Youths End On High Note

The game played this morning (Sat Mar 30th), in Silea, just outside Treviso, in intense heat, saw the Irish run up a 22 point interval with tries from Andy Lowe ((Belfast Harlequins), Jamie Heaslip (Trinity) and John Hill (London Wasps) after scrum-half Daragh Geraghty opened the scoring for them with a penalty after seventeen minutes.

Georgia came back with a try nine minutes after the restart but there was no capitulation from the Irish who responded with a try from Declan Fitzpatrick. Georgia scored their second try minutes later but the Irish ended with a try from Michael Glancy which was converted by Geraghty.
Glancy had come into the side shortly before kick off when Neil Patterson was forced out with a stomach bug.

Afterwards team manager Michael Cunningham expressed his delight with the performance, “It was a really good performance against a big physical side who loved the physical aspect. Once we cracked their drift defence we were up and running. Given the conditions – it was really very hot out there – the lads deserve great credit. They worked really hard, played themselves to a standstill .”

Victory means that Ireland end up with a ninth place ranking, and after the start they had it was something Cunningham was especially pleased with.”The Italy game was a massive blow, losing like that in injury time. But in fairness, the squad picked themselves up, did everything that was asked. Won the next game and just kept going. They were a grand group to work with.”

The squad were planning to watch the final (New Zealand v France) later in the day and they leave for home tomorrow (Sunday), arriving in Dublin airport at 1.10 pm approx.

A Finn; R Lane, A Lowe (A Rees), J Hill (K Coleman), R Shaw; M Glancy, D Geraghty; S Bennett (F Gately), C Geoghegan (D Fogarty), D Fitzpatrick (W Maxwell); D Gannon, S O’Connor; B O’Connor capt, R Simms (P.McMahon), J Heaslip (R Hartigan).