Treacy Try Rescues Last-Gasp Victory For Ireland U-20 Men

Finn Treacy’s 83rd-minute try – at the end of an exhaustive 24 phases – saw the Ireland Under-20 Men (sponsored by PwC) deny Georgia a famous win at the World Rugby U-20 Championship in Stellenbosch.

2024 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP POOL B:

Thursday, July 4 –

IRELAND UNDER-20s 22 GEORGIA UNDER-20s 16, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Hugh Gavin, Stephen Smyth, Finn Treacy; Cons: Sean Naughton, Jack Murphy; Pen: Sean Naughton
Georgia: Try: Nika Lomidze; Con: Luka Tsirekidze; Pens: Luka Tsirekidze 3
HT: Ireland 12 Georgia 6

With captain Nika Lomidze crossing early in the second half, Georgia were on course for their second ever victory over Ireland at this level. Luka Tsirekidze kicked 11 points but let Willie Faloon’s young guns off the hook with two late penalty misses.

Digging deep as they stared at their first defeat of 2024, Ireland eventually managed to break the Junior Lelos down for a dramatic 22-16 victory. Jack Murphy’s bouncing skip pass sent fellow replacement Treacy over in the left corner for the decisive score.

The late scramble was a far cry from the opening quarter when the impressive Hugh Gavin charged over in the sixth minute and then set up a Stephen Smyth try. In between, debutant Ruben Moloney was denied by an obstruction call.

Two late penalties from Tsirekidze, into the wind, saw Georgia close the gap to 12-6 by half-time. With their scrum becoming more influential, and Ireland missing tackles, Lomidze sprung clean through from a ruck to edge his team in front.

Sean Naughton and Tsirekidze swapped penalties before the Georgian out-half missed the target twice. A late knock-on left the door open for Ireland, and a furious onslaught, with the forwards going inches close, ended with Treacy scoring past Otari Metreveli.

With their second Pool B success setting up a crunch clash with Australia next Tuesday, Ireland skipper Evan O’Connell said: “Over the moon (when the last try was scored), more relieved than anything. It was a hugely tough game.

“The Georgians were excellent for the whole game, defensively and in attack. We know we’re going to need to be a lot better than that next week.

“There were some serious shots going in from them, they’re a really physical team. There’s no easy games in this tournament, so we’ll take every game as they come and look forward to next week.”

It was lively start from Ireland, who showed their eagerness to move the big Georgian pack around. Following Sean Edogbo’s well-won turnover penalty, they took the opposition through twelve phases with winger Moloney hauled down just short.

Big centre Gavin, who had sliced open the defence after linking with Naughton, then popped up to burst over from Oliver Coffey’s inviting pass. Naughton knocked over the conversion from the right.

Moloney had a blistering solo score unfortunately ruled out for obstruction, as Andrew Sparrow was singled out for holding back Giorgi Khaindrava. Gavin increased his influence with a brilliant 50:22 kick, immediately after a Georgian knock-on.

The resulting Irish lineout misfired, and another maul effort was sacked for a turnover past the quarter hour mark. Luka Ungiadze collapsed a scrum, though, and patient build-up play led to hooker Smyth stepping inside to score from Gavin’s offload out wide.

Georgia tried to hit back from a couple of lineouts, but the well-organised Irish defence forced turnover ball on both occasions. During a scrappy spell, handling errors prevented Faloon’s charges from building more phases in attack.

With the Georgian scrum applying some pressure, the senior-capped Tsirekidze opened their account with a central 35th-minute penalty. He was on target again from 42 metres out as the deficit was suddenly halved.

Edogbo’s high catch from the restart, coupled with O’Connell’s rip in the tackle a few phases later, saw Ireland resume on the front foot. However, Georgia were able to fire back with a scrum penalty to move back into Irish territory.

The Junior Lelos’ centres, Khaindrava and Luka Kobauri, combined crisply to spark the best out of their attack, and number 8 Lomidze grasped his opportunity to pick and score straight from a ruck, giving Tsirekidze a simple conversion for a 13-12 lead.

As Georgia, who beat Ireland at the 2018 World Rugby U-20 Championship in France, pressed for another try, obstruction off a lineout allowed the pool leaders to steady themselves and kick clear.

With Brian Gleeson’s return as a second half replacement a big boost, the Tipperary native’s inside pass had Gavin tearing up into the opposition 22. Georgia, though, stayed connected in defence and scrambled to good effect.

Gleeson and Max Flynn, who was one of four Irish debutants, made some powerful carries to punish an overcooked kick from Tsirekidze. Georgia leaked successive penalties, and O’Connell opted for the posts, allowing Naughton to make it 15-13 in the 57th minute.

Georgia wasted little time in responding, as a dangerous break from Khaindrava saw them cut through again. Despite a forward pass foiling them, a subsequent attack drew an Irish offside. Tsirekidze nailed the kick with 62 minutes on the clock.

The tension was palpable as the pre-match favourites absorbed further Georgian pressure. Try scorer Smyth came up with a penalty win at the breakdown, and O’Connell had a crucial intervention to thwart an advancing Georgian maul.

Still, it looked like it would not be Ireland’s day when Tsirekidze had two more penalty attempts. Unfortunately for Lado Kilasonia’s side, the Black Lion youngster missed both kicks, including a 75th-minute shot from 20 metres out.

Alex Mullan and Mikey Yarr both came on for their U-20 debuts during the second half, and the energy provided by the bench, coupled with Ireland’s willingness to continue to run the ball and attack out wide, paid dividends in the end.

Gleeson attacked off a scrum near halfway, kicking off a pulsating set of phases where both teams showed admirable discipline not to concede a penalty. Ireland doggedly retained possession, with the tireless Gavin securing ruck possession after Smyth was almost isolated.

Ben O’Connor, Davy Colbert, and Edogbo had all carried purposefully to move Ireland into scoring range. The forwards, most notably Gleeson, had a couple of bites at the line, but Treacy was unstoppable out on the wing, and Murphy added the conversion for good measure.

TIME LINE: 6 minutes – Ireland try: Hugh Gavin – 5-0; conversion: Sean Naughton – 7-0; 20 mins – Ireland try: Stephen Smyth – 12-0; conversion: missed by Sean Naughton – 12-0; 36 mins – Georgia penalty: Luka Tsirekidze – 12-3; 40+1 mins – Georgia penalty: Luka Tsirekidze – 12-6; Half-time – Ireland 12 Georgia 6; 44 mins – Georgia try: Nika Lomidze – 12-11; conversion: Luka Tsirekidze – 12-13; 57 mins – Ireland penalty: Sean Naughton – 15-13; 62 mins – Georgia penalty: Luka Tsirekidze – 15-16; 72 mins – Georgia penalty: missed by Luka Tsirekidze – 15-16; 75 mins – Georgia penalty: missed by Luka Tsirekidze – 15-16; 80+3 mins – Ireland try: Finn Treacy – 20-16; conversion: Jack Murphy – 22-16; Full-time – Ireland 22 Georgia 16

IRELAND U-20: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); Davy Colbert (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Sam Berman (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Ruben Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster); Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Andrew Sparrow UCD RFC/Leinster), James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (capt), Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster), Max Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby) for Boyd (half-time), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster) for L Murphy (46 mins), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Sparrow (50), Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Naughton (56), Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster) for McKillop, Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for Moloney (both 64), Mikey Yarr (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Flynn (77). Not used: Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster).

GEORGIA U-20: Otari Metreveli (AIA Kutaisi); Luka Khorbaladze (Lyon OU), Luka Kobauri (Leucate Corbières), Giorgi Khaindrava (Lelo Saracens), Luka Keshelava (RC Army); Luka Tsirekidze (Black Lion), Sandro Jigauri (Lelo Saracens); Luka Ungiadze (USON Nevers), Mikheil Khakhubia (Lelo Saracens), Davit Mtchedlidze (RC Toulon), Temur Tsulukidze (RC Junkers), Davit Lagvilava (FC Grenoble), Luka Suluashvili (Stade Aurillacois), Andro Dvali (Lelo Saracens), Nika Lomidze (Aviron Bayonnais) (capt).

Replacements used: Davit Kuntelia (Provence) for Mtchedlidze (11-23 mins), Luka Kotorashvili (Montpellier HR) for Ungiadze (57), Shota Kheladze (Lelo Saracens) for Khakhubia, Murtazi Tskhadadze (RC Aresi) for Tsulukidze (both 62), Tornike Ganiashvili (Lelo Saracens) for Lomidze, Mikheil Kachlavashvili (Lelo Saracens) for Jigauri (both 71), Tarieli Burtikashvili (RC Vepkhvebi) for Keshelava (75). Not used: Luka Takaishvili (RC Khvamli).

Referee: Reuben Keane (Australia)