Ireland U-20 Men Continue World Championship Build-Up With Belfast Win

IRELAND UNDER-20 MEN’S TRAINING MATCH:

Friday, June 6 –

ULSTER ‘A’ MEN 19 IRELAND UNDER-20 MEN 50, Malone RFC
Scorers: Ulster ‘A’: Tries: Conor McKee, Charlie Irvine, Zac McConnell; Cons: Owen O’Kane 2
Ireland U-20s: Tries: Luke Murphy, Paidi Farrell 2, Bobby Power, Eoghan Smyth, Will Wootton, Todd Lawlor, Connor Fahy; Cons: Tom Wood 2, Sam Wisniewski 3
HT: Ulster ‘A’ 7 Ireland U-20s 24

Tries from Luke Murphy and Paidi Farrell inside the opening five minutes put the Ireland Under-20s on course for a 24-5 half-time lead. Bobby Power, from a maul, and Eoghan Smyth also crossed the whitewash.

Neil Doak’s young guns ran out 50-19 winners with Farrell completing his brace, and replacements Will Wootton and Connor Fahy, and impressive full-back Todd Lawlor, adding their names to the scoresheet.

Charlie Irvine and Ireland Sevens international Zac McConnell both touched down during an improved final quarter from Ulster ‘A’, whose first-half try was run in by Conor McKee, one of three senior squad members in their starting XV.

This was the second of the Ireland U-20s’ warm-up fixtures ahead of the World Rugby U-20 Championship. They beat the Ireland Students a fortnight ago, winning 47-26 at College Park, and will play the Scotland U-20s at Kingspan Stadium next Friday (kick-off 1pm) – tickets are available here.

Ireland’s Pool C opener is against Georgia in Calvisano on Sunday, June 29 (kick-off 6pm local time/5pm Irish time), before matches against tournament hosts Italy in Viadana (July 4), and New Zealand in Calvisano (July 9). Click here for World U-20 Championship ticket details.

Lawlor deftly collected a pass to launch a pacy opening break against the Ulster ‘A’ team, with Clark Logan using Derry Moloney’s inviting offload back inside to carry up close. Number 8 Murphy was quickly on the scene to score from the ruck.

Tom Wood showed his strength and speed to break from deep in the fourth minute, and although Ulster ‘A’ scrambled well, jet-heeled winger Farrell used a penalty advantage to jink inside two defenders for a classy try. Wood converted for an early 12-0 lead.

Lawlor responded to an Irvine lineout steal with a crisp 50:22 kick, but Ulster ‘A’ then got their attack going. A purposeful set of phases took them up to the opposition 22, with wingers Ethan Graham and Lukas Kenny both eager to get involved.

Although Gavin Hogg’s side also had a good platform from a lineout drive, Mahon Ronan broke up their momentum with a turnover penalty. The Ireland U-20 backs continued to threaten from inside their own half.

Wood put Moloney through a gap, with Ciarán Mangan’s support line almost rewarded with a try. Josh Gibson, an Ulster Academy newcomer for next season, did really well to chase him down, and Mangan’s attempt to ground the ball resulted in a knock-on.

Despite James McKillop winning a penalty at the breakdown, the Ireland U-20s managed to extend their lead in the 22nd minute. Wood’s left boot pinned the hosts back with an inch-perfect 50:22, and Conor Kennelly beat Irvine in the air before Power was driven over.

17-0 became 24-0 when Mangan’s nicely-delayed pass created a three-man break out wide. Gibson brought down the Kildare youngster a few metres short, but Smyth sniped over from the ruck. Wood nailed the conversion from five metres in from the left touchline.

Ulster ‘A’ captain Harry Sheridan and Jonny Scott carried well in response, the home side gaining more territory but remaining scoreless until speedy scrum half McKee raced clear from inside his own half.

When an Ireland U-20 attack broke down, McKee was in the right place at the right time to pick up the loose ball and stay clear of the chasing Mangan on a 70-metre run-in. Ulster U-19 out-half Owen O’Kane converted from straight in front of the posts.

Having had a maul smothered out just before interval, the Ireland U-20s began the second half with the bit between their teeth. David Walsh took down Sam Wisniewski’s restart kick, and the newly-introduced Wootton used a quick tap to weave his way over just two minutes in.

Lawlor then showed his attacking qualities again with a surging run past halfway, before Wootton’s kick ahead just had too much on it. When the Ireland U-20s came knocking again, Sheridan and Paddy Moore succeeded in holding up Billy Corrigan.

However, a few minutes later, and with a maul providing the launchpad, the Ireland U-20s swept the ball wide to the opposite wing for Farrell – set up by very good hands from Lawlor and Fahy – to make it 36-7.

Maintaining a high tempo, the age-grade outfit widened the margin further through Lawlor in the 53rd minute. His quick pick-up and dart in towards the posts came after a carry from Walsh, and Wisniewski added the extras.

Ulster ‘A’ replied just before the hour mark, as their direct running earned a penalty and put them within scoring range. A neat lineout transfer from Sheridan down to Irvine saw the latter driven over for teenager O’Kane to convert from the right.

Hunting for a third try, Sheridan and his team-mates soon put themselves in a similar position but this time Bryn Ward and replacement Tom Brigg were both tackled short of the try-line, before Irvine knocked on a tricky ball.

Ulster ‘A’ could not capitalise after McKillop had hurtled onto an O’Kane pass to split open the defence, but they made the most of a 72nd-minute opportunity. Lovely hands from Sheridan and Lukas Kenny gave debutant McConnell a well-finished five-pointer from the left wing.

A McKillop turnover penalty looked to have halted a late surge from the Ireland U-20s, yet Fahy scored in the final play. He had the pace and power to charge over from just inside the Ulster ‘A half, after gobbling up a Scott pass that had come off Josh Stevens’ fingertips.

TIME LINE: 2 minutes – Ireland Under-20s try: Luke Murphy – 0-5; conversion: missed by Tom Wood – 0-5; 5 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Paidi Farrell – 0-10; conversion: Tom Wood – 0-12; 22 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Bobby Power – 0-17; conversion: missed by Tom Wood – 0-17; 24 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Eoghan Smyth – 0-22; conversion: Tom Wood – 0-24; 35 mins – Ulster ‘A’ try: Conor McKee – 5-24; conversion: Owen O’Kane – 7-24; Half-time – Ulster ‘A’ 7 Ireland Under-20s 24; 42 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Will Wootton – 7-29; conversion: Sam Wisniewski – 7-31; 49 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Paidi Farrell – 7-36; conversion: missed by Sam Wisniewski – 7-36; 53 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Todd Lawlor – 7-41; conversion: Sam Wisniewski – 7-43; 58 mins – Ulster ‘A’ try: Charlie Irvine – 12-43; conversion: Owen O’Kane – 14-43; 70 mins – Ulster ‘A’ try: Zac McConnell – 19-43; conversion: missed by Conor McKee – 19-43; 80 mins – Ireland Under-20s try: Connor Fahy – 19-48; conversion: Sam Wisniewski – 19-50; Full-time – Ulster ‘A’ 19 Ireland Under-20s 50

ULSTER ‘A’: Josh Gibson; Lukas Kenny, Fraser Cunningham, Jonny Scott, Ethan Graham; Owen O’Kane, Conor McKee; Niall Carville, James McCormick, Joe Mawhinney, Harry Sheridan (capt), Charlie Irvine, James McKillop, Josh Stevens, Bryn Ward.

Replacements used: Paddy Moore for Carville, Zac McConnell for Gibson (both half-time), Tom Brigg for McKillop (48 mins), Connor Magee for McCormick (50), Gibson for Cunningham (54), Blake McLean for Mawhinney (57), Callum Johns for Irvine, McKillop for Ward (both 66), Toby Gribben for O’Kane, James Kerr for Gibson (both 69), McCormick for Brigg (73).

IRELAND U-20: Todd Lawlor (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); Paidi Farrell (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster), Clark Logan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster); Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Henry Walker (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Conor Kennelly (Highfield RFC/Munster), Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) (capt), Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Kennelly (30 mins), Oisin Minogue (Shannon RFC/Munster) for Power, Will Wootton (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby) for Logan, Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for Wood, Connor Fahy (Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Smyth, Gene O’Leary Kareem (UCC RFC/Munster) for Mangan, David Walsh (Terenure College RFC/Leinster) for McCarthy, Mikey Yarr (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Walker, Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Bohan, Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for Mullan, Donnacha McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Ronan (all half-time), Chris O’Connor (Terenure College RFC/Leinster) for Lawlor, McCarthy for Murphy (both 59), Smyth for Farrell (72).

Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU)