Defeat For Ireland U-20 Men In Six Nations Opener

Despite some promising play in both halves, the Ireland Under-20 Men (sponsored by PwC) suffered a rare home defeat as a more experienced England team took the spoils, winning 19-3 at Virgin Media Park.

UNDER-20 MEN’S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1:

Thursday, January 30 –

IRELAND UNDER-20 MEN 3 ENGLAND UNDER-20 MEN 19, Virgin Media Park
Scorers: Ireland: Pen: Sam Wisniewski
England: Try: Penalty try; Con: Pen try con; Pens: Ben Coen 4
HT: Ireland 3 England 9

Ben Coen kicked 12 points and the defending champions chalked up a penalty try in the 67th minute, as Sam Wisniewski’s penalty on the half hour mark proved to be the Ireland U-20s’ only score on a night of missed opportunities.

In Neil Doak’s first competitive match in charge, Ireland were only 9-3 behind at half-time after playing into the wind but having failed to capitalise on Junior Kpoku’s 20-minute red card and a yellow for Tom Burrow.

Although England were briefly down to 13 players, they avoided conceding a try through a combination of their physicality in defence, particularly from the forwards, and the hosts misfiring near the try-line.

Proudly captained by Cork native Éanna McCarthy, one of 19 Irish debutants involved in this first round clash, Doak’s side were left to rue some missed maul chances before the break.

The impressive Michael Foy and Charlie Molony were also denied late on, leaving Coen’s right boot to have the final say. This new-look Ireland squad will regroup and apply the lessons learned for next week’s trip to Scotland.

Speaking in the aftermath, Ireland captain McCarthy said: “Of course we are disappointed. I suppose all the hard work went in over the last few weeks, but England are a very good side. A lot of big names on the team.

“I suppose we created a lot of opportunities during the game, and we just couldn’t convert whereas England did. We’re fairly disappointed alright.

“England are a very physical team, so even though we were the two men up, they were getting off the line hard and they were just cutting off our opportunities before we could get them going.”

He added: “There’s always next week now so we’ll build for Scotland and hopefully push on and get a win there. It’s about points on the board, and we got zero points tonight.

“Hopefully we can get a win in Scotland and we’ll push on for the rest of the Six Nations. We have the groundwork to do it. It’s just on the day England were the better team.”

TIME LINE: 12 minutes – England penalty: Ben Coen – 0-3; 13 mins – England red card: Junior Kpoku; 25 mins – England yellow card: Tom Burrow; 27 mins – England penalty: Ben Coen – 0-6; 30 mins – Ireland penalty: Sam Wisniewski – 3-6; 33 mins – England penalty: Ben Coen – 3-9; Half-time – Ireland 3 England 9; 67 mins – England penalty try & conversion – 3-16; Ireland yellow card: Oisin Minogue; 79 mins – England penalty: Ben Coen – 3-19; Full-time – Ireland 3 England 19

IRELAND U-20: Charlie Molony (UCD RFC/Leinster); Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Connor Fahy (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Clark Logan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster); Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Henry Walker (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Michael Foy (UCC RFC/Munster), Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) (capt).

Replacements used: Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for Usanov (14 mins), Connor Magee (Banbridge RFC/Ulster) for Walker, Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for Mullan (both 50), Gene O’Leary Kareem (UCC RFC/Munster) for Smyth (54), Daniel Green (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Wisniewski (61), Oisin Minogue (Shannon RFC/Munster) for Power (65), David Walsh (Terenure College RFC/Leinster) for Ronan (66), Andrew Doyle (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Logan (67).

ENGLAND U-20: Jack Kinder (Leicester Tigers/Silhillians RUFC); Jack Bracken (Saracens/Barnet Elizabethans), Angus Hall (Saracens/Sevenoaks Rugby Club), Nic Allison (Exeter Chiefs/Bishops Diocesan College), Charlie Griffin (Bath/Rosslyn Park); Ben Coen (Exeter Chiefs/Teignmouth RFC), Archie McParland (Northampton Saints/Ruthin RFC); Ralph McEachran (Sale Sharks/Guildford RFC), Kepu Tuipulotu (Bath/Cwmbran RFC), Vilikesa Sela (Bath/Royal Wootton Bassett RFC), Olamide Sodeke (Saracens/Blackheath Rugby Club), Tom Burrow (Sale Sharks/Morley RUFC) (capt), Junior Kpoku (Racing 92/Saracens Amateurs), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/Buckingham Rugby Club), Kane James (Exeter Chiefs/St. Peter’s RFC).

Replacements used: Lucas Friday (Harlequins/Bromley RFC) for McParland (25 mins), George Timmins (Bath/Market Harborough RUFC) for Kpoku (34), Josh Bellamy (Harlequins/Rosslyn Park) for Kinder (71), Louie Gulley (Exeter Chiefs/Crediton RFC) for Tuipulotu (73), Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs/Ivybridge RFC) for Allison (74), Tye Raymont (Sale Sharks/West Park Leeds RFC) for Sela (76), Ollie Scola (Northampton Saints/Old Northamptonians RFC) for McEachran, Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (Northampton Saints/Bedford Junior Blues) for Sodeke (both 78).

Referee: Jérémy Rozier (France)