IRFU Junior Men’s Interpros: Round 3 Results Round-Up

A Kevin Kinane-inspired Munster brilliantly matched their hosts with six tries, but a last-gasp maul effort was held up as Damien Campbell’s well-drilled Ulster side completed a clean sweep of bonus point victories for the second year running.

IRFU Committee Member John McKibbin presented the trophy and pennant afterwards to Ulster captain Curtis Pollock, who had led his team to two away successes in the previous rounds – 49-41 against Leinster, and 30-0 away to Connacht.

Meanwhile, the Enda Finn-coached Leinster team ended their campaign with a 57-12 triumph over bottom side Connacht at Balbriggan RFC.

The Blues, who had a brace of tries each from Dylan Lynch and replacement Dan Crotty, secured a second place finish with 11 points, three ahead of Munster in third.

2024/25 IRFU JUNIOR MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3:

Saturday, May 10 –

LEINSTER 57 CONNACHT 12, Balbriggan RFC
Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Conor Smyth, Craig Cantwell, Dylan Lynch 2, Richie Waters, Robbie Vallejo, Dan Crotty 2, Dewald Barnard; Cons: Craig Miller 6
Connacht: Tries: Eoghan Coyle 2; Con: Shane Purcell
HT: Leinster 24 Connacht 12

LEINSTER: Eoghan Duffy (Boyne) (capt); Robbie Vallejo (Boyne), Craig Cantwell (Bective Rangers), Mikey Russell (Clondalkin), Richie Waters (Wexford Wanderers); 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), Tadhg Ronan Co. Carlow), Gavin Kelly (Bective Rangers), Garry Dunne (Kilkenny), Dan Crotty (Co. Carlow), Matt McKenna (Seapoint), Cormac Hurley (Seapoint).

CONNACHT: Ethan Griffiths (Connemara); Liam Jones (Ballina), Conor O’Shaughnessy (Tuam), Eoghan Coyle (Creggs), Dean O’Reilly (Monivea); Shane Purcell (Creggs), Jacob Fleming (Sligo); Brendan McLoughlin (Westport), Kolo Kiripati Jr (Creggs), Sean O’Connell (Ballina), Sam Fogarty (Buccaneers), Liam McNamee (Carrick-on-Shannon), Ronan Conneely (Galwegians), James Brandon (Creggs), Brian Diffley (Creggs) (capt).

Replacements: Ross Bourke (Westport), Alex Burke (Galway Corinthians), Gary Keane (Corrib), Sean Connolly (Castlebar), Blayze Molloy (NUIG), Mark Dowd (Creggs), Ross Doogan (Galway Corinthians), Luke Cronin (Tuam).

ULSTER 43 MUNSTER 40, Dromore RFC
Scorers: Ulster: Tries: Harry Long, Angus Christie, Dean Dillon, Robbie Johnston, Davy Graham, Gary Dillon; Cons: Eddie Keys 5; Pen: Eddie Keys
Munster: Tries: Aaron Rice, Kevin Kinane 2, Penalty try, Frank Horgan, Sonny Dwyer; Cons: Shane Airey 4, Pen try con
HT: Ulster 29 Munster 19

ULSTER: Andrew McMurray (Cooke); Jonny Hunter (Dromore), Robbie Johnston (Ards), Dean Dillon (Dromore), David Graham (City of Derry); Eddie Keys (Enniskillen), Angus Christie (Ards); Orran McIlmurray (Lurgan), Harry Long (Dromore), Matthew Millar (Dromore), James Wright (Portadown), David Brown (Ballymoney), Michael Rooney (Enniskillen), Curtis Pollock (Ballymoney) (capt), Gary Dillon (Dromore).

Replacements: Tom-Arthur Donnan (Cooke), Neil Rutledge (Enniskillen), Ryan Emerson (Lurgan), Will Scott (Ballymoney), Jack Rutledge (Enniskillen), Angus Keys (Enniskillen), Sam Balfour (Enniskillen), Adam Keating (Dromore).

MUNSTER: Shane Airey (Newcastle West); Sean Murphy (Newcastle West), Brian J O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Laszlo Rabatin (Old Christians), Sam Glynn (Mallow); Adam Guerin (St. Mary’s), Aaron Rice (Newcastle West); Nigel Clancy (Richmond), Tadgh McCarthy (Bantry Bay), Dave Jennings (Clonakilty), Ruairi O’Donnell (St. Mary’s), Killian O’Connell (Cobh Pirates), Josh Brady (Bandon), Sonny Dwyer (Thurles), Kevin Kinane (Kilfeacle & District) (capt).

Replacements: Gearoid Walsh (Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne), Rob Loftus (Sunday’s Well), Cian Walsh (Old Christians), Ben Kennedy (Cobh Pirates), Jack Lonergan (Old Christians), Ben Daly (Waterpark), Brian P O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Frank Horgan (Muskerry).

Round 1 Results Round-Up

Round 2 Results Round-Up

TOP SCORERS AFTER ROUND 3:

POINTS –

42 – Eddie Keys (Ulster)

29 – Shane Airey (Munster)

20 – Eoghan Duffy (Leinster), Kevin Kinane (Munster)

16 – Craig Miller (Leinster)

15 – Henry Keys (Ulster), Robbie Johnston (Ulster)

10 – Angus Christie (Ulster), Dan Crotty (Leinster), Davy Graham (Ulster), Dylan Lynch (Leinster), Eoghan Coyle (Connacht), Oisin McKenna (Leinster)

8 – Michael Briscoe (Leinster)

5 – Aaron Riche (Munster), Ben Daly (Munster), Brian J O’Sullivan (Munster), Brian P O’Sullivan (Munster), Conor Smyth (Leinster), Craig Cantwell (Leinster), Dean Dillon (Ulster), Dewald Barnard (Leinster), Frank Horgan (Munster), Gary Dillon (Ulster), Graham Reynolds (Leinster), Harry Long (Ulster), Isaac Porter (Leinster), Jack Rutledge (Ulster), Jake Caldbeck (Leinster), Kolo Kiripati Jr (Connacht), Laszlo Rabatin (Munster), Michael Orr (Ulster), Richie Waters (Leinster), Robbie Vallejo (Leinster), Sam Balfour (Ulster), Shane Purcell (Connacht), Sonny Dwyer (Munster)

4 – Adam Guerin (Munster)

3 – Hugh Duignan (Leinster)

TRIES –

4 – Eoghan Duffy (Leinster), Kevin Kinane (Munster)

3 – Henry Keys (Ulster), Robbie Johnston (Ulster)

2 – Angus Christie (Ulster), Dan Crotty (Leinster), Davy Graham (Ulster), Dylan Lynch (Leinster), Eoghan Coyle (Connacht), Oisin McKenna (Leinster)

1 – Aaron Rice (Munster), Ben Daly (Munster), Brian J O’Sullivan (Munster), Brian P O’Sullivan (Munster), Conor Smyth (Leinster), Craig Cantwell (Leinster), Dean Dillon (Ulster), Dewald Barnard (Leinster), Frank Horgan (Munster), Gary Dillon (Ulster), Graham Reynolds (Leinster), Harry Long (Ulster), Isaac Porter (Leinster), Jack Rutledge (Ulster), Jake Caldbeck (Leinster), Kolo Kiripati Jr (Connacht), Laszlo Rabatin (Munster), Michael Orr (Ulster), Richie Waters (Leinster), Robbie Vallejo (Leinster), Sam Balfour (Ulster), Sonny Dwyer (Munster)