Frustrating Night For Under-20s As They Fall To Wales

Despite a valiant effort, the Ireland Under-20s slipped to their second defeat in three games in this year’s RBS U-20 Six Nations as Wales took the spoils at Dubarry Park.

2008 RBS UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS: Friday, March 7

IRELAND U-20 6 WALES U-20 11, Dubarry Park

Scorers: Ireland: Pens: Martin Dufficy 2

Wales: Try: Lloyd Phillips; Pens: Leigh Halfpenny 2

It was Ireland coach Eric Elwood’s first defeat at the Athlone venue since he took on the U-20 role last season and puts his current crop out of the championship race.

Despite Wales’ dominance of possession and territory in the first half, the Irish had their noses in front at half-time leading 6-5.

Out-half Martin Dufficy kicked two out of three penalty goal attempts – with his successes coming after 10 and 35 minutes – to edge the home side in front.

The only try of this dour and error-strewn encounter arrived in the 30th-minute and it fdeservedly fell to the visitors.

Gareth Owen threw a speculative pass out to the right, busy hooker Rhys Lawrence tried to kick the dropping ball forward but although he missed, it bounced up sweetly for number 8 Lloyd Phillips to charge over to the right of the posts.

Leigh Halfpenny was off target with the conversion attempt and Dufficy’s second penalty goal soon followed.

It was a lead that Ireland owed much to their tigerish defending when the Welsh were camped for long periods in their 22.

Wales, who made seven personnel changes for this game to Ireland’s two, had some excellent ball-handling forwards in man-of-the-match Lawrence and Nicholas Cudd and it seemed only a matter of time before the young Dragons would add to their try tally.

Cudd came up with a steal at a midfield ruck which eventually led to winger Halfpenny booting Wales back in front, after 54 minutes, with his first penalty of the night.

Ireland, who held firm for a 17-12 home win over Scotland last time out, dug deep to produce an improved final quarter.

Elwood’s youngsters increased the tempo, particularly through talismanic centre Eoin O’Malley and full-back David Kearney, younger brother of Leinster and Ireland’s Rob, was always a willing runner.

Scrum half David Moore also enjoyed a niggly battle with his opposite number Rhys Webb before being called ashore, while hooker Jason Harris-Wright and number 8 Patrick Mallon both did well to gain the hard yards.

After Welsh lock Haydn Pugh had been sin-binned for back chat, Dufficy was narrowly wide with a central penalty in the 61st-minute.

8-6 in arrears, Ireland were beginning to turn the screw. However, an excellent penalty smack from the left from Halfpenny stretched the lead for the 14 men of Wales.

A great charge forward from replacement prop Stephen Archer should have led to a try for Ireland but centre O’Malley was held up over the line, with Halfpenny and Owen just getting back in time.

With time running out and Wales having flanker Josh Turnbull sin-binned for coming in at the side of a ruck, the pressure was on the Irish to create a late try-scoring opportunity.

They kicked a late penalty to touch on the right but the Welsh defended their line mightily and after a largely frustrating 80 minutes for the hosts, another unforced error brought the game to a close.

TIME LINE: 10 minutes – Ireland penalty: Martin Dufficy – 3-0; 30 mins – Wales try: Lloyd Phillips – 3-5; conversion: missed by Leigh Halfpenny – 3-5; 33 mins – Ireland penalty: missed by Martin Dufficy – 3-5; 35 mins – Ireland penalty: Martin Dufficy – 6-5; Half-time – Ireland 6 Wales 5; 54 mins – Wales penalty: Leigh Halfpenny – 6-8; 60 mins – Wales yellow card: Haydn Pugh; 61 mins – Ireland penalty: Martin Dufficy – 6-8; 65 mins – Wales penalty: Leigh Halfpenny – 6-11; 74 mins – Wales yellow card: Josh Turnbull; Full-time – Ireland 6 Wales 11

IRELAND U-20: David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); Sean Scanlon (UCC/Munster), Eoin O’Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Conor Cleary (Greystones/Leinster), Chris Cochrane (Queen’s University/Ulster); Martin Dufficy (Dublin University/Leinster), David Moore (Blackrock College/Leinster); Paul Karayiannis (Queen’s University/Ulster), Jason Harris-Wright (Greystones/Leinster), Ben Barclay (UCD/Leinster), David Nolan (Galwegians/Connacht), Eoin Sheriff (Lansdowne/Leinster), Kieran Essex (UL Bohemians/Munster), Paul Ryan (Blackrock College/Leinster) (capt), Patrick Mallon (Lansdowne/Leinster).

Replacements used: Ian Porter (Queen’s University/Ulster) for Moore (50 mins), Ian Nagle (UCC/Munster) for Essex (55), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) for Dufficy (66), Stephen Archer (UCC/Munster) for Barclay, Stephen Douglas (Ballymena/Ulster) for Harris-Wright (both 67), Barclay for Archer (75-78, blood sub). Not used: Trevor Conneely (Buccaneers/Connacht), Eamonn Sheridan (Lansdowne/Leinster).

WALES U-20: Daniel Evans (Llanelli Scarlets); Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Llanelli Scarlets), Gareth Owen (Ospreys), Nathan Rees (Cardiff Blues); Daniel Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Lawrence (Ospreys), Patrick Palmer (Cardiff Blues), Jevon Groves (Cardiff Blues) (capt), Haydn Pugh (Llanelli Scarlets), Josh Turnbull (Llanelli Scarlets), Nicholas Cudd (Llanelli Scarlets), Lloyd Phillips (Llanelli Scarlets).

Replacements: Sam Hobbs (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Prosser (Bristol Academy), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues), Ashley Sweet (Newport Gwent Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Luke Evans (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Williams (Llanelli Scarlets).

Referee: Alan Falzone (Italy)