Sheehan Sweeps Through For Hat-Trick In Ireland’s Dalriada Cup Win

Bobby Sheehan’s first-half hat-trick set the tone for the Ireland Club XV’s 42-33 win over Scotland Clubs, as they lifted the Dalriada Cup after a hugely entertaining 11-try encounter at Energia Park. Watch a full match replay on irishrugby+.

MEN’S CLUB INTERNATIONAL MATCH – DALRIADA CUP:

Friday, February 13 –

IRELAND CLUB XV 42 SCOTLAND CLUBS 33, Energia Park
Scorers: Ireland Club XV: Tries: Bobby Sheehan 3, Adam Maher, Ronan Watters, Aran Egan; Cons: Conor Kelly 6
Scotland Clubs: Tries: Andrew Mitchell 3, Gregor Christie, Archie Barbour; Cons: Dwain Patterson 4
HT: Ireland Club XV 35 Scotland Clubs 12

Sheehan, younger brother of Leinster and Ireland star Dan, was central to a five-try first-half performance from Adam Craig’s men, while captain and player-of-the-match Jack Kelleher was influential throughout in the back row, alongside Bradley Luney.

The return of the Club international match between the Celtic nations – six years since Ireland last retained the Dalriada Cup, and 20 years on from the inaugural clash – provided a showcase of the best that the Energia All-Ireland League has to offer.

Both teams attacked with great gusto during a breathless opening quarter, with Scotland Clubs getting on top with an Andrew Mitchell brace to cancel out Sheehan’s deftly-taken ninth-minute opener.

However, Craig’s side went through the gears to score four times between the 23rd and 36th minutes – Adam Maher and Ronan Waters had run-ins from inside the opposition 22, and the ever-impressive Sheehan took his own haul to three.

The unerring Conor Kelly mopped up with the conversions, giving the hosts a handsome 35-12 half-time lead. They were too far in front with Aran Egan crossing in the 55th minute, although tries from Mitchell, Gregor Christie, and Archie Barbour made it a nine-point game in the end.

Scotland were the early aggressors, retaining possession and attacking at pace with Bobby Beattie leading the charge. Their skipper Blair Macpherson went close to scoring but was denied by a brilliant rip by Sean Rigney.

Building on number 8 Luney’s break from deep, David Begley got the upper hand for a scrum penalty. Sheehan then delighted the home crowd with a superb finish, showing his footballing skills to nudge a Kelly kick through on the hoof and score with a pinpoint pick-up.

However, following Kelly’s conversion, Scotland roared back with a couple of line breaks. The first one, from Macpherson, started a sweeping attack that ended with big winger Jamie Shedden holding off the defence and feeding Mitchell to run in from a few metres out.

Dwain Patterson’s missed conversion left the scoreboard showing 7-5, but the visitors were soon causing damage through Ruairidh Leishman on the opposite wing. The Irish defence was having to work hard to avoid conceding more metres.

Scotland struck again just past the quarter hour mark, Mitchell slipping his way through to give Patterson a straightforward conversion. Number 8 Macpherson broke again off the restart, with Beattie providing the support to bring them swiftly back into the red zone.

In response, Sean French and Fionn Gilbert came more into it as ball carriers for Ireland, the latter using his strength to break the defensive line. When Ireland got the ball to Aaron Sexton on the stand side in the 23rd minute, his pace paved the way for try number two.

The former Ulster winger connected with Myles Carey on his inside, and Cork Constitution scrum-half Maher was trailing him to finish it off under the posts. Shedden was very fortunate to receive just a warning for a high tackle on the try scorer, before Kelly converted for a 14-12 scoreline.

A rampaging Sexton soon went close to scoring an excellent individual try, but Scotland did just enough to deny him. Shedden came up with a crucial turnover, only for Luney to steal a subsequent lineout to keep the hosts inside the Scottish 22.

A further bout of forward pressure led to Sheehan completing his brace, expertly muscling his way over in the 29th minute with Kelleher on the latch. Kelly’s conversion gave his side some additional breathing space at nine points up.

Scotland were beginning to concede more penalties in defence, the latest one coming after a Kelleher turnover. With Ireland really finding their groove in attack, Kelly’s half-break set up Watters to raid in under the posts for another seven-pointer.

Craig’s charges extended their purple patch with a fifth converted try. Gilbert showed impress hands near halfway, his pass back inside unleashing Conor Rankin through the middle, and Sheehan’s support run was rewarded with his third score of the night.

Armed with a 23-point advantage, Ireland soaked up some early pressure on the resumption with Gilbert stealing a lineout. Ten minutes in, Scotland pounced with a well-executed maul earning a penalty before Beattie used the advantage to put Mitchell powering in under the posts.

The home side almost replied just a few phases later, but the newly-introduced Adam La Grue was denied a try by a forward pass. Scotland conceded a scrum penalty, though, and after the Irish maul threatened, Egan delivered a top-class close-in finish, scrambling over past three defenders.

Credit to Scotland, their backs continued to threaten out wide. Off the restart, Glenn Bryce made a break, linking with replacement Barbour whose pass back inside went off Bryce’s fingertips but scrum-half Christie snapped it up to reduce the deficit to 42-26.

As Ireland threatened early in the final quarter, they pressed for a seventh try, the ball going forward from Maher to deny Luney what would have been a deserved score. The Irish bench was duly emptied with the final changes up front and behind the scrum.

As Craig’s charges continued to hold onto the territory, Instonians captain David Whitten unfortunately had to come off injured, joining Carey who had earlier hobbled off. With all their replacements made, they ended the contest playing with 14 men.

Ballynahinch ace Luney produced a terrific turnover at the breakdown to break up some Scottish momentum. A second penalty and another radar-like touchfinder from Kelly set up a try-scoring chance, but it was lost when the maul was sacked legally.

Scotland were in the mood for more, particularly their playmaking centres Mitchell and Beattie. Replacements Callum Anderson and Sam Wallace connected neatly on the left wing, sending Barbour over in the 78th minute.

With renewed energy to their play, the Macpherson-led visitors threatened to squeeze in another try before the final whistle, using their numerical advantage to break downfield and build more phases in attack.

Ireland showed plenty of defensive grit to keep them out of their 22, maintaining a firm grip on their 11th victory in 18 meetings with the Scots as a scrum free-kick allowed Sam Owens to kick the ball dead.

TIME LINE: 9 minutes – Ireland Club XV try: Bobby Sheehan – 5-0; conversion: Conor Kelly – 7-0; 11 mins – Scotland Clubs try: Andrew Mitchell – 7-5; conversion: missed by Dwain Patterson – 7-5; 16 mins – Scotland Clubs try: Andrew Mitchell – 7-10; conversion: Dwain Patterson – 7-12; 23 mins – Ireland Club XV try: Adam Maher – 12-12; conversion: Conor Kelly – 14-12; 29 mins – Ireland Club XV try: Bobby Sheehan – 19-12; conversion: Conor Kelly – 21-12; 34 mins – Ireland Club XV try: Ronan Watters – 26-12; conversion: Conor Kelly – 28-12; 36 mins – Ireland Club XV try: Bobby Shehan – 33-12; conversion: Conor Kelly – 35-12; Half-time – Ireland Club XV 35 Scotland Clubs 12; 51 mins – Scotland Clubs try: Andrew Mitchell – 35-17; conversion: Dwain Patterson – 35-19; 55 mins – Ireland Club XV try: Aran Egan – 40-19; conversion: Conor Kelly – 42-19; 57 mins – Scotland Clubs try: Gregor Christie – 42-24; conversion: Dwain Patterson – 42-26; 78 mins – Scotland Clubs try: Archie Barbour – 42-31; conversion: Dwain Patterson – 42-33; Full-time –  Ireland Club XV 42 Scotland Clubs 33

IRELAND CLUB XV: Conor Rankin (Ballynahinch RFC); Sean French (Cork Constitution FC), Myles Carey (St. Mary’s College RFC), Aran Egan (Terenure College RFC), Aaron Sexton (Ballynahinch RFC); Conor Kelly (Clontarf FC), Adam Maher (Cork Constitution FC); David Begley (Young Munster RFC), Bobby Sheehan (Lansdowne FC), Luke Masters (Cork Constitution FC), Sean Rigney (Terenure College RFC), Fionn Gilbert (Clontarf FC), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution FC) (capt), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College RFC), Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch RFC).

Replacements: Claytan Milligan (Ballynahinch RFC), Marcus Hanan (Terenure College RFC), Adam Tuite (Terenure College RFC), Bailey Faloon (Young Munster RFC), David Whitten (Instonians RFC), Sam Owens (Clontarf FC), Tadhg Bird (Clontarf FC), Adam La Grue (Terenure College RFC).

SCOTLAND CLUBS: Glenn Bryce (Stirling County RFC); Jamie Shedden (Ayr RFC), Andrew Mitchell (Hawick RFC), Bobby Beattie (Ayr RFC), Ben Pickles (Selkirk RFC); Dwain Patterson (Kelso RFC), Gregor Christie (Currie Chieftains); Jack Dobie (Melrose RFC), Fraser Renwick (Hawick RFC), Struan Cessford (Heriot’s Rugby), Angus Runciman (Melrose RFC), Oscar Baird (Ayr RFC), Ruairidh Leishman (Heriot’s Rugby), Tim Brown (Ayr RFC), Blair Macpherson (Ayr RFC) (capt).

Replacements: Elliot Young (Heriot’s Rugby), Jamie Drummond (Ayr RFC), Dan Gamble (Kelso RFC), Ruaraidh Hart (Stirling County RFC), Sam Wallace (Heriot’s Rugby), Euan McKirdy (GHA RFC), Callum Anderson (Selkirk RFC), Archie Barbour (Kelso RFC).

Referee: Cai Lewis (WRU)