Ireland Under-20s Get Back On Track

After falling to France last time out, Eric Elwood’s Ireland team got back to winning ways in the 2008 RBS Under-20 Six Nations championship at Dubarry Park thanks to a James Sandford try and the place-kicking accuracy of Martin Dufficy.

2008 RBS UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS: Friday, February 22

IRELAND U-20s 17 SCOTLAND U-20s 12, Dubarry Park

Scorers: Ireland: Try: James Sandford; Pens: Martin Dufficy 4

Scotland: Tries: Stephen McColl, Tom Bury; Con: Stephen McColl

Elwood’s Ireland side maintained their winning ways at Dubarry Park where they beat Scotland in a finely balanced encounter. Played in ideal conditions in front of another decent attendance at the midlands venue, Ireland bounced back from their defeat in France a fortnight ago to keep themselves in the championship race.

They got off to a flying start when James Sandford charged through for a try within three minutes. Although Martin Dufficy missed the conversion, he soon added two penalties to give Ireland a highly-promising 11-0 lead after a mere 12 minutes.

Ireland looked lively and inventive at this stage on the firm sod, while Scotland rued a missed penalty from right in front of the posts.

Dufficy, the Dublin University clubman, stretched the home side’s advantage to 17-0 with two successful penalties from three kicks while both sides had a player sin-binned in separate incidents before the break.

But Scotland came roaring out of the blocks on the restart and Stephen McColl got through much too easily for a soft 45th-minute try which he converted himself.

Ireland were rocked by this and were twice caught badly off-guard eight minutes later.

They were penalised for numbers at a lineout and Scotland quickly tapped the free kick with Tom Bury popping up on the left wing to get in for a try to narrow the margin to 17-12.

Ireland had now lost their elan and were guilty of far too much aimless kicking.

Dufficy was short with a penalty on the hour mark but Scotland failed to clear their lines and the home side earned another penalty but referee David Rosich over-ruled his touch judges in not awarding a score.

Thus, Ireland had to endure a nervous final quarter but, to their credit, Elwood’s young charges steadied the ship and regained their composure to hold onto possession for a victory that was much tighter than had looked likely at half-time.

Queen’s University prop Paul Karayiannis claimed the ESB International man-of-the-match award afterwards for his hard-working display.

IRELAND UNDER-20s: David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); Sean Scanlon (UCC/Munster), Eoin O’Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Eamonn Sheridan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Chris Cochrane (Queen’s University/Ulster); Martin Dufficy (Dublin University/Leinster), David Moore (Blackrock College/Leinster); Paul Karayiannis (Queen’s University/Ulster), Jason Harris-Wright (Greystones/Leinster), Ben Barclay (UCD/Leinster), James Sandford (Queen’s University/Ulster), Eoin Sheriff (Lansdowne/Leinster), Kieran Essex (UL Bohemians/Munster), Paul Ryan (Blackrock College/Leinster) (capt), Patrick Mallon (Lansdowne/Leinster).

Replacements used: David Nolan (Galwegians/Connacht) for Sandford, Conor Cleary (Greystones/Leinster) for Sheridan (both 50 mins). Not used: Stephen Douglas (Ballymena/Ulster), Stephen Archer (UCC/Munster), Ian Nagle (UCC/Munster), Ian Porter (Queen’s University/Ulster), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster).

SCOTLAND UNDER-20s: Murray Allan (Loughborough University); Tom Bury (Boroughmuir/National Junior Academy), Chris Kinloch (Edinburgh Academicals/National Senior Academy), Stephen McColl (Dunfermline/National Junior Academy); Johnny Smart (Dunfermline); Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Hawks/National Senior Academy), Matthew Heeks (London Scottish); Gary Strain (Glasgow Hawks/National Junior Academy), Adrian Duncan (Stewart’s-Melville FP/National Senior Academy), Lewis Niven (Edinburgh Academicals), Josh Brown (Bristol), Neale Patrick (Dunfermline), Fraser McKenzie (Heriot’s/National Senior Academy), Lewis Calder (Newcastle Falcons) (capt), Jonny Baird (Watsonians).

Replacements used: Ross Samson (Newcastle Falcons) for Duncan, Fraser Brown (Biggar) for Heeks (both half-time), Craig Simmonds (Heriot’s) for Patrick (65 mins).Not used: Angus Dixon (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby), Steven Burton (Currie), James Murray (Leeds Carnegie/Edinburgh Academicals), Lee Jones (Selkirk).

Referee: David Rosich (France)