Ireland A Snatch Late Draw
A penalty from Barry Everitt in the dying stages of the game, gave the Ireland A side a 22-22 draw against Scotland in a bitterly cold Stirling on Saturday evening.
A penalty from Barry Everitt in the dying stages of the game, gave the Ireland A side a 22-22 draw against Scotland in a bitterly cold Stirling on Saturday evening. The score came just minutes after Duncan Hodge had the home side into the lead (22-19) with a penalty that went over off the upright.
It was a draw that Ireland just about deserved having trailed 12-5 at the end of a first half that saw two tries for Scottish lock Jason White and one from Rob Henderson.
In the second half, Ireland were much more positive and the pressure they exerted resulted in try-scorer White ending up in the sin-bin for killing the ball at the ruck. While he was off Ireland prospered with a second Henderson try and then one from James Topping to put them into the lead. Scotland equalised through James McLaren before the the final act was played out between the opposing number 10s.
Ireland A: Jeremy Staunton ; James Topping (David Quinlan 64 minutes), Gordon Darcy, Rob Henderson, John Kelly; Barry Everitt, Neil Doak; capt (Brian O’Meara 72 minutes); Kieron Dawson, Eric Miller, Simon Easterby (Aidan McCullen 68 minutes), Mick O’Driscoll (Bob Casey 67 minutes), Donnacha O’Callaghan; Simon Best (Peter Bracken 67 minutes), Paul Shields, Justin Fitzpatrick.
Scotland A: Stuart Moffat; Simon Webster, James McLaren (Derick Lee 61 minutes), Andrew Henderson, Craig Joiner; Duncan Hodge capt, Graeme Beveridge; Andrew Wilson, Jon Petrie, Andrew Rennick; Iain Fullarton, Jason White, Craig Smith, Robert Russell, Allan Jacobsen.