O’Sullivan Delighted With Trial
The National trial went ahead at an eerily empty Lansdowne Road but nevertheless proved an entertaining game with the Colours winning 21-19 thanks to a late Bryn Cunningham try
The National trial went ahead at an eerily empty Lansdowne Road but nevertheless proved an entertaining game with the Colours winning 21-19 thanks to a late Bryn Cunningham try, connverted by David Humphreys.
Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan was understandably happy with the performance and by the commitment of both sides.
“I thought the attitude out there was really excellent, everybody got stuck in, the tackling was good and I think it certainly served it’s purpose. There was a bit of rustiness there but that was only to be expected. All in all I’d have to be very pleased with the whole exercise.”
Mike Mullins opened the scoring for the Colours after 20 minutes, a score that was cancelled out, 11 minutes later when Gordon D’Arcy levelled after a good ‘assist from Humphreys.
Two Alan Quinlan tries had the Colours leading 19-7 as the game entered the final quarter. David Wallace started the comeback with a try in the 70th minute and then Humphreys set replacement Dominic Crotty free and he delivered the scoring pass to Cunningham.
Whites. B Cunningham (Dungannon); G D’Arcy (Lansdowne), J Kelly (Cork Constitution), J Bell (Dungannon), A Horgan (Cork Constitution); D Humphreys capt (Dungannon), P Stringer (Shannon); R Corrigan (Greystones), F Sheahan (Cork Constitution), E Byrne (St Mary’s College), D O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution), M O’Kelly (St Mary’s College), D Wallace (Garryowen), A McCullen (Lansdowne), C McMahon (Shannon). Replacements: N Breslin (UCD) for McMahon (half-time), B O’Riordan (UCD) for Stringer (49 mins), J Fitzpatrick (Dungannon) for Corrigan (56 mins), T Robinson (Galwegians) for D’Arcy (62 mins), D Crotty (Garryowen) for Horgan (71 mins), J Blaney (Shannon) for Sheahan, N Best (Belfast Harlequins) for Breslin (both 79 mins).
Colours. J Staunton (Garryowen); S Horgan (Lansdowne), M Mullins (Young Munster), R Henderson (Young Munster), D Hickie (St Mary’s College); M McHugh (St Mary’s College), B O’Meara (Cork Constitution); M Horan (Shannon), S Byrne (Blackrock College), S Best (Belfast Harlequins), M O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution), P O’Connell (Young Munster), A Quinlan (Shannon), D Leamy (UCC), K Gleeson (St Mary’s College). Replacements: T Hogan (Shannon) for O’Driscoll (17 mins), R Wilson (Belfast Harlequins) for Leamy (21-28 mins) and for Henderson (74 mins), M Lawlor (Shannon) for Horgan (half-time), G Duffy (Galwegians) for Mullins (49 mins), M Cahill (Buccaneers) for Horan (56 mins), E Reddan (Old Crescent) for Hickie (66 mins), G Hickie (St Mary’s College) for Byrne (71 mins).
Referee – Alan Lewis.