Limerick players help Ireland U20s secure exciting draw with Leinster

A NUMBER of Limerick players impressed as Ireland U20s played out an exciting 28-28 draw with a strong Leinster Development XV at Energia Park in Dublin.

Winger Stephen Kiely, of Shannon RFC and Munster, scored one of the Irish side's four tries in an entertaining contest. Former Castletroy College star Kiely was joined in the Ireland U20 side by his former school mate Evan O'Connell, of UL-Bohemian RFC, who is a member of the Munster Academy.

O'Connell, a nephew of Ireland assistant coach Paul O'Connell, captained the Ireland U20s in Friday's game. The 19-year-old was a member of the Ireland U20s Grand Slam-winning squad of last season.

The Ireland matchday squad also included exciting Limerick half-back Jake O'Riordan of UL-Bohemian RFC. Munster Rugby was also represented by winger Ben O'Connor, of UCC, Luke Murphy, of Shannon RFC, as well as Danny Sheahan, of Cork Constitution and Sean Edogbo and Jacob Sheahan, both of UCC.

It was game of two halves with the Leinster team, which contained a dozen senior-capped players in the starting line-up, establishing a 21-0 half-time lead with Charlie Tector pulling the strings from out-half.

Alongside him was Fintan Gunne, one of the Ireland Under-20 heroes from last season, who impressed in a try-scoring performance, but Richie Murphy’s Ireland U20s youngsters upped the tempo during the final quarter to finish strongly.

In the Ireland Under-20s’ last warm-up match before the start of the U-20 Six Nations Championship next month, they made it four tries each with Limerick winger Stephen Kiely running in the pick of their scores.

The pre-tournament report card from their warm-up window reads one win, one draw, and one defeat. There are plenty of positives to take forward as the U-20 Six Nations squad announcement, scheduled for Wednesday, January 17, draws ever closer.

The Ireland U-20s open their Six Nations campaign against France in Aix-en-Provence on Saturday, February 3, before hosting Italy at Musgrave Park the following Friday.

IRELAND U-20: Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster), Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD RFC/Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Stephen Kiely (Shannon RFC/Munster); Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Henry Walker (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Andrew Sparrow (UCD RFC/Leinster), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (capt), Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster), Joe Hopes (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Josh Stevens (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster). Replacements: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Jacob Sheahan (UCC RFC/Munster), Jake O’Riordan (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Sean Condon (UCC RFC/Munster), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster), Mikey Yarr (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Flynn Longstaff (Queen’s University RFC/Ulster).

LEINSTER DEVELOPMENT XV: Chris Cosgrave; Aitzol King, Charlie Sheridan, Hugh Cooney, Andrew Osborne; Charlie Tector, Fintan Gunne; Michael Milne, John McKee, Rory McGuire, Brian Deeny, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Richard Whelan, Paul Wilson, Diarmuid Mangan. Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Ben Howard, Temi Lasisi, Micheal Colreavy, Tadhg Brophy, Tom Larke, Jules Fenelon, Davy Colbert, Luke Kritzinger, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Riordan.

REFEREE: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)