Under-21: Irish End Campaign On Losing Note

Ireland’s Under-21s finished fifth in the 2005 Six Nations Championship on Friday night, scoring just once as a dominant Wales won out 32-5, powering to the Grand Slam at the Gnoll.

UNDER-21 SIX NATIONS: Friday, March 18
Wales U-21 32 Ireland U-21 5, The Gnoll, Neath
Scorers: Wales U-21: Tries: Matthew Jones, Chris Czekaj 2, Andrew Bishop; Cons: Jones 3; Pens: Jones 2
Ireland U-21: Try: Stephen Ferris

Played five, won one, lost four – points for 65, points against 112. Mark McDermott’s young side brought their tournament to a close in front of 7,000 joyous Welsh supporters as the home side swept to their third Slam since 1999.

With just four of last summer’s Under-21 World Cup squad in the traveling party, the onus fell heavily on captain Gareth Steenson to kick the Irish into contention. Unfortunately he was hardly given a chance as opposite number Matthew Jones stole the show with a 17-point haul.

The Ospreys star landed an early penalty before ending a searing Welsh move on 16 minutes, by linking with his scrum-half James Ireland for the opening try.

He converted but the Irish held the Dragons in check – at 10-5 down at half-time – thanks to a very positive response.

Dungannon flanker Oisin Hennessy was held up just short of the Welsh line by Chris Davies, then Andrew Trimble scurried forward to put Hennessy’s Stevenson Park team mate Stephen Ferris in at the left corner.

Steenson’s missed conversion mattered little in the end as Wales sped to a 27-5 lead just ten minutes after the restart.

Chris Czekaj and Andrew Bishop both touched down with Jones adding a penalty and converting the two well-taken tries. With the Irish losing interest and substitute lock Mark Melbourne red-carded for a rash challenge, Cardiff wing Czekaj breached the visitors’ defence again on 78 minutes to start the Slam celebrations.

WALES U-21: R Williams (Newport); A Brew (Ospreys), A Bishop (Ospreys), D Hewitt (Cardiff), C Czekaj (Cardiff); M Jones (Ospreys), J Ireland (Newport); S Roberts (Bridgend), D Goodfield (Pontypridd), C Griffiths (Neath), A Wyn-Jones (Swansea), I Evans (Neath), C Davies (Bridgend), J Mills (Scarlets), J Merriman (Hartpury Coll/Gloucester) (Capt).
Replacements: R James (UWIC), P Osbourne (Cardiff), B Thomson (Newport), T Smith (Neath), A Thomas (Carmarthen Quins), T Riley (Pontypridd), W Evans (Carmarthen Quins).

IRELAND U-21: Denis Hurley (UCC); Daniel Riordan (Corinthians), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena), Greg Stafford (Lansdowne), Paul McKenzie (Belfast Harlequins); Gareth Steenson (Dungannon) (Capt), David O’Leary (UCC); Michael Diffley (Buccaneers), Joseph Merrigan (Corinthians), John Andress (Belfast Harlequins), Lewis Stevenson (Belfast Harlequins), Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon), Brett McNamee (Northampton), Oisin Hennessy (Dungannon), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon).
Replacements: Robert Quinn (UCC), Eamonn Bracken (Buccaneers), Mark Melbourne (Garryowen), Chris Henry (Malone), Paul Marshall (Ballynahinch), Barry Keeshan (Cork Constitution), Kieran Geraghty (London Irish).

Coach: Mark McDermott
Assistant Coach: Brian Walsh
Manager: David Haslett

Red card: Mark Melbourne (Ireland) (76 mins)
HT: Wales U-21 10 Ireland U-21 5; Attendance: 7,180
Referee: David Changleng (Scotland)

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2005 results:

Italy U-21 21 Ireland U-21 33, Udine
Scotland U-21 16 Ireland U-21 8, Falkirk Community Stadium
Ireland U-21 6 England U-21 28, Donnybrook
Ireland U-21 13 France U-21 20, Thomond Park
Wales U-21 32 Ireland U-21 5, The Gnoll, Neath