the conversion.

Ahead 8-5 at the interval Ireland trailed 8-14 going into the closing stages and looking like they might end up bottom of the table.

However they exerted a sustained spell of late pressure. The Irish moved the ball through the phases in one last forward surge and Breen managed to break through the otherwise unwielding Scottish cover to score the try which she herself converted.

Monaghan made a series of carries in the game and executed a number of excellent off-loads throughout the demanding contest.

Monaghan, who is from Navan, played Gaelic football as a youngster and was part of the Meath u-16 team that won the All-Ireland in 2009 under Eamonn Murray.

She moved to England a few years ago and tried her hand at rugby with a local club in Brighton called Lewis RFC.

She proved adept at the game and ended up playing with top-ranking side Wasps and made an impression.

She was noticed by the Irish management but her senior international debut came last year in a shock defeat to Spain that ended Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup.

Since then Monaghan has established herself on the Irish team as one of the lock forwards with her skilful off-loads one of her strengths.

Ireland struggled in this year's Six Nations but they ended their campaign on a hight note last night.