Ireland Under-19s Edged By Wales In Tight Cardiff Contest

The Ireland Under-19 Men’s team (sponsored by PwC) matched their hosts Wales on try count, but fell on the wrong side of a 24-20 scoreline at a windy Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday.

UNDER-19 MEN’S INTERNATIONAL MATCH:

Sunday, March 29 –

WALES UNDER-19s 24 IRELAND UNDER-18s 20, Cardiff Arms Park
Scorers: Wales U-18s: Tries: Rhys Cole, Bailey Cutts, Noah Morgan; Cons: Lloyd Lucas 2, Steff Jac Jones; Pen: Lloyd Lucas
Ireland U-19s: Tries: Daniel O’Connell, Fergus Callington, Ronan Kelly; Con: Owen O’Kane; Pen: Owen O’Kane
HT: Wales Under-19s 17 Ireland U-19s 17

A slow start left Aiden McNulty’s charges playing catch-up as they fell 14 points behind, but there were plenty of positives to take forward from the closing hour into the two Easter clashes with France.

Daniel O’Connell, Ireland Under-20 cap Fergus Callington, and Ronan Kelly all crossed before half-time, making it 17 points apiece as the Ireland U-19s, captained by Belvedere College prop Harry Goslin, began to find their rhythm.

City of Armagh out-half Owen O’Kane kicked the visitors ahead with a 48th-minute penalty, yet Wales replacement Steff Jac Jones sent Noah Morgan over and kicked a crucial conversion in what proved to be the match-winning sequence.

Despite not being able to convert some late pressure into a try, the Ireland coaching team will be encouraged by the collective performance, getting 23 players on the field before facing the France U-20 Development side in Creggs (Wednesday, April 8) and Mullingar (Sunday, April 12).

Wales, who had six players with U-20 Six Nations experience in their selection, had played two games at U-19 level earlier this season. Ten of this squad saw action against France in November, and 13 against England just before Christmas. Centres Bailey Cutts and Jack Hoskins were lining out together for a third time.

Ireland stayed well connected in defence to cope with some zippy early phases from the Welsh attack, which culminated in winger Morgan knocking on close to the right touchline. Nonetheless, the hosts got on the board in the sixth minute.

The Irish pack dealt with a close-in maul, but the Welsh backs unlocked the defence further infield, with full-back Harry Turner getting his hands free in a double tackle to send Rhys Cole scampering over from seven metres out. Lloyd Lucas converted from straight in front.

Rourke O’Sullivan went quickly from a penalty to take play into the Welsh half. His Buccaneers club-mate, Andrew Henson, also had some good early touches, winning a high ball and then making a solid carry a few phases later.

The Ireland pack started to gain ground too, drawing a series of penalties. A try looked on the cards through their pick-and-goes on the quarter hour mark, but both Cian Butler and Goslin were held up just short.

In response, Wales used a scrum to launch a breakout led by Cutts. Lucas’ inside pass to Hoskins was adjudged to be flat, allowing the Ospreys back to charge downfield. He linked with Morgan who slipped the ball back inside for Cutts to score from 12 metres out.

Trailing by two converted scores following Lucas’ conversion from the right, Ireland got in position to strike back after O’Sullivan had run a goalline drop-out back with interest. O’Connell made headway out on the left wing, before props James Gould and Goslin both went close to touching down.

It was Garryowen clubman O’Connell who opened the scoring for the visitors in the 24th minute, getting over out wide from O’Kane’s skip pass despite a tackle from Morgan. O’Kane followed up with a classy conversion after the ball had fallen off the tee in windy conditions.

Just a few minutes later, Joe Christle pounced on an overthrown Welsh lineout to barge back into the opposition 22. Locks Jamie Walsh and Butler were prominent as ball carriers, before Jon Rodgers and O’Kane joined forces for a big clearout, setting up Callington to snipe over from close range.

Lucas got the scoreboard moving for Wales again with a long-range penalty for a 17-12 advantage, but Ireland finished the first half strongly, exploiting some defensive gaps to draw level.

Buoyed by the sight of O’Kane bundling his opposite number Lucas into touch, Alex Lautsou’s quick pick-up from a ruck and offload led to Rodgers releasing Kelly for the left corner with a well-timed pass. O’Kane was unable to convert from near the touchline.

Cistercian College Roscrea’s Walsh was busy right from the restart, securing lineout possession, gathering a box kick from Callington, and then combining with O’Kane on a break past halfway. Ireland kept hold of the territory.

Wales coughed up two penalties, the second one at a scrum inside their own 22 where Wallace High School loosehead Gould got the better of Dylan James. O’Kane took the points on offer, moving McNulty’s youngsters ahead for the first time at 20-17.

The newly-introduced Harry O’Neill was busy around the pitch, winning a turnover penalty to break up some Welsh momentum. Fellow replacement Connor McVicker’s well-weighted kick through had the home side under pressure, with Ben Moore getting to the breaking ball, until Steff Jac Jones won a relieving penalty.

Wales rediscovered their clinical edge in attack soon after, as a Hoskin tackle on O’Sullivan forced a knock-on. They duly capitalised on the possession inside the visitors’ 22, going through the phases before Morgan dotted down in the right corner from replacements Jones’ accurate assist.

Jones followed up with a well-struck conversion to make it a four-point game, close to the hour mark. Despite a Walsh lineout steal, Ireland were now struggling for territory, with knock-ons from both teams leading to some stop-start exchanges.

Wales almost scored from an opportunist break down the left, but replacement Fionn Rowsome produced a brilliant try-saving tackle on Cole. Ireland moved back up to halfway thanks to James Curry’s high fielding, and good work on the ball from Kelly, who drew a high tackle, and Leo Anic.

During the closing stages, Henson made a break out on the right, and O’Connell fought hard to win McVicker’s kick, inside the Welsh 22. However, just as the Irish forwards worked their way towards the posts, Brogan Leary got in at the breakdown to win a clinching penalty for Wales.

TIME LINE: 6 minutes – Wales Under-19s try: Rhys Cole – 5-0; conversion: Lloyd Lucas – 7-0; 18 mins – Wales Under-19s try: Bailey Cutts – 12-0; conversion: Lloyd Lucas – 14-0; 24 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: Daniel O’Connell – 14-5; conversion: Owen O’Kane – 14-7; 29 mins – Ireland try: Fergus Callington – 14-12; conversion: missed by Owen O’Kane – 14-12; 34 mins – Wales penalty: Lloyd Lucas – 17-12; 39 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: Ronan Kelly – 17-17; conversion: missed by Owen O’Kane – 17-17; Half-time – Wales Under-19s 17 Ireland Under-19s 17; 48 mins – Ireland Under-19s penalty: Owen O’Kane – 17-20; 57 mins – Wales Under-19s try: Noah Morgan – 22-20; conversion: Steff Jac Jones – 24-20; Full-time – Wales Under-19s 24 Ireland Under-19s 20

WALES U-19: Harry Turner (Cardiff Rugby); Noah Morgan (Dragons RFC), Bailey Cutts (Cardiff Rugby), Jack Hoskins (Ospreys), Rhys Cole (Dragons RFC); Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby), Cai Gealy (Bristol Bears); George Leyland (Bristol Bears), James Talamai (Dragons RFC), Nathan Davies (Dragons RFC), Sonny McCabe (Cardiff Rugby), Gabe Williams (Cardiff Rugby), Cerrig Smith (Dragons RFC) (capt), Sam Morgan (Ospreys), Noah Williams (Bristol Bears).

Replacements: Keanu Evans (Scarlets), Hudson Nevin (Scarlets), Dylan James (Ospreys), Cody Rae David (Ospreys), Kai Jones (Scarlets), Nick Jones (Ospreys), Steff Jac Jones (Scarlets), Ioan Leyshan (Cardiff Rugby), Morgan Carter (Dragons RFC), Brogan Leary (Dragons RFC), Tomos Evans (Gloucester).

IRELAND U-19: Andrew Henson (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College/Connacht Rugby); Ronan Kelly (St. Gerard’s School/Leinster Rugby), Rourke O’Sullivan (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht Rugby), Bernard White (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Daniel O’Connell (Garryowen FC/Munster Rugby); Owen O’Kane (City of Armagh RFC/Ulster Rugby), Fergus Callington (Durham University/IQ Rugby); James Gould (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby), Joe Christle (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby), Harry Goslin (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby) (capt), Jamie Walsh (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster Rugby), Cian Butler (Portlaoise RFC/St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise/Leinster Rugby), Ben Moore (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster Rugby), Jon Rodgers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster Rugby), Alex Lautsou (Shannon RFC/Munster Rugby).

Replacements: Harry O’Neill (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Jamie Bohan (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby), Ollie Fitzsimmons (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby), Leo Anic (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht Rugby), Adam Boyd (Royal Belfast Academical Institution/Ulster Rugby), Connor McVicker (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster Rugby), James Curry (East Glendalough School, Wicklow/MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster Rugby), Fionn Rowsome (Garryowen FC/Munster Rugby).

IRELAND UNDER-19 MEN’S MANAGEMENT TEAM –

Aiden McNulty – Head Coach
Jonathon Graham – Assistant Coach
Tommy O’Donnell – Assistant Coach
Niall Annett – Assistant Coach
Noel McKenna – Team Manager
Dr. Billy Twomey – Team Doctor
Nick Lalor – Team Physio
Rob Cassidy – Athletic Development Coach
Eoin Smyth – Team Analyst
Maxi McDonald – Team Logistics

IRELAND UNDER-19 MEN’S 2026 SCHEDULE:

Sunday, March 29: Wales Under-19s 24 Ireland Under-19s 20, Cardiff Arms Park

Wednesday, April 8: Ireland Under-19s v France U-20 Development XV, Creggs RFC, 2.30pm

Sunday, April 12: Ireland Under-19s v France U-20 Development XV, Mullingar RFC, 2.30pm