The United States pulled off a dramatic second-half comeback to defeat Ireland 40-36 in their opening match of the WXV Global Series at Tallaght Stadium. Ireland started strongly, scoring four tries in the first half to take a commanding lead. However, a combination of disciplinary issues and a key yellow card for Ireland’s Vicky Elmes Kinlan allowed the USA to seize control and ultimately win the match. Ireland’s early dominance was evident as they scored three tries in the first 20 minutes. Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, and Aoife Wafer all crossed the try line, putting Ireland ahead 24-12 at halftime. The USA, missing key player Ilona Maher, responded with a try from co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding on 25 minutes. Ireland quickly regained their lead with two more tries, but the USA kept pushing forward, narrowing the gap with a try from Hope Rogers before the break. The second half saw Ireland extend their lead with a fifth try from Erin King, but the momentum shifted after Elmes Kinlan was shown a yellow card for a failed tackle. The USA took full advantage of the numerical advantage, scoring four consecutive tries to take the lead. Kathryn Treder, Hallie Taufoou, and Freda Tafuna all crossed the line, with the USA eventually leading 38-31 with 10 minutes remaining. Ireland managed a late try from Dorothy Wall, but they couldn’t complete the comeback, and the USA held on for a thrilling victory. This win sets up an exciting next match for the USA, who will face Japan in Galway on 27 September. Both teams showed resilience and skill in a tightly contested game that highlighted the competitive nature of women’s rugby. The match took place at Tallaght Stadium, the home ground of the football club Shamrock Rovers, marking the first women’s rugby Test match to be held there.