Schools International – Ireland Too Good For The English.

A blistering opening quarter that yielded tries for Andrew Trimble and Stephen Grissing set up the Irish Schools for an impressive 35-26 victory over England at Templeville Road.

A blistering opening quarter that yielded tries for Andrew Trimble and Stephen Grissing set up the Irish Schools for an impressive 35-26 victory over England at Templeville Road, a win that completed the second leg of their quest for the Schools international championship. There were late tries for England’s Mark Simpson-Daniel and replacement Stuart Mackie but in truth the Irish were never going to lose this after taking that early lead.

Good work by Mark Scott set up the opening try from Trimble and then Stephen Grissing hit the line at pace to take outhalf Fergal Lawlor’s inside pass to score at the posts. Eamon Fitzgerald converted and added a penalty for a 15-0 lead.

England outhalf Ryan Lamb got his side on the board with a try he converted himself to leave the visitors trailing 15-7 at the break.

The impressive Fitzgerald kicked a penalty on the restart and added the points to a Duncan Williams try in the 45th minute.

England responded with a try from lock Jordan Crane in the 48th minute, a score that was cancelled out when openside Gavin Murphy made it 30-15 from a driving maul and although the English scored those late tries, Fitzgerald had the final say with his try bringing the Ireland tally to 35.

Irish Schools: S Grissing (St Mary’s); E Fitzgerald (Belvedere), A Trimble (Coleraine AI), M Scott (Methodist, J McGrugan (Ballyclare HS) 68), C McNaughton (Rockwell); F Lawlor (Cistercian Roscrea, E Ronan (CBC Cork) 68), D Williams (CBC Cork, D O’Leary (PBC, Cork) 62); A O’Sullivan (Pres Bray, P Collins (Templeogue) 68), J Coady (Blackrock, D Hurley (CBC Cork) 68), A Kirkpatrick (Ballymena Academy, J Kerins (CBC Cork) 68), R Noonan (CBC, Cork), A Dunlop (Terenure, R Caldwell (RBAI) 62), C Henry (Wallace HS), K McLaughlin (Gonzaga), G Murphy (Clongowes).

English Schools: M Cornwell; M Tait, J Hoyle, T Gregory, J Hamer; R Lamb, M Simpson-Daniel; D Greenhalgh (A Peck 58), R Webber (M Baxter ht), M Halsall, J Crane (R Teague 67), B Lloyd, A Newton, C Goodman, J Wheeler (M Cusack 53).

Referee : V Azoulay (France)