Having fallen behind to an opportunist Jose do Carmo Camara score, busy back rowers Jordan Coghlan and Jack Kelleher hit back with unconverted efforts after 24 and 28 minutes respectively, to give the visitors a 10-7 half-time lead.
The wet and windy conditions proved tricky at times, but slick handling created the best try of the lot for winger Craig Adams, before replacement Bobby Sheehan, younger brother of Leinster and Ireland star Dan, barged over from a 56th-minute maul.
The Ireland Club XV were on the defensive for most of the opening quarter, needing a strong scrum to get out of early trouble. Turnovers won by Luke Clohessy and Dylan Donnellan kept Portugal ‘A’ out of try-scoring range.
Centre Carmo Camara touched down the ball down to the right of the posts for the opening score. The left-footed Manuel Vareiro converted for a 7-0 lead.
The Ireland side hit back when Coghlan crashed over with support from Kelleher.
Young Munster's Conor Bartley forced a scrum penalty out of Andre Arrojado. A well-worked lineout maul did the trick, with Donnellan breaking off and feeding the supporting Kelleher to go over in the left corner.
It remained 10-7 to Sean Skehan’s men. The Ireland Club team remained on the front foot, aided by Clohessy winning a turnover at the breakdown and Coghlan carrying twice to good effect.
The men in green opened the second period in terrific fashion, scoring inside 70 seconds when Adams crossed in the left corner.
Credit to Bartley and Brewer for their carries to suck in defenders during the build-up to the try. With the blustery wind adding to the difficulty, Moloney’s conversion attempt fell wide, leaving it 15-7.
Later, with Portugal ‘A’ caught offside, they were unable to stop another powerful Irish drive which saw Sheehan pile over in swift fashion.
The Irish bench had been emptied as the half wore on, with eight more Club international debutants getting a run-out.
Brewer foiled one Portuguese break with a turnover penalty, but the hosts finished strongly. A sharp backs move put Galveias over, before Francisco Perloiro caught a Sousa Guedes kick and offloaded off the ground to send Almeira speeding over from 40 metres out.
SCORERS: Portugal ‘A’: Tries: Jose do Carmo Camara, Francisco Galveias, Alfredo Almeira; Con: Manuel Vareiro.
Ireland Club XV: Tries: Jordan Coghlan, Jack Kelleher, Craig Adams, Bobby Sheehan.
PORTUGAL ‘A’: Nuno Sousa Guedes (capt); Jose Vilar Gomes, Jose do Carmo Camara, Alfredo Almeira, Francisco Galveias; Manuel Vareiro, Pedro Lucas; Andre Arrojado, Santiago Lopes, Antonio Prim, Nicolas Fernandes, Francisco Almeida, Joao Cabaco, Andre Cunha, Boaventura Almeida. Replacements: Antonio Peixoto, Luis Lopes, Jose Lavos, Guilherme Costa, Luis Moreira, Fabien Silva, Duarte Cardoso, Francisco Perloiro.
IRELAND CLUB XV: Adam La Grue (Terenure College); Craig Adams (Terenure College), George Pringle (Ballynahinch), Peter Sylvester (Terenure College), Cathal Eddy (Lansdowne); Conor Kelly (Clontarf), Michael Moloney (UCD); Campbell Classon (Terenure College), Dylan Donnellan (Clontarf), Conor Bartley (Young Munster), Harrison Brewer (Terenure College) (capt), Fionn Gilbert (Clontarf), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution), Luke Clohessy (Terenure College), Jordan Coghlan (Terenure College). Replacements used: Bobby Sheehan (UCD) for Donnellan, Alan Kennedy (Young Munster) for Kelleher, Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch) for Clohessy, Rhys O’Donnell (Instonians) for Moloney, Mark Best (Ballynahinch) for Sylvester (all 51 mins), David Begley (Young Munster) for Classon, Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley) for Bartley, Conor Hayes (St. Mary’s College) for Eddy (all 58), Aran Egan (Terenure College) for Kelly, Diarmuid McCormack (Dublin University) for Coghlan (both 67), Coghlan for Brewer (74).
REFEREE: Keane Davison (IRFU)
