Munster Under-20s Make History With First Interpro Title

The Munster Under-20s won their first IRFU U-20 Interprovincial Championship crown with a narrow 24-23 win over their Connacht counterparts at the Sportsground on Friday.

2015/16 IRFU UNDER-20 INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

ROUND 3 – Friday, September 18

LEINSTER U-20s 0 ULSTER U-20s 0, Donnybrook
Scorers: Leinster:
Ulster:

CONNACHT U-20s 23 MUNSTER U-20s 24, the Sportsground
Scorers: Connacht:
Munster: Tries: Vincent O’Brien, Colm Hogan, Shane Daly, John Foley; Cons: Tom McHale, David O’Mahony

Under-20 Interpros Round 1 – Leinster And Munster Claim First Round Wins

Munster Under-20s Stay On Course For Interpro Title

Munster snatched a late victory and a final round win thanks to a try from Shannon’s John Foley and the winning conversion from Young Munster’s David O’Mahony.

The home-side dominated the opening half and led 17-5 at half time with hooker Vincent O’Brien scoring Munster’s only score on the stroke of half time.

Connacht extended their advantage with a penalty after the interval but a second try from Munster winger Colm Hogan kept Head Coach Peter Malone’s young charges in touch.

Connacht kicked a second penalty before Munster closed the gap to six points with a try from Shane Daly which fullback Tom McHale converted.

Then came Foley’s late try and the crucial O’Mahony conversion giving Munster the one point lead, and finally the U20 Interprovincial title.

CONNACHT U-20: Tim Carroll (Corinthians); Michael Boland (UCC), Alan McMahon (Dungarvan), Daire Byrne (Sligo), Jack Keegan (Sligo); Simon Keller (Ballinasloe), Stephen Kerins (Sligo); Conan O’Donnell (Sligo), Caolan Maloney (Garryowen), Conor Kenny (Buccaneers), Cillian Gallagher (Sligo), Peter Claffey (NUIG), Matthew Burke (Galwegians), Gavin Croke (Old Belvedere), Matthew Cosgrove (Sligo).

Replacements: Conal Slater (Co. Carlow), Darog Smyth (Galwegians), Matthew Murphy (Tullamore), Cian Barry (Cork Constitution), Neilus Mulvihill (Unattached), Ryan Feehily (Sligo), Charlie McMicken (Buccaneers), Ryan Guilfoyle (Co. Cavan).

MUNSTER: U-20: Tom McHale (Rockwell College); Colm Hogan (Glenstal Abbey School), Shane Daly (PBC Cork), Paul Kiernan (UCC) (capt), Lee Molloy (Rockwell College); David O’Mahony (Young Munster), John Poland (PBC Cork); Peter Meyer (Young Munster), Vincent O’Brien (Cork Constitution), Ben Betts (Young Munster), Sean O’Leary (Cork Constitution), Barra O’Byrne (Garryowen), Kelvin Browne (Shannon), Dan Walsh (Cork Constitution), John Foley (Shannon).

Replacements: Shane Fenton (Young Munster), Shane O’Hanlon (CBC Cork), Rob O’Donovan (Cork Constitution), Pat Staff (Young Munster), Evan Mintern (Cork Constitution), Jamie McAleese (Glenstal Abbey School), Josh Daly (UCC), James O’Connor (Young Munster).

Leinster

LEINSTER U-20: Jack Power (UCD); Matt Byrne (Terenure College), Conor O’Brien (Clontarf), Jimmy O’Brien (Newbridge College), Hugo Keenan (UCD); Matthew Gilsenan (UCD), Rowan Osbourne (Clongowes Wood College); James Bollard (Dublin University), John Molony (Clongowes Wood College), Adam Coyle (Naas), Michael Melia (Terenure College), James Ryan (St. Michael’s College) (capt), Will Connors (UCD), David Aspil (St. Mary’s College), Max Deegan (Lansdowne).

Replacements: James Brennan (UCD), Vakh Abdaladze (Clontarf), Greg McGrath (Lansdowne), Rob Lalor ((Terenure College), Greg Jones (UCD), Nick Peters (Gonzaga College), Tommy Whittle (Dublin University), Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College).

ULSTER U-20: Robert Lyttle (Queen’s University); Connor Kelly (Queen’s University), Alex Kane (Queen’s University), Kieran Joyce (Ballymena), Jonny Rosborough (Ballymena); Matthew McDowell (Queen’s University), Liam Free (Queen’s University); Andrew Shaw (Rainey Old Boys), Adam McBurney (Ballymena) (capt), Rory Squires (City of Derry), Harry Clelland (Instonians), Hugh Sloan (Queen’s University), Ben O’Ryan (Ballymena), Lewis McNamara (Instonians), Matthew Fisher (Belfast Harlequins).

Replacements: Tristan King (Malone), Ben Halliday (Rainey Old Boys), Peter Cooper (Belfast Harlequins), Ronan McCusker (Rainey Old Boys), Ethan Harbinson (Banbridge), Chris Gibson (Ballynahinch), Andrew McPhilips (Belfast Harlequins), Matthew Hooks (Armagh).