Four-Try First Half Does The Damage For Ireland Under-20s

The Ireland Under-20s held off a second half fight-back from Wales to secure a 36-22 bonus point win at a windy Irish Independent Park.

Noel McNamara’s side did almost all the damage during a wind-backed first half, Mark Hernan’s charge-down score after just 68 seconds lighting the touch paper for a terrific opening 40 minutes from the defending U-20 Six Nations champions.

Further tries from Dan Kelly, impressive man-of-the-match Lewis Finlay and Hernan made it 31-7 at half-time, with Jack Crowley landing five kicks-from-five and Osian Knott opening the Welsh account in the 35th minute.

Wales were much-improved in the second period – Joe McCarthy saw yellow after a penalty try and centre Knott crossed again – but Andrew Smith’s 63rd-minute try had Ireland out of reach. Their back-to-back bonus point victories keep them just ahead of England, their next opponents, at the top of the table.

Wales, who lost 17-7 at home to Italy last week, were under immediate pressure in Cork with Crowley’s kick-off bouncing out for a five-metre lineout. Scrum half Dafydd Buckland then took too long with his clearance kick which was smothered and touched down by ever-alert flanker Hernan.

The wind died down enough for the excellent Crowley to convert from far out on the right, and another blocked kick – this time Tom Stewart was quickly up on Sam Costelow – had the hungry hosts prowling for another early score.

Wales gradually found their feet and succeeded in making the breakdown a real battleground. The fleet-footed Smith popped up in both defence and attack, and on the opposite wing, debutant Ben Moxham had to react sharply to bring down Will Griffiths from a short lineout move.

Crowley’s right boot soon put Ireland back within sight of the try-line, and with 18-year-old replacement lock McCarthy announcing himself with a great rip in contact, the close-in possession was swept out for IQ Rugby centre Kelly to barge over past two defenders in the 17th minute.

The Welsh were unable to profit from a couple of promising maul set-ups, and Smith, defending a dangerous kick, showed dazzling feet to counter up to halfway. Despite Wales scrambling to win possession back, a poor Costelow kick allowed Oran McNulty and Sean O’Brien to flood through from the right wing and send Finlay in under the posts.

The visitors got on the scoreboard in opportunist fashion, cancelling out a Crowley three-pointer as Knott kicked through a loose ball past halfway and grounded it for a try after Kelly and Costelow had tangled near the Irish try-line.

However, McNamara’s charges made sure they ended the first half with a bonus point flourish. Thomas Clarkson made good metres on an angled run in the Welsh 22, a couple of subsequent penalties drawing Ireland closer before a clever decoy lineout, thrown to Brian Deeny at the front, led to Hernan being driven over to complete his brace.

Crowley’s best kick of the night was drilled over with aplomb from the left wing, but Wales, with the wind strengthening behind them for the closing 40 minutes, were quick to respond on the restart with Costelow knocking over a central penalty from distance for 31-10.

Wales continued to make headway with their maul suddenly causing Ireland plenty of problems. Successive penalties were leaked and a strong collective drive earned the Welsh their penalty try. Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli also carded McCarthy for the collapse right on the try-line.

With their lead cut to 14 points, Ireland came through a tricky sin-bin period by keeping Wales scoreless. Breaking up the Welsh momentum, scrum half Finlay’s hack through won back important territory and a couple of Dom Booth overthrows were seized upon by the strong-running Tom Stewart.

The Irish forwards rumbled up close before captain David McCann fired out a looping pass, straight from the ruck, for Smith to touch down by the left corner flag. Following Crowley’s only miss from the tee, Wales hung in there with their maul providing the platform again.

With 11 minutes remaining, Knott was released by Aneurin Owen’s pass over the top and cut inside the cover to leave two converted scores between them. The rain came down and both benches were emptied, Finlay coming off to a very warm reception from the appreciative home crowd.

His replacement Ben Murphy had an impressive late cameo, tracking back to put off Knott as Wales hunted down a late bonus point. Before that, a promising move which sent Cian Prendergast rampaging through was pulled back for a forward pass from Murphy. Ireland are humming along nicely but, going forward, they will need to eradicate the errors of that sloppy third quarter.

TIME LINE: 1 minute – Ireland try: Mark Hernan – 5-0; conversion: Jack Crowley – 7-0; 17 mins – Ireland try: Dan Kelly – 12-0; conversion: Jack Crowley – 14-0; 23 mins – Ireland try: Lewis Finlay – 19-0; conversion: Jack Crowley – 21-0; 31 mins – Ireland penalty: Jack Crowley – 24-0; 35 mins – Osian Knott – 24-5; conversion: Sam Costelow – 24-7; 40 mins – Ireland try: Mark Hernan – 29-7; conversion: Jack Crowley – 31-7; Half-time – Ireland 31 Wales 7; 43 mins – Wales penalty: Sam Costelow – 31-10; 48 mins – Wales try: Penalty try & con – 31-17; 48 mins – Ireland yellow card: Joe McCarthy; 63 mins – Ireland try: Andrew Smith – 36-17; conversion: missed by Jack Crowley – 36-17; 69 mins – Wales try: Osian Knott – 36-22; conversion: missed by Ioan Lloyd – 36-22; Full-time – Ireland 36 Wales 22

IRELAND U-20: Oran McNulty (Millfield School/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht); Ben Moxham (Larne High School/Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Dan Kelly (Kirkham Grammar/Loughborough University/IQ Rugby), Luis Faria (Newpark Comprehensive/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Andrew Smith (St. Michael’s College/Clontarf FC/Leinster); Jack Crowley (Bandon RFC/Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Lewis Finlay (Down High School/Malone RFC/Ulster); Marcus Hanan (Clane RFC/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Dublin University FC/Leinster), Thomas Ahern (Waterpark RFC/Shannon RFC/Munster), Brian Deeny (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster), Mark Hernan (St. Michael’s College/Lansdowne FC/Leinster), David McCann (RBAI/Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (capt).

Replacements used: Joe McCarthy (Blackrock College/Dublin University FC/Leinster) for Deeny (14-26 mins, temp sub; half-time), Charlie Ward (Tullow RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Hanan (54), Cian Prendergast (Newbridge College/UCD RFC/Leinster) for Hernan, John McKee (Campbell College/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for Stewart (both 67), Ben Murphy (Presentation College Bray/Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Finlay (76), Harry Noonan (Greystones RFC/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Clarkson, Tim Corkery (Kilkenny RFC/Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Crowley, Conor Rankin (Campbell College/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for Moxham (all 79).

WALES U-20: Ioan Lloyd (Bristol Bears); Daniel John (Millfield School), Osian Knott (Scarlets), Aneurin Owen (Dragons), Ewan Rosser (Dragons); Sam Costelow (Leicester Tigers), Dafydd Buckland (Dragons); Theo Bevacqua (Cardiff Blues), Will Griffiths (Dragons), Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues), Jac Price (Scarlets), Ben Carter (Dragons), Ioan Davies (Cardiff Blues), Jac Morgan (Scarlets) (capt), Morgan Strong (Ospreys).

Replacements used: Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Met) for Buckland (half-time), James Fender (Ospreys) for Price (half-time-44 mins, temp sub), Bradley Roderick (Ospreys) for John (52), Dom Booth (Scarlets) for Griffiths (59), Callum Williams (Scarlets) for Bevacqua (61), Josh Thomas (Ospreys) for Costelow (62), Archie Griffin (Bath) for Warren, Gwilym Bradley (Cardiff Blues) for Price, Fender for Davies (all 65), Price for Carter (71-78, temp sub).

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)