Two Out Of Three For Leinster On Opening Day Of Boys Interpros

Today’s PwC IRFU Boys Interprovincial Championship triple header at Energia Park saw Leinster win the first two games, before Munster edged out the hosts in a thrilling Under-18 Schools contest.

Round-Up: Ulster Under-19s Hit The Ground Running In Newforge

Fresh from winning European silver with the Ireland U-18 Sevens team, Munster’s Gene O’Leary Kareem converted lock Eanna McCarthy’s 65th-minute try and that proved to be the difference in a hard-fought 19-17 victory.

The defending Schools Interpro champions, Leinster fell behind to an early try from full-back Jed O’Dwyer, who accelerated out of a tackle to score as he showed the pace that earned him an Ireland U-18 Sevens call-up.

The game ebbed and flowed, with both sides having regular visits to the opposition 22. Leinster were held scoreless, though, and Matt Te Pou’s 29th-minute try – following an O’Leary Kareem steal – gave the visitors a 12-0 interval lead.

Andrew Cosgrave and Ciaran Mangan continued to threaten in the Leinster back-three, and a superb collective counter attack earned them a try finished off by supporting winger Charlie Molony.

Out-half Tom Murtagh’s conversion made it a five-point game, and an increasingly-confident Leinster drew level on the hour mark when Clongowes centre Harry Roche-Nagle ducked under a tackle for a well-taken try.

Munster’s reliable lineout provided the platform for CBC Cork’s McCarthy to cross at a vital stage, and although nice hands released Aaron O’Brien for a quick-fire Leinster response, the Fiach O’Loughlin-coached visitors held firm to take a narrow verdict.

Winners of last season’s Clubs Interpro title, Leinster began the new campaign with a 36-15 comeback win over Munster. Tullamore winger Paidi Farrell starred with a hat-trick of tries.

Damien McCabe’s Leinster side trailed 12-10 at half-time, though, as tries from full-back David Kelliher (18 minutes) and centre Michael O’Donovan (21) cancelled out an earlier Farrell effort out wide.

Munster were rewarded for some smart kicking and clever hands, creating the opportunity for Kelliher to sprint over on the left. Bantry Bay’s O’Donovan dived over soon after, rewarding Ryan Delaney’s initial chase down of a kick.

There were missed opportunities for Leinster, who were twice held up from tap penalties, but Mullingar winger Conor Moore took them into double figures thanks to good work in the build-up from Sam Mills and Rory Allen.

The teams were locked level at 15 points apiece early in the second half, with Farrell’s second try followed by an equalising penalty from Munster out-half and captain Hicks.

Unfortunately for Noel O’Meara’s charges, the scores dried up and Leinster clinically put the result to bed. The impressive Farrell raced clear from inside his own half to complete his hat-trick and bag the bonus point, the conversion coming from James Harris.

Farrell increased his influence when breaking from deep, setting the wheels in motion for replacement Neil Byrne to go over in the 65th minute. Longford number 8 Mills closed it out with try number six, converted again by Harris.

The top two finishers in last season’s Under-19 Men’s Interpros went head-to-head, and Jack Murphy’s opportunist late try split them in giving Leinster a 24-19 triumph over their Munster counterparts.

There was a terrific advertisement for U-19 interprovincial rugby, reigning champions Leinster hitting the front when hooker Stephen Smyth, having been accurate in the lineout, touched down from a neat one-two with Finn Treacy.

Munster had some gems in their line-up, including strong-carrying pair Brian Gleeson and Danny Sheahan. Their well-drilled maul sent PBC hooker Sheahan over in the 11th minute, followed by Ben O’Connor’s conversion.

Frustratingly for the visitors, just as they were making headway in pursuit of a second try, Leinster captain Sam Berman ran in an intercept score which out-half Murphy converted.

There were notable steals by Gleeson and lock Evan O’Connell, yet Leinster’s attack carried the greater threat. Berman turned some late pressure into points, setting up winger Hugo McLaughlin to spin out of a tackle and make it 19-7.

Into the second half, Munster’s muscular forward play paid dividends with Sheahan again gaining ground before Gleeson, his Ireland U-18 Schools team-mate earlier this year, drove in low to score.

O’Connor’s second successful conversion closed the gap to five points, and it was a tied game in the 53rd minute, Leinster unable to stop a maul which had a gleeful Sheahan at the end of it.

Munster came hunting with two more lineout drives, but this time Leinster stood firm and Murphy was able to kick clear on the second occasion as the tension increased.

The talented Pres Bray number 10 went on to his province’s match winner, a 66th-minute break down the short side seeing him score in the left corner following an initial run by his schoolmate Treacy.

PWC IRFU UNDERAGE BOYS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – ROUND 1: Saturday, August 20

UNDER-18 BOYS CLUBS –

LEINSTER UNDER-18 CLUBS 36 MUNSTER UNDER-18 CLUBS 15, Energia Park
Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Paidi Farrell 3, Conor Moore, Neil Byrne, Sam Mills; Cons: James Harris 3
Munster: Tries: David Kelliher, Michael O’Donovan; Con: Dylan Hicks; Pen: Dylan Hicks
HT: Leinster 10 Munster 12

LEINSTER U-18 CLUBS: Rory Allen (Edenderry RFC); Conor Moore (Mullingar RFC), Conor Fahy (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Darragh Farrell (Athy RFC), Paidi Farrell (Tullamore RFC); James Harris (Athy RFC), Dylan Kelly (Portlaoise RFC); Darragh Brennan (Tullamore RFC) (capt), David Moore (North Kildare RFC), Kieran Hunter (Wicklow RFC), Evann Shelley (Skerries RFC), Mahon Ronan (Boyne RFC), Orama Dauramuzi (Boyne RFC), Jack Boyan (Mullingar RFC), Sam Mills (Longford RFC).

Replacements: Dylan O’Sullivan (Clondalkin RFC), Scott O’Connor (Enniscorthy RFC), Tadgh Ronan (Co. Carlow FC), Sean Peters (Portlaoise RFC), Lincoln de Year (Boyne RFC), Andrew Doyle (Athy RFC), Tim Deering (Skerries RFC), Neil Byrne (Gorey RFC).

MUNSTER U-18 CLUBS: David Kelliher (Waterpark RFC); Casey Whelan (Cobh Pirates RFC), Michael O’Donovan (Bantry Bay RFC), Eoghan Smyth (Midleton RFC), Ryan Delaney (Highfield RFC); Dylan Hicks (Bantry Bay RFC) (capt), Zach Allen (Kinsale RFC); Darragh O’Connell (Muskerry RFC), Ewan Kennedy (Sunday’s Well RFC), Alex Hamilton (Cobh Pirates RFC), David Scanlon (Waterpark RFC), Cillian Ryan (Nenagh Ormond RFC), Christian Foley (Abbeyfeale RFC), Daithi Byrnes (Old Crescent RFC), Ted O’Callaghan (Kinsale RFC).

Replacements: Luke Fitzgerald (Tralee RFC), Darragh McDonald (Clonakilty RFC), Tiernan O’Connell (Midleton RFC), Oluwanifemi Giwa (Cashel RFC), Andrew Purcell (Kilrush RFC), Aaron Roulston (Young Munster RFC), Luca Cleary (Ennis RFC), Mason Cawley (Nenagh Ormond RFC).

ULSTER UNDER-18 CLUBS 17 CONNACHT UNDER-18 CLUBS 17, Newforge Country Club (played on Sunday)
Scorers: Ulster: Tries: Penalty try, Zack McCartney, James McCammon; Con: Pen try con
Connacht: Tries: Patrick Egan, Sean Rohan, Gerard Murtagh; Con: Conall Gill
HT: Ulster 12 Connacht 7

ULSTER U-18 CLUBS: Jacob Lennox (Coleraine Grammar School/Ballymoney RFC); Ben Neely (Coleraine RFC), Harry McKeown (Sullivan Upper School/Holywood RFC), Robert Rankin (Foyle College/City of Derry RFC), Charlie Orr (Coleraine Grammar School/Ballymoney RFC); Frank Davis (Belfast Royal Academy/Academy RFC), Oliver Smyth (Belfast Royal Academy/Academy RFC) (capt); Callum Bradley (Dromore High School/Ballynahinch RFC), Conor Magee (Banbridge Academy/Banbridge RFC), Joshua Dobbin (Cambridge House Grammar School/Ballymena RFC), Peter Bird (Lurgan College/Banbridge RFC), Zack McCartney (Coleraine Grammar School/Ballymoney RFC), Billy Allen (Rainey Endowed/Rainey Old Boys RFC), Matthew Heasley (Dromore High School/Ballynahinch RFC), Ryan Connolly (Down High School/Ballynahinch RFC).

Replacements: James McCammon (Royal School Dungannon/Dungannon RFC), George McAuley (Ballymoney RFC), Murray Napier (Banbridge RFC), Rossa Bell (Rainey Endowed/Rainey Old Boys RFC), Reuben Gibson (Royal School Dungannon/Dungannon RFC), Sam McElroy (Dromore High School/Banbridge RFC), JF Burns (Coleraine RFC), Joel Barron (Friends’ School/Lisburn RFC).

CONNACHT U-18 CLUBS: Cian Brady (Monivea RFC/Coláiste an Eachréidh); Patrick Flannelly (Castlebar RFC/St. Gerald’s DLS College), Caden Grant (Galway Corinthians RFC/St. Joseph’s Patrician College), Earl Norris (Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School) (capt), Gerard Murtagh (Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School); Conall Gill (Westport RFC/Rice College), Orin Burke (Monivea RFC/Presentation College Athenry); Arann Platt (Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School), Sean Rohan (Buccaneers RFC/CBS College Coláiste Mhuire), Shay Phillips (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Éinde), Diarmuid O’Connell (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Sligo Grammar School), Ambrose Bamber (Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School), Patrick Egan (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), Harry Duffy (Galwegians RFC/Yeats College), Niall Tallon (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College).

Replacements: Max Hunter (Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School), Daniel Noone (Claremorris Colts RFC/St. Colman’s College), Finian Murry (Monivea RFC/Holy Rosary College), Oisin McNicholas (Ballina RFC/St. Louis Community School), Joshua Tunny Ware (Westport RFC/Rice College), Ben Donnelly (Corrib RFC/Presentation College Headford), Oisin O’Neill (Sligo RFC/Summerhill College), Sean Walsh (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Éinde).

UNDER-18 BOYS SCHOOLS –

LEINSTER UNDER-18 SCHOOLS 17 MUNSTER UNDER-18 SCHOOLS 19, Energia Park
Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Charlie Molony, Harry Roche-Nagle, Aaron O’Brien; Con: Tom Murtagh
Munster: Tries: Jed O’Dwyer, Matt Te Pou, Eanna McCarthy; Cons: Gene O’Leary Kareem 2
HT: Leinster 0 Munster 12

LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS: Andrew Cosgrave (St. Michael’s College); Charlie Molony (Blackrock College), Harry Roche Nagle (Clongowes Wood College), Evan Moynihan (St. Mary’s College), Ciaran Mangan (Newbridge College); Tom Murtagh (Clongowes Wood College), Sean Finlay (Cistercian College Roscrea); James Wyse (Clongowes Wood College), Mikey Yarr (Blackrock College) (capt), Riain Coogan (St. Michael’s College), David Leane (St. Mary’s College), Charlie Craig Coghlan (Belvedere College), Aaron O’Brien (St. Mary’s College), Jack Angulo (Blackrock College), Alex Usanov (Belvedere College).

Replacements: Tom Stewart (St. Michael’s College), Eoin McDermott (Belvedere College), Adam Watchorn (Kilkenny College), Billy O’Donohue (St. Michael’s College), Ben Blaney (Terenure College), James Sherwin (St. Michael’s College), Paddy Taylor (Newbridge College), Andre Ryan (Belvedere College).

MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS: Jed O’Dwyer (Crescent College Comprehensive); Tom Coughlan (PBC Cork), Gene O’Leary Kareem (PBC Cork), Gavin O’Riordan (CBC Cork), Matt Te Pou (St. Munchin’s College); Oscar Davey (Crescent College Comprehensive), Marcus Lyons (Crescent College Comprehensive); Mark Fitzgerald (Crescent College Comprehensive), Fionn Casserly (Crescent College Comprehensive), Emmet Calvey (Ardscoil Rís), Eanna McCarthy (CBC Cork), Michael Foy (CBC Cork), Jack Ryan (Rockwell College) (capt), Oisin Minogue (St. Munchin’s College), Luke Murphy (Ardscoil Rís).

Replacements: George Good (CBC Cork), Harry Gleeson (Glenstal Abbey School), Joe Costello (Ardscoil Rís), Callum Black (St. Munchin’s College), Rían Burke (St. Munchin’s College), Rory McDermott (St. Munchin’s College), Conor McCarthy (St. Munchin’s College), Adam Cusack (St. Munchin’s College).

UNDER-19 MEN –

LEINSTER UNDER-19s 24 MUNSTER UNDER-19s 19, Energia Park
Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Stephen Smyth, Sam Berman, Hugo McLaughlin, Jack Murphy; Cons: Jack Murphy 2
Munster: Tries: Danny Sheahan 2, Brian Gleeson; Cons: Ben O’Connor 2
HT: Leinster 19 Munster 7

LEINSTER U-19: Hugo McLaughlin (Gonzaga College); Finn Treacy (Presentation College Bray), Sam Berman (St. Michael’s College) (capt), Willhelm de Klerk (St. Michael’s College), Jules Fenelon (St. Michael’s College); Jack Murphy (Presentation College Bray), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College); Grant Palmer (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Stephen Smith (Kilkenny College), Andrew Sparrow (St. Mary’s College), Michael Colreavy (Blackrock College), Michael O’Reilly (St. Michael’s College), Paul Wilson (Gonzaga College), Conor Tonge (Blackrock College), Louis McGauran (St. Mary’s College).

Replacements: Adam Shirley (Kilkenny College), Niall O’Hanlon (Athy RFC), Adam Deay (Tullow RFC), James O’Loughlin (Naas RFC), Luke O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Tadhg Brophy (Newbridge College), Tom Larke (Old Wesley RFC), Andrew Quinn (Blackrock College).

MUNSTER U-19: Ben O’Connor (PBC Cork); Oisin Pepper (St. Munchin’s College), Stephen Kiely (Castletroy College), Rory O’Shaughnessy (PBC Cork), Sean Condon (PBC Cork); Cillian O’Connor (St. Munchin’s College), Jake O’Riordan (St. Munchin’s College); Max Duggan (Clongowes Wood College), Danny Sheahan (PBC Cork), Michael Long (Rockwell College), Kamil Nowak (CBC Cork), Evan O’Connell (Castletroy College), Sean Edogbo (Cobh Pirates RFC), Jacob Sheahan (PBC Cork), Brian Gleeson (Rockwell College).

Replacements: Adam Wrona (CBC Cork), Finn Cowhig (PBC Cork), Rory Doody (Cistercian College Roscrea), Adam Sheehan (Skibbereen RFC), Jack Somers (Crescent College Comprehensive), Kyle Reid (Midleton RFC), Aaron Quirke (Cobh Pirates RFC), Harry Long (Ardscoil Rís).

ULSTER UNDER-19s 50 CONNACHT UNDER-19s 14, Newforge Country Club (played on Sunday)
Scorers: Ulster: Tries: Josh Stevens, Lukas Kenny, Zac Soloman 2, Bryn Ward, Ben McFarlane 2, Jacob Oliver; Cons: Ben McFarlane 5
Connacht: Tries: Hugh Gavin, Blayze Molloy; Cons: Ryan Roche 2
HT: Ulster 29 Connacht 7

ULSTER U-19: Ben McFarlane (Methodist College Belfast); Lukas Kenny (Campbell College Belfast), James Girvan (Royal School Dungannon), Rory Ellerby (RBAI), Ethan Graham (Belfast Metropolitan College); Charlie Beattie (Wallace High School), Clark Logan (Coleraine Grammar School); Jacob Boyd (RBAI), Zac Solomon (Campbell College Belfast) (capt), Flynn Longstaff (Campbell College Belfast), Mark Lee (Rainey Old Boys RFC), Joe Hopes (Campbell College Belfast), James McKillop (Foyle College), Josh Stevens (Methodist College Belfast), Bryn Ward (RBAI).

Replacements: Jamie Matthews (Omagh Academy), Reece Braden (Omagh Academy), Jacob Oliver (Cambridge House Grammar School), Adam Montgomery (Rainey Endowed School), Cameron Faith (Campbell College Belfast), Jonny McCracken (Campbell College Belfast), Tristan Ferguson (Ballymena Academy), Ben Gibson (Bangor Grammar School).

CONNACHT U-19: Cody Farrell (Galwegians RFC/St. Paul’s Oughterard); Cathal Kelly (Ballina RFC/St. Muredach’s College), Harry Rogers (Kilkenny College), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Iognáid), Sean Fox (Galway Corinthians RFC/Calasanctius College); Ryan Roche (Galwegians RFC/St. Paul’s Oughterard), Joey Tierney (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College); Lee Kilcoyne (Creggs RFC/CBS Roscommon), Oisin Dolan (Buccaneers RFC/Athlone Community College), Dylan Bolger (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), Bryan Walsh (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Éinde), Rory Glynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Cistercian College Roscrea), Paddy Jones (Merchant Taylors’ School), Max Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Cistercian College Roscrea) (capt), Conor Ryan (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College).

Replacements: Ryan Smith (Corrib RFC/Presentation College Headford), John Hughes (Corrib RFC/Yeats College), Charlie Byrne (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), Blayze Molloy (Ballina RFC/St. Colman’s College), Patrick Flannery (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste na Coiribe), Tomás Farthing (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Creg Mhuire), Senan Phelan (St Mary’s/St. Benildus College), Blair Norton (Ballina RFC/St. Muredach’s College).