Irish Colleges Record Big Win

The Irish Colleges team, sponsored by Treasury Holdings, recorded a big win over the Combined Services Under-23 side at Sunbury over the weekend.

FRIENDLY MATCH: Friday, February 1

UNITED KINGDOM COMBINED SERVICES UNDER-23s 0 IRISH COLLEGES 38, Sunbury

Scorers: Combined Services: –
Irish Colleges: Tries: Ian Cullinan, Paddy O’Toole 2, Chris Napier, Alex O’Sullivan, Hugh Hogan; Con: Phil De Barra; Pens: Phil De Barra 2

The memory of their 34-17 defeat by the Irish Colleges in the historic game at the Suttonians RFC last year, prior to the full Ireland-England International at Croke Park, was very much in evidence in the vigour and enthusiasm shown by the UK Combined Services Under-23s in this return match played at the London Irish Amateur club grounds.

Although facing the particularly strong Combined Services forwards in the initial period of the game, Irish Colleges sustained the pressure and eventually wore down and overcame this powerful home pack.

Irish Colleges kicked a successful penalty in the fifth-minute, taken by out-half Phil De Barra. In the interim there was a testing period for both teams, with the game accelerating at a ferocious pace until the 25th-minute when Ian Cullinan scored a try which was converted by De Barra.

Irish Colleges were awarded their second penalty in the 28th-minute, leaving the score at the end of the first half at 13 -0.

In the second half, the fitter Irish Colleges forwards took control with good ball going to a well organised and cohesive back-line.

Tries were scored after 48 and 55 minutes from Paddy O’Toole and Chris Napier, with De Barra failing to convert.

Further tries were scored by a now rampant Irish side with Alex O’Sullivan scoring on the hour mark, followed by a try by Hugh Hogan, five minutes later, and a second try by O’Toole completed a handsome win for the visitors.

IRISH COLLEGES: Ed Torrie (University of Limerick); Sean Carey (NUI Galway), Paddy O’Toole (Garda College), Mick O’Shea (Garda College), Darragh Fanning (IT Tallaght); Phil De Barra (IT Tallaght), Brendan O’Brien (Blackhall Place); Shane Cahill (Dun Laoghaire VEC), Alex O’Sullivan (IADT Dun Laoghaire), Stephen Snell (NCI), Barry Holmes (DIT), Chris Naphier (Belfast Metropolitan College), Ian Cullinan (NUI Galway), Dan Kenny (Dun Laoghaire VEC), Hugh Hogan (Griffith College).

All replacements used: Jason Taggart (University of Ulster Jordanstown), Richard O’Neill (IT Tallaght), Jonathan Molloy (IT Tallaght), Brian Collins (IT Blanchardstown), Ben Reilly (Dublin City University), Michael Mc Keever (University of Ulster Jordanstown), Brian Moroney (IT Tallaght), Craig Morrin, Damien Carley (IT Carlow).

International Secretary: Moss Dineen
Coaches: Chris Galway Eamonn Molloy