No Joy For U21s or 19s.

The international weekend got off to a bad start from an Irish point of few with the Under 21 and 19 sides beaten by their respective English counterparts on Friday evening.

The Under 21s lost 27-19 at Kingsholm in a close encounter but the 19s were simply blown away at Broadstreet RFC, conceding eight tries ina 54-13 defeat.

At Kingsholm, Ireland took the lead, went ahead again briefly at the start of the second half and were just one point in arrears (20-19) at the start of the final quarter. However, their one real effort to snatch the initiative once again, came via a 45 metre penalty attempt from out-half, Gareth Steenson with just two minutes remaining. His effort however, dropped short and England then capitalised on and Irish error to score a fourth try.

Ireland: A Finn (Dolphin); R Lane (UCC), J Hearty (Blackrock College), G Telford (Dungannon), T Bowe (QUB); G Steenson (QUB), T O’Leary (Cork Constitution); J Wickham (Clontarf), D Fogarty (Cork Constitution), K Doyle (UCD); D Gannon (Blackrock College, capt, S O’Connor (Cork Constitution); K McLaughlin (UCD), J Heaslip (DU), O Hennessy (Dungannon).
Replacements: D O’ Brien (Old Belvedere) for McLaughlin 62 mins.

England: J Clarke; M Garvey, C Bell, A Reay; U Monye; A Jarvis, C Stuart-Smith capt; N Wood, R Hawkins, D Wilson; J Percival, C Day; B Russell, B Skirving, W Skinner.
Replacements: S Friswell for Hawkins 67 mins; T Warren for Wilson 67 mins; B Davies for Jarvis 74 mins.
Referee: C Damasco (Italy).

In Broadstreet RFC, near Coventry, it was mostly one way traffic as England outclassed the Irish side. Seven of their eight tries were converted by out-half Ross Broadfoot, the Irish score coming when Michael Essex was driven over the line from a line-out in the second half.
Ireland U19: E Fitzgerald (Old Belvedere); C Power (Corinthians) G Byrne (Terenure College), S Megaw (Queens University), C McNaughton (Greystones); C Mahony (Highfield), C Willis (UCD); M Essex (CBC), F McGuckian (Dub Uni), R Walsh (UCC), B Holland (CBC), C Lavery (Rainey Endowed School), P Doran-Jones (Dub Uni), J Kerins (UCC), R Feeney (UL Bohemians).
Replacements: M Moloney (UCC) for Doran-Jones 40 min; G Moran (UCD) for Kerins 51 mins; G Mitchell (RBAI) for Feeney 48 mins; D McGowan (Sligo) for Walsh 25 mins; P Phelan (Exiles) for Willis 48 mins; C Gildea (Terenure College) for Mahony 57 mins; M Scott (Belfast Harlequins) for Megaw 48 mins.
Replacements not used: D Lombard (Clonakilty), J McGrugan (Ballymena), S McKinstry (QUB).
Referee – N Ballard (Wales).