PwC Under-19 Men’s Interpros – Round 3 Previews

The Barney McGonigle Trophy is the prize on offer for the winners of the PwC Under-19 Men’s Interprovincial Championship. A closely-fought title race will come to a head when Munster host Leinster on Sunday, over 24 hours after Connacht’s clash with Ulster.

PwC Under-19 Men’s Interpros: Player Rankings – Top Tens After Round 2

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Points
LEINSTER	2	2	0	0	80	32	+48	12	5	2	0	10
MUNSTER	2	2	0	0	59	24	+35	7	4	1	0	9
CONNACHT	2	0	0	2	36	81	-45	6	11	1	0	1
ULSTER	2	0	0	2	20	58	-38	3	8	0	0	0

PWC UNDER-19 MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3:

Saturday, August 30 –

CONNACHT UNDER-19s (3rd) v ULSTER UNDER-19s (4th), Creggs RFC, 1pm

The Connacht Under-19s will run out at Creggs RFC for the second time this month, determined to open their win account after picking up a try-scoring bonus point away to Leinster, the Championship leaders, last weekend.

A much-changed Connacht team will see Ferdia Ó Braonáin, Eoin Conlon, Billy Cross, Fiachra O’Neill, Rory Lyons, Eoin O’Doherty, Jaynel Almanzar, and Rory Gavin making their first starts of the campaign.

Cross and Connemara’s O’Neill pair up together at half-back, with Oisin Kelly making the move to full-back. Ireland Under-18 Clubs international Ó Braonáin, who will combine in midfield with Conlon, is a younger brother of Connacht Women’s player Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin.

Cross and O’Neill will lead the westerners’ back-line, while Tom Walsh’s impact role this week means that Ireland U-18 Schools lock Leo Anic will captain the province. His second row partner Gavin comes from good stock, with his brother Hugh a recent Ireland senior debutant.

Lyons and Almanzar will form an all-new front row with Wexford Wanderers hooker O’Doherty, and a rejigged back row contains the Coláiste Éinde trio of Pasha Thiam, one of the try scorers in the 47-24 defeat to Leinster, Matthew McNamara, and the in-form Dara Walsh (pictured below).

Meanwhile, Ulster U-19 head coach Ricky Andrew has made five changes to the side that lost 25-12 to Munster. For their only away trip of the competition, RBAI’s Luke Gibson makes his first start alongside captain Owen O’Kane at half-back.

James Kerr and Larne Grammar School’s Ryan McDowell also return to the back-three, while pacy Campbell College winger Russell Lovo will be hoping to add to the try he ran in last time out at Newforge.

Ballymena Academy’s Charlie Hargy is the Championship’s leading ball carrier with 23 carries so far, racking up almost 200 running metres. He starts again at hooker, with tighthead prop Angus Graham fresh from a try-scoring performance against Munster.

Callum McKinney comes in at number 8 to make it three Campbell College representatives in Ulster’s starting pack. Royal School Armagh flanker Thomas Dougan is the final change, the pair joining Noah Bell, who has had three breakdown steals, in a new-look back row.

The visitors will be boosted by the presence of Ireland Under-19 international Rio McDonagh on the bench. The powerful prop was central to Wallace High School’s historic Ulster Schools Senior Cup final win in March, scoring two tries in a player-of-the-match performance.

CONNACHT U-19: Oisin Kelly (Suttonians RFC/St. Fintan’s High School); Peter Moran (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Mohill Community College), Ferdia Ó Braonáin (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Chroí Mhuire), Eoin Conlon (Mullingar RFC), Oisin Berthoz (Galway Corinthians RFC/St. Joseph’s Patrician College); Billy Cross (Naas RFC/Newbride College), Fiachra O’Neill (Connemara RFC/Clifden Community School); Rory Lyons (Galway Corinthians RFC), Eoin O’Doherty (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Good Counsel College), Jaynel Almanzar (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Iognáid), Rory Gavin (Galwegians RFC), Leo Anic (Creggs RFC/CBS Roscommon) (capt), Pasha Thiam (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Éinde), Matthew McNamara (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Éinde), Dara Walsh (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Éinde).

Replacements: Seán Glennon (Buccaneers RFC/Garbally College), Ryan Duffy (Buccaneers RFC), Dara Noone (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Bhaile Chláir), Simon Cantwell (Suttonians RFC/St. Fintan’s High School), Dylan Rice (Castlebar RFC/St. Gerald’s College), Tom Walsh (Buccaneers RFC/Clongowes Wood College), Daniel Browne (Galway Corinthians RFC/St. Joseph’s Patrician College), Thomas Cotton (Buccaneers RFC).

ULSTER U-19: James Kerr (Royal Belfast Academical Institution); Russell Lovo (Campbell College), Max Readman (Sullivan Upper School), Callum Largey (Methodist College Belfast), Ryan McDowell (Larne Grammar School); Owen O’Kane (Rainey Endowed School) (capt), Luke Gibson (Royal Belfast Academical Institution); Matthew Wright (Ballymena Academy), Charlie Hargy (Ballymena Academy) Angus Graham (Dalriada School), Raanan Potter (Campbell College), Paddy Woods (Campbell College), Noah Bell (Banbridge Academy), Thomas Dougan (Royal School Armagh), Callum McKinney (Campbell College).

Replacements: Michael McCavery (Wallace High School), Luke Caskey (Rainey Endowed School), Rio McDonagh (Wallace High School), Sam Clarke (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School), Dylan Fox (Malone RFC), Fergus Callington (IQ Rugby), Reuben Allen (Ballymena Academy), Andrew Jackson (Banbridge Academy).

Sunday, August 31 –

MUNSTER UNDER-19s (2nd) v LEINSTER UNDER-19s (1st), Virgin Media Park, 5pm

For this eagerly-awaited title decider in Cork, Leinster Under-19 head coach Adam Griggs has made three personnel changes, including welcoming back captain Cory O’Connor to lead the table toppers from out-half.

O’Connor’s return sees his Castleknock College colleague Matthew Brennan revert to the inside centre berth, as Leinster target a third win on the trot to add to their bonus point victories over Ulster (33-8) and Connacht (47-24).

Griggs’ outfit, who hold a one-point advantage over Munster in the standings, are the competition’s leading try scorers, with backs Alvaro Swords and Ryan Ovenden at the top of the try-scoring charts with two tries each.

Ireland Under-18 Schools winger Ronan Kelly is added to the back-three, and Max Egan of St. Mary’s College gets the nod in the second row. He links up with Michael Bolger, who has been credited with two lineout steals from the opening two rounds.

Ben O’Toole, who skippered the side against Connacht, shifts to the number 8 position, with Arthur Ashmore now stationed at openside flanker. Cistercian College Roscrea’s Henry Maher, another of the try scorers last time out, is a key figure at tighthead prop.

With Joe Christle (pictured above) also handed a bench spot after returning from the Ireland U-18 Schools squad’s recent tour to South Africa, Griggs said: “We know the challenge of going to Munster in a final. It’s never easy.

“What gives us confidence is how we’ve grown across the last two games, adding layers to our performance and pushing each other hard in preparation.

“The wider squad have set the tone this week, and now it’s about delivering on that progression come this Sunday.”

MUNSTER U-19: TBC

LEINSTER U-19: James Curry (Wicklow RFC); Ryan Ovenden (Greystones RFC), Alvaro Swords (Terenure College), Matthew Brennan (Castleknock College), Ronan Kelly (St. Gerard’s School); Cory O’Connor (Castleknock College) (capt), Sean McDonald (Presentation College Bray); Conor Canniffe (St. Michael’s College), Harry O’Neill (Blackrock College), Henry Maher (Cistercian College Roscrea), Michael Bolger (Suttonians RFC), Max Egan (St. Mary’s College), Shane McGuigan (Longford RFC), Arthur Ashmore (Clongowes Wood College), Ben O’Toole (Castleknock College).

Replacements: Joe Christle (St. Mary’s College), Lorcan Golden (Blackrock College), Conor Quinn (Belvedere College), Cian Butler (Portlaoise RFC), Josh Mulligan (Gonzaga College), Serge Broughton (St. Andrew’s College), Daniel Norval (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Zach Mulligan (Gonzaga College).

PWC UNDER-19 MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS/FIXTURES –

Saturday, August 16 –

Connacht 12 Munster 34, Creggs RFC

Sunday, August 17 –

Ulster 8 Leinster 33, Affidea Stadium

Saturday, August 23 –

Ulster 12 Munster 25, Newforge

Sunday, August 24 –

Leinster 47 Connacht 24, Energia Park

Saturday, August 30 –

Connacht v Ulster, Creggs RFC, 1pm

Sunday, August 31 –

Munster v Leinster, Virgin Media Park, 5pm