U-18 Men’s Interprovincial Festival: Round 3 Review

Leinster won both the Clubs and Schools titles on an attack-driven final day of the IRFU Under-18 Men’s Interprovincial Rugby Festival at the University of Limerick. Check out the round 3 photo gallery.

Joe Carbery’s Leinster U-18 Clubs squad completed a clean sweep of Festival wins with a 31-12 bonus point victory over Ulster, while their Leinster Schools counterparts, coached by Andy Skehan, retained the Kelleher Cup despite a last-minute 23-20 defeat to Munster.

The residential festival at the UL grounds is a chance for squads from IQ Rugby and the four provinces to live in a professional rugby environment over 10 days. As well as three rounds of Interprovincial Championship action, players avail of personal development, mental skills and nutritional workshops.

Led by Tullow’s Conor Duffy, the Leinster Clubs were the only team to win all three of their games at the Festival. With Ennis out-half Tony Butler scoring 16 points, Munster finished as runners-up in the Clubs competition with a 36-10 success against last year’s winners Connacht.

A closing penalty from number 10 Shane Buckley helped Munster to beat Leinster in their Schools Interprovincial decider. That earned them the Dudley Cup, but Leinster’s better record over the three-round tournament ensured that they won the overall Championship.

Aided by a hat-trick of tries from number 8 Callum Smyton, Ulster’s Schools side rounded out their campaign with a 48-10 triumph over IQ Rugby, a squad of Irish-qualified players based in the English schools system.

IRFU UNDER-18 MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL RUGBY FESTIVAL: Sunday, August 25

MATCH DAY 3 –

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 48 IQ RUGBY 10, University of Limerick
Scorers: Ulster U-18 Schools: Tries: Jude Postlethwaite 2, Ethan Bryce, Callum Smyton 3, Finn Rankin, Tim Bailie; Cons: Ross McKay 3, Ethan Bryce
IQ Rugby: Tries: Theo Smerdon, Jacob Richards
HT: Ulster U-18 Schools 21 IQ Rugby 5

LEINSTER U-18 CLUBS 31 ULSTER U-18 CLUBS 12, University of Limerick
Scorers: Leinster U-18 Clubs: Tries: Ruairi Clarke, Conor Gibney 2, Jack Hanlon, Fionn O’Hara; Cons: Fionn O’Hara 3
Ulster U-18 Clubs: Tries: Ben McCullough, Sebastian Hastings; Con: Tyler McNeill
HT: Ulster U-18 Clubs 5 Leinster U-18 Clubs 19

MUNSTER U-18 CLUBS 36 CONNACHT U-18 CLUBS & SCHOOLS 10, University of Limerick
Scorers: Munster U-18 Clubs: Tries: Edwin Edugobo, Dylan Murphy, Tony Butler, Owen Byrne, James Finn; Cons: Tony Butler 4; Pen: Tony Butler
Connacht U-18 Clubs & Schools: Tries: Declan O’Loughlin, Blaine Barry
HT: Munster U-18 Clubs 17 Connacht U-18 Clubs & Schools 5

MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 23 LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS 20, University of Limerick
Scorers: Munster U-18 Schools: Tries: Daniel Hurley, Jack Oliver; Cons: Shane Buckley 2; Pens: Shane Buckley 3
Leinster U-18 Schools: Tries: Charlie Tector, Shane Mallon; Cons: Charlie Tector 2; Pens: Charlie Tector 2
HT: Munster U-18 Schools 14 Leinster U-18 Schools 17

IRFU UNDER-18 MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL RUGBY FESTIVAL – TOP SCORERS AFTER FINAL ROUND:

U-18 SCHOOLS:

POINTS –

25 – Charlie Tector (Leinster)

20 – Rory McGuire (Leinster)

17 – Shane Buckley (Munster)

15 – Callum Smyton (Ulster)

12 – Ross McKay (Ulster)

10 – Jack Boyle (Leinster), Zach Harrison (Leinster), Daniel Hurley (Munster), James McCormick (Ulster), Lorcan McLoughlin (IQ Rugby), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Jacob Richards (IQ Rugby)

7 – Ethan Bryce (Ulster)

5 – Scott Barron (Leinster), Ben Carson (Ulster), Owen Chaplin (IQ Rugby), George Coomber (Munster), Darragh French (Munster), Fionn Gibbons (Leinster), Nick Greene (Munster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Leinster), Shane Mallon (Leinster), Jamie McNeight (Ulster), Chay Mullins (IQ Rugby), Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster), Dylan O’Grady (Leinster), Jack Oliver (Munster), James O’Sullivan (IQ Rugby), Pierce O’Toole (IQ Rugby), Rory Telfer (Ulster)

TRIES –

4 – Rory McGuire (Leinster)

3 – Callum Smyton (Ulster)

2 – Jack Boyle (Leinster), Daniel Hurley (Munster), James McCormick (Ulster), Lorcan McLoughlin (IQ Rugby), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Jacob Richards (IQ Rugby)

1 – Tim Bailie (Ulster), Scott Barron (Leinster), Ethan Bryce (Ulster), Ben Carson (Ulster), Owen Chaplin (IQ Rugby), George Coomber (Munster), Darragh French (Munster), Fionn Gibbons (Leinster), Nick Greene (Munster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Leinster), Shane Mallon (Leinster), Jamie McNeight (Ulster), Chay Mullins (IQ Rugby), Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster), Dylan O’Grady (Leinster), Jack Oliver (Munster), James O’Sullivan (IQ Rugby), Finn Rankin (Ulster), Theo Smerdon (IQ Rugby), Charlie Tector (Leinster), Rory Telfer (Ulster)

U-18 CLUBS:

POINTS –

25 – Tony Butler (Munster), Fionn O’Hara (Leinster)

20 – Jack Hanlon (Leinster)

16 – Mark Purcell (Connacht)

15 – Conor Duffy (Leinster)

11 – Thomas McDevitt (Ulster)

10 – Matthew Devine (Connacht), Conor Gibney (Leinster), Aitzol King (Leinster), Declan O’Loughlin (Connacht)

5 – Blaine Barry (Connacht), Owen Byrne (Munster), Anthony Castillo (Munster), Ruairi Clarke (Leinster), Elliot Donaldson (Ulster), David Dooley (Leinster), Edwin Edugobo (Munster), James Finn (Munster), Sebastien Hastings (Ulster), Kolo Kiripati (Connacht), Darragh McCarthy (Munster), Ben McCullough (Ulster), Jack Milton (Ulster), Conor Moloney (Munster), Dylan Murphy (Munster), Ihechi Oji (Munster), Kacper Palamarczuk (Connacht), Jack Tucker (Connacht), Luke Underwood Doyle (Munster)

TRIES –

4 – Jack Hanlon (Leinster)

3 – Conor Duffy (Leinster)

2 – Matthew Devine (Connacht), Conor Gibney (Leinster), Aitzol King (Leinster), Declan O’Loughlin (Connacht)

1 – Blaine Barry (Connacht), Tony Butler (Munster), Owen Byrne (Munster), Anthony Castillo (Munster), Ruairi Clarke (Leinster), Elliot Donaldson (Ulster), David Dooley (Leinster), Edwin Edugobo (Munster), James Finn (Munster), Sebastien Hastings (Ulster), Kolo Kiripati (Connacht), Darragh McCarthy (Munster), Ben McCullough (Ulster), Thomas McDevitt (Ulster), Jack Milton (Ulster), Conor Moloney (Munster), Dylan Murphy (Munster), Fionn O’Hara (Leinster), Ihechi Oji (Munster), Kacper Palamarczuk (Connacht), Mark Purcell (Connacht), Jack Tucker (Connacht), Luke Underwood Doyle (Munster)