Ulster U-18 Schools Side Set Up Interpro Title Decider With Leinster

Next Saturday is decision day in the IRFU Under-18 Schools Interprovincial Championship as second-placed Ulster, following their home win over Munster, visit leaders Leinster at Donnybrook (kick-off 2.30pm). Leinster sit on 10 points, with their final round opponents on nine.

IRFU UNDER-18 SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3: Saturday, September 16

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 16 MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 12, RBAI
Scorers: Ulster U-18 Schools: Try: Kevin McNaboe; Con: Nathan Doak; Pens: Nathan Doak 3
Munster U-18 Schools: Pens: Cian Whooley 4
HT: Ulster U-18 Schools 9 Munster U-18 Schools 3

Home advantage in Belfast helped the Ulster Under-18 Schools team avenge their recent defeat away to Munster as they moved to within one win of claiming the IRFU Interprovincial title.

In the first part of an Under-18 double header at RBAI, place-kickers Nathan Doak and Cian Whooley swapped early penalties, the former having played a key role in Ulster’s one-point victory at home to Leinster in the last round.

The Ulster youngsters, who included Ireland U-18 Sevens flyer Aaron Sexton, had a lot of possession during the first half but the Munster defence was solid and try-scoring chances were few and far between. Wallace High School’s Doak was successful with two more penalty attempts to make it 9-3 for half-time.

Early Munster pressure after the restart was rewarded when goal-kicking winger Whooley from CBC Cork kicked his second penalty goal, three minutes in, to reduce the arrears to 9-6. It was level-pegging ten minutes later when Whooley’s reliable boot drew the visitors level.

However, Ulster responded with the only try of what was an absorbing match played in wet conditions. A clever kick from Methodist’s Robbie Armstrong sent Munster back towards their own 22. From the visitors’ lineout throw, Ulster regained possession and their forwards eked out the hard yards, with flanker Kevin McNaboe – another of the Methody players involved – touching down for Doak to convert.

Back came Munster and, seven minutes from the end, Whooley completed his place-kicking haul with his fourth penalty, clipping the hosts’ lead back to 16-12. The Ulster U-18s then went on the attack and denied Munster any real territory or possession in the final few minutes to see out a hard-earned triumph.

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS: Ben McCaughey (Friends’ School); Chris Larmour (Methodist College), Ben Power (Campbell College), Angus Adair (RBAI), Aaron Sexton (Bangor Grammar School); Robbie Johnston (Regent House), Nathan Doak (Wallace High School); John McKee (Campbell College) (capt), Tom Stewart (BRA), Ben Crangle (Methodist College), Joshua McAuley (Ballymena Academy), James Nelson (Ballyclare HS), Jack Stinson (Campbell College), Kevin McNaboe (Methodist College), David McCann (RBAI).

Replacements: Bryn Davies (Rainey Endowed School), Ben McCrossan (Bangor Grammar School), Glenn McKinley (Omagh Academy), Oscar Egan (Coleraine Grammar School), Ryan O’Neill (Royal School Armagh), George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper), Lewis Finlay (Down High School), Robbie Armstrong (Methodist College), Thomas Armstrong (Methodist College), Robin McIlveen (RBAI), Ethan McIlroy (Methodist College).

MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS: John Hurley (Crescent College Comprehensive); Jack Hunt (Rockwell College), Jamin Hoffmann (Crescent College Comprehensive), Tommy Downes (CBC Cork), Ronan Quinn (Glenstal Abbey), Cian Whooley (CBC Cork); Oisin Mangan (Rockwell College), Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork); Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork), Kieran O’Shea (Castletroy College), Evan Sheehan (St. Munchin’s College), Jay Traynor (De La Salle College, Waterford), Eoin Quilter (PBC Cork), Cian Hurley (CBC Cork) (capt), Mark Crowe (St. Munchin’s College).

Replacements: Aaron Hennessy (Ayra Project), Conor Fitzgerald (Crescent College Comprehensive), Ciaran Ryan (Rockwell College), David McCarthy (PBC Cork), Daniel Okeke (Ardscoil Rís), Jack O’Riordan (CBC Cork), Ryan O’Sullivan (Rockwell College), Jack Delaney (Crescent College Comprehensive), Jude Pendijito (St. Munchin’s College), Andrew Hogan (Glenstal Abbey), Timmy Duggan (Crescent College Comprehensive), Mark McLoughlin (PBC Cork), Luke Obersby (Midleton College).

Referee: Glenn Sheridan (IRFU)

IRFU UNDER-18 SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – RESULTS SO FAR:

LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 34 MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 22, Donnybrook
Scorers: Leinster U-18 Schools: Tries: Ethan Baxter, Andrew Smith, Daniel Beggs, Max O’Reilly; Cons: Mick O’Gara 4; Pens: Mick O’Gara 2
Munster U-18 Schools: Tries: John Hurley, Cian Hurley, Jamin Hoffmann; Cons: Ryan O’Sullivan, Jack Delaney; Pen: Jack Delaney
HT: Leinster U-18 Schools 17 Munster U-18 Schools 22

MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 10 ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 9, Thomond Park
Scorers: Munster U-18 Schools: Try: Andrew Hogan; Con: Jack Delaney; Pen: Jack Delaney
Ulster U-18 Schools: Pens: Nathan Doak 3
HT: Munster U-18 Schools 10 Ulster U-18 Schools 6

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 18 LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 17, Campbell College Belfast
Scorers: Ulster U-18 Schools: Tries: Ben McCaughey, Aaron Sexton; Con: Nathan Doak; Pens: Nathan Doak 2
Leinster U-18 Schools: Tries: Cian Prendergast, Ben Murphy; Cons: Mick O’Gara 2; Pen: Mick O’Gara
HT: Ulster U-18 Schools 18 Leinster U-18 Schools 3

MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 12 LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 23, Cork Institute of Technology
Scorers: Munster U-18 Schools: Tries: Tommy Downes, Aaron Hennessy; Con: Andrew Hogan
Leinster U-18 Schools: Tries: Ed Brennan, Sam Dardis, Ethan Baxter; Con: Mick O’Gara; Pens: Mick O’Gara 2
HT: Munster U-18 Schools 0 Leinster U-18 Schools 8

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 16 MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 12, RBAI
Scorers: Ulster U-18 Schools: Try: Kevin McNaboe; Con: Nathan Doak; Pens: Nathan Doak 3
Munster U-18 Schools: Pens: Cian Whooley 4
HT: Ulster U-18 Schools 9 Munster U-18 Schools 3

IRFU UNDER-18 SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – REMAINING FIXTURE:

Saturday, September 23 –

LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS (1st) v ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS (2nd), Donnybrook, 2.30pm

TOP SCORERS AFTER FIVE MATCHES:

POINTS –

29 – Mick O’Gara (Leinster)
28 – Nathan Doak (Ulster)
12 – Cian Whooley (Munster)
10 – Jack Delaney (Munster), Ethan Baxter (Leinster)
7 – Andrew Hogan (Munster)

TRIES –

2 – Ethan Baxter (Leinster)

1 – Andrew Smith (Leinster), Daniel Beggs (Leinster), Max O’Reilly (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Leinster), Ben Murphy (Leinster), Ed Brennan (Leinster), Sam Dardis (Leinster), John Hurley (Munster), Cian Hurley (Munster), Jamin Hoffmann (Munster), Andrew Hogan (Munster), Tommy Downes (Munster), Aaron Hennessy (Munster), Ben McCaughey (Ulster), Aaron Sexton (Ulster), Kevin McNaboe (Ulster)