IRFU Junior Men’s Interpros: Round 2 Results Round-Up
Eoghan Duffy crosses to score a late match-winning try for Leinster against Munster at Waterpark RFC ©INPHO/James Crombie
Ulster overcame Connacht in Castlebar, picking up their second bonus point win to move a step closer to retaining the IRFU Junior Men’s Interprovincial Championship title. Meanwhile, Leinster captain Eoghan Duffy’s last-gasp try saw them squeeze past first round leaders Munster.
Damien Campbell’s Ulster side are top of the table with 10 points, followed by Munster and Leinster on six points each. It sets up a fascinating final round next Saturday afternoon with both games kicking off at 2.30pm.
The Kolo Kiripati-coached Connacht close out their campaign against Leinster at Balbriggan RFC, while Barban Hill, the home of Ulster Rugby Championship Division 1 winners Dromore, is the venue for the crunch clash between Ulster and Munster.
2024/25 IRFU JUNIOR MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 2:
Saturday, May 3 –
CONNACHT 0 ULSTER 30, Castlebar RFC
Scorers: Connacht: –
Ulster: Tries: Henry Keys, Sam Balfour, Jack Rutledge, Robbie Johnston; Cons: Eddie Keys 2; Pens: Eddie Keys 2
HT: Connacht 0 Ulster 15
CONNACHT: Mark Purcell (Creggs); Dean O’Reilly (Monivea), Conor O’Shaughnessy (Tuam), Eoghan Coyle (Creggs), Ethan Griffiths (Connemara); Shane Purcell (Creggs), Mark Dowd (Creggs); Sean O’Connell (Ballina), Sean Tonra (Castlebar), Ian Staunton (Connemara), Liam McNamee (Carrick-on-Shannon), Marty Cummins (Dunmore) (capt), James Brandon (Creggs), Tommy Mullen (Connemara), Brian Diffley (Creggs).
Replacements: Kolo Kiripati Jr (Creggs), Tom Farrell (Creggs), Alex Burke (Galway Corinthians), Sean Connolly (Castlebar), Michael Jordan (Ballyhaunis), Jacob Fleming (Sligo), Conor Burns (Dunmore), Liam Jones (Ballina).
ULSTER: Michael Orr (Portadown); Jonny Hunter (Dromore), Robbie Johnston (Ards), Dean Dillon (Dromore), Sam Balfour (Enniskillen); Eddie Keys (Enniskillen), Drew Fleck (Portadown); Neil Rutledge (Enniskillen), Tom-Arthur Donnan (Cooke), Matthew Millar (Dromore), James Wright (Portadown), Michael Rooney (Enniskillen), Henry Keys (Enniskillen), Curtis Pollock (Ballymoney) (capt), Gary Dillon (Dromore).
Replacements: Harry Long (Dromore), James Leary (Bangor), Orran McIlmurray (Lurgan), David Brown (Ballymoney), Jack Rutledge (Enniskillen), Angus Keys (Enniskillen), Conor Lusty (Bangor), Adam Keating (Dromore).
MUNSTER 23 LEINSTER 26, Waterpark RFC
Scorers: Munster: Tries: Laszlo Rabatin, Kevin Kinane; Cons: Shane Airey 2; Pens: Shane Airey 3
Leinster: Tries: Oisin McKenna, Eoghan Duffy 2, Penalty try; Cons: Craig Miller 2, Pen try con
HT: Munster 13 Leinster 12
MUNSTER: Ben Daly (Waterpark); Brian P O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Brian J O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Laszlo Rabatin (Old Christians), Frank Horgan (Muskerry); Shane Airey (Newcastle West), Aaron Rice (Newcastle West); Nigel Clancy (Richmond), Tadgh McCarthy (Bantry Bay), Dave Jennings (Clonakilty), Ruairi O’Donnell (St. Mary’s), Jack Lonergan (Old Christians), Sonny Dwyer (Thurles), Ben Kennedy (Cobh Pirates), Kevin Kinane (Kilfeacle & District) (capt).
Replacements: Ricky Whitney (Kilfeacle & District), Rob Loftus (Sunday’s Well), Cian Walsh (Old Christians), Josh Brady (Bandon), John Willis (Mallow), Zac Allen (Bandon), Adam Guerin (St. Mary’s), Sam Glynn (Mallow).
LEINSTER: Eoghan Duffy (Boyne) (capt); Robbie Vallejo (Boyne), Craig Cantwell (Bective Rangers), Mikey Russell (Clondalkin), Oisin McKenna (Seapoint); Craig Miller (Athy), Stephen Hendy (Gorey); Scott Caldbeck (Tullow), Graham Reynolds (Balbriggan), Hugh Carolan (Boyne), Wes Shirley (Co. Carlow), Jake Caldbeck (Kilkenny), Dylan Lynch (Boyne), Conor Smyth (Cill Dara), Tiernan Gonnelly (Dundalk).
Replacements: Eoin Mahon (Seapoint), Dewald Barnard (Wicklow), Josh Evans (Kilkenny), Garry Dunne (Kilkenny), Gavin Kelly (Bective Rangers), Dan Crotty (Co. Carlow), Matt McKenna (Seapoint), Cormac Hurley (Seapoint).
TOP SCORERS AFTER ROUND 2:
POINTS –
29 – Eddie Keys (Ulster)
21 – Shane Airey (Munster)
20 – Eoghan Duffy (Leinster)
15 – Henry Keys (Ulster)
10 – Kevin Kinane (Munster), Oisin McKenna (Leinster), Robbie Johnston (Ulster)
8 – Michael Briscoe (Leinster)
5 – Angus Christie (Ulster), Ben Daly (Munster), Brian J O’Sullivan (Munster), Brian P O’Sullivan (Munster), Davy Graham (Ulster), Graham Reynolds (Leinster), Isaac Porter (Leinster), Jack Rutledge (Ulster), Jake Caldbeck (Leinster), Kolo Kiripati Jr (Connacht), Laszlo Rabatin (Munster), Michael Orr (Ulster), Sam Balfour (Ulster)
4 – Adam Guerin (Munster), Craig Miller (Leinster)
3 – Hugh Duignan (Leinster), Shane Purcell (Connacht)
TRIES –
4 – Eoghan Duffy (Leinster)
3 – Henry Keys (Ulster)
2 – Kevin Kinane (Munster), Oisin McKenna (Leinster), Robbie Johnston (Ulster)
1 – Angus Christie (Ulster), Ben Daly (Munster), Brian J O’Sullivan (Munster), Brian P O’Sullivan (Munster), Davy Graham (Ulster), Graham Reynolds (Leinster), Isaac Porter (Leinster), Jack Rutledge (Ulster), Jake Caldbeck (Leinster), Kolo Kiripati Jr (Connacht), Laszlo Rabatin (Munster), Michael Orr (Ulster), Sam Balfour (Ulster)
