IRFU Junior Men’s Interprovincial Championship: Round 3 Results Round-Up
Captain Joel McBride lifts the trophy as Ulster celebrate winning their first IRFU Junior Men's Interprovincial Championship title in seven years ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty
Ulster were crowned IRFU Junior Men’s Interprovincial champions for the first time since 2017, following a 34-22 bonus point win over Leinster in Saturday’s top of the table clash at Randalstown RFC.
With Ballyclare duo Mike Orchin-McKeever and Joel McBride in key roles as head coach and captain, Ulster completed a clean sweep of Interprovincial victories over three rounds, scoring 15 tries and 108 points in the process.
Leinster, last year’s winners, finished as runners-up for the 2023/24 campaign on scoring difference, level on seven points with Munster.
The Munstermen outscored bottom side Connacht by six tries to four in their final round clash, claiming third spot courtesy of a 34-26 triumph at Old Christians RFC.
IRFU JUNIOR MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3:
Saturday, May 11 –
ULSTER 34 LEINSTER 22, Randalstown RFC
Scorers: Ulster: Tries: Jack Gamble, Matthew McDowell, Aaron Playfair, Dean Dillon; Cons: Eddie Keys 3, Matthew McDowell; Pens: Eddie Keys 2
Leinster: Tries: Tiernan Gonnelly, Graham Reynolds, Eoghan Duffy; Cons: Craig Miller, Adam Nealon; Pen: Craig Miller
HT: Ulster 13 Leinster 10
ULSTER JUNIOR MEN: Mikey Orr (Portadown RFC); Kiléne Thornton (City of Derry RFC), Joel McBride (Ballyclare RFC) (capt), Dean Dillon (Dromore RFC), Mark Jackson (Ballyclare RFC); Eddie Keys (Enniskillen RFC), Ryan McIlwaine (Ballyclare RFC); Dean Jones (Ballyclare RFC), Matthew Coulter (Ballyclare RFC), Matty Graham (Enniskillen RFC), David Brown (Ballymoney RFC), James Wright (Portadown RFC), Aaron Playfair (Ballyclare RFC), Curtis Pollock (Ballymoney RFC), Jack Gamble (Ballyclare RFC).
Replacements: Tom-Arthur Donnan (Cooke RFC), Adam Hanna (Dromore RFC), Scott Gamble (Ballymoney RFC), David Gillespie (Ballyclare RFC), Stephen Corr (City of Derry RFC), Ryan Flavelle (Cooke RFC), Matthew McDowell (Ballyclare RFC), Peter Gillespie (Ballyclare RFC).
LEINSTER JUNIOR MEN: Eoghan Duffy (Boyne RFC); Tadg Duff (Boyne RFC), Conor Gibney (Mullingar RFC), Matt McKenna (Seapoint RFC), Dan Crotty (County Carlow FC); Craig Miller (Athy RFC), Tristan Brady (Monkstown FC); Rob Scully (Cill Dara RFC), Graham Reynolds (Balbriggan RFC) (capt), Conor McCormack (Cill Dara RFC), Jake Caldbeck (Kilkenny RFC), Dean Moore (Suttonians RFC), Ruadhan McDonnell (Monkstown FC), Zac Jungmann (Seapoint RFC), Tiernan Gonnelly (Dundalk RFC).
Replacements: Gordon Shannon (Cill Dara RFC), John McDonald (De La Salle Palmerston FC), Tadhg Ronan (County Carlow FC), JJ McIlwrath (Cill Dara RFC), Garry Dunne (Kilkenny RFC), Ger Warde (Bective Rangers FC), Colin Sisk (Seapoint RFC), Adam Nealon (De La Salle Palmerston FC).
MUNSTER 34 CONNACHT 26, Old Christians RFC
Scorers: Munster: Tries: Jimmy Glynn, Ryan O’Connell, Sean Duggan, Mark O’Connell, Kevin Kinane, Rob Cahill; Cons: Rob Cahill, Shane Airey
Connacht: Tries: Louis McVitty, Barry Walsh, Ian Murphy 2; Cons: Shane Purcell 3
HT: Munster 17 Connacht 5
MUNSTER JUNIOR MEN: Jamie McGarry (Thomond RFC); Ryan O’Connell (Old Christians RFC), Sean Murphy (Newcastle West RFC), Brian Mullins (Richmond RFC) (capt), Jimmy Glynn (Mallow RFC); Shane Airey (Newcastle West RFC), Oisin Mangan (Ennis RFC); Nigel Clancy (Richmond RFC), Tadgh McCarthy (Sunday’s Well RFC), David Jennings (Clonakilty RFC), Peter Kinane (Thurles RFC), Sean Duggan (St. Mary’s RFC), Mark O’Connell (Kinsale RFC), Sonny Dwyer (Thurles RFC), Kevin Kinane (Kilfeacle & District RFC).
Replacements: Scott Kingston (Bandon RFC), TJ Relihan (Newcastle West RFC), John Walsh (Newcastle West RFC), Jason Woulfe (Newcastle West RFC), Sean Glynn (Mallow RFC), Rob Guerin (St. Mary’s RFC), Rob Cahill (Muskerry RFC), Ben Kennedy (Cobh Pirates RFC).
CONNACHT JUNIOR MEN: Barry Walsh (Castlebar RFC); Ethan Griffiths (Connemara RFC), Ross Murphy Sweeney (Buccaneers RFC), Eoghan Coyle (Creggs RFC), Louis McVitty (Sligo RFC); Shane Purcell (Creggs RFC), Zach Wright (Castlebar RFC); Ronan Ipek (Castlebar RFC), Benjamin Hynes (Sligo Rugby), Martin Staunton (Buccaneers RFC) (capt), Ciaran Purcell (Creggs RFC), Sean Connolly (Castlebar RFC), Brian Diffley (Creggs RFC), Tommy Mullen (Connemara RFC), Fintan Crawley (Ballyhaunis RFC).
Replacements: Luke Balsiger (Buccaneers RFC), Eoghan Cahill (Creggs RFC), Aidan Healy (Ballyhaunis RFC), Michael Jordan (Ballyhaunis RFC), Ryan Cummins (Dunmore RFC), Evan Flynn (Corrib RFC), Ian Murphy (Tuam RFC), Mark Purcell (Creggs RFC).
PREVIOUS RESULTS –
ROUND 1:
LEINSTER 20 MUNSTER 20, Kilkenny RFC
ULSTER 47 CONNACHT 12, City of Derry RFC
ROUND 2:
CONNACHT 14 LEINSTER 55, Creggs RFC
MUNSTER 10 ULSTER 27, Ennis RFC
2023/24 IRFU Junior Men’s Interprovincial Results & Final Table