Emerging Ireland Enjoy Back-To-Back Bonus Point Wins

PHOTO GALLERY: EMERGING IRELAND 51 URUGUAY 3

Dan McFarland's men established control of the scoreboard with first half tries from Craig Gilroy, Michael Kearney and Paddy Butler.
 
JJ Hanrahan converted two of them and kicked a penalty for a 22-3 interval lead at the Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest.
 
Number 8 Butler bagged the bonus point by scoring from the base of a 52nd minute scrum and as Emerging Ireland continued to thrive of a reliable lineout, led by young hooker Bryan Byrne, further tries followed.
 
Uruguay lost their discipline as Mathias Braun and Federico Favaro were sin-binned in quick succession past the hour mark, with the Irish side notching a penalty try and Billy Holland then finishing off a slick three-man move.
 
The South Americans exerted some late pressure in the Irish 22 before the Nations Cup table toppers, who face hosts Romania in their final game on Sunday, passed the half-century mark with a Paul Marshall try and a last-minute penalty from fellow replacement Ian Keatley.
 
One of the most encouraging statistics for Emerging Ireland coaches McFarland and Neil Doak is that their charges have not leaked a try in the tournament so far, and senior assistant coach and defence specialist Les Kiss joined the pair in the stand today.

These teams were meeting for the second time in the space of a year – Uruguay lost 42-33 to Emerging Ireland at last summer’s Tbilisi Cup but they managed to take an early lead here.
 
‘Los Teros’, who were second to Argentina in the recent CONSUR Cup, went ahead thanks to a fifth minute penalty from captain Joaquin Prada.
 
But Emerging Ireland replied with their opening try just two minutes later. Full-back Gilroy gathered a neat kick through from Hanrahan near the left touchline and went over unopposed.
 
A hand injury unfortunately forced Sean Dougall off in the 12th minute, however his replacement Robin Copeland – who went to blindside flanker with Tommy O'Donnell at openside – continued where he left off against Russia with some fine carrying and offloading.
 
Uruguay were proving much stickier opponents that the Russians though, with Emerging Ireland failing to profit from a five-metre scrum and a subsequent Hanrahan pass was intercepted.
 
There were chances at both ends before prop John Ryan was whistled up for obstruction during an Irish counter attack – but Prada pushed his second penalty kick to the left and wide.
 
Good carries from Byrne and Holland, with Copeland also getting over the gain-line, set up Hanrahan’s only penalty attempt of the afternoon which he slotted over for a 10-3 advantage with 21 minutes gone.
 
Emerging Ireland soon conjured up their second try from Butler’s quickly-taken free-kick. A lovely piece of interplay between the forwards ended with O’Donnell offloading for lock Kearney to go over just to the left of the posts. Hanrahan knocked over the conversion.
 
Persistent infringing from the South Americans saw flanker Fernando Bascou sin-binned in the 33rd minute, having tackled scrum half Luke McGrath without the ball.
 
Emerging Ireland went for the corner from the penalty and with the resulting lineout safely secured by Holland, his Munster colleague Butler crashed over on the end of the maul.

Into the second half, Brendan Macken and captain Johne Murphy sparked a nice move up the right wing. Emerging Ireland set up camp in and around the Uruguayan 22 and Byrne was held up over the line after initially breaking a tackle off the side of a lineout maul.

The fourth try arrived soon after as Butler did very well to control the ball at the base of a close-in scrum and touch down for Hanrahan to convert.

Uruguayan number 8 Braun received his marching orders as he interfered with Marshall from a quick tap and Ireland needed no second invitiation, putting their faith once more in their trusty lineout.

The Irish forwards advanced via an ensuing maul and with the Uruguayans guilty of coming in at the side, referee Marius Mitrea awarded a penalty try which Hanrahan converted.

14-man Uruguay leaked a sixth try when a pinpoint touchfinder from Keatley, who joined Hanrahan as the 10-12 axis, set up another lineout opportunity. The South Americans held out initially but great hands from Marshall and Butler released impressive lock Holland for his converted try.

Emerging Ireland had a brief 15 v 13 advantage when Holland, leaping to claim a Keatley cross-field kick, was taken out in the air by Favaro.

There were more tries in the offing for the men in green but Murphy was unable to link with his support after Macken put him into space and Hanrahan also spilled a Keatley pass from a quick turnover in the Uruguayan 22.

Los Teros actually had some decent possession and territory late on and Emerging Ireland did well to scramble back and prevent the concession of a try.

Michael Allen's excellent pass then sent Murphy charging up the left wing. He was tackled into touch but the winger's quick lineout put Marshall over for a five-pointer near the left corner.

Allen showed lovely hands again to get the ball back to onrushing replacement James Tracy who brought Emerging Ireland back into scoring range with barely two minutes left.

Hanrahan was impeded by two Uruguayans as he chased his own grubber kick (and seemed to injure his left knee during the incident). Happy with their lot, Emerging Ireland opted for the posts with Keatley's successful kick nudging them over the 50-point mark.
 
TIME LINE: 5 minutes – Uruguay penalty: Joaquin Prada – 0-3; 7 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Craig Gilroy – 5-3; conversion: JJ Hanrahan – 7-3; 19 mins – Uruguay penalty: missed by Joaquin Prada – 7-3; 21 mins – Emerging Ireland penalty: JJ Hanrahan – 10-3; 25 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Michael Kearney – 15-3; conversion: JJ Hanrahan – 17-3; 33 mins – Uruguay yellow card: Fernando Bascou; 34 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Paddy Butler – 22-3; conversion: missed by JJ Hanrahan – 22-3; Half-time – Emerging Ireland 22 Uruguay 3; 52 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Paddy Butler – 27-3; conversion: JJ Hanrahan – 29-3; 62 mins – Uruguay yellow card: Mathias Braun; 62 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Penalty try – 34-3; conversion: JJ Hanrahan – 36-3; 66 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Billy Holland – 41-3; conversion: JJ Hanrahan – 43-3; 68 mins – Uruguay yellow card: Federico Favaro; 77 mins – Emerging Ireland try: Paul Marshall – 48-3; conversion: missed by Ian Keatley – 48-3; 80 mins – Emerging Ireland penalty: Ian Keatley – 51-3; Full-time – Emerging Ireland 51 Uruguay 3

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)