Ireland U20s edge past Munster Development side
THE Ireland U20s edged past a Munster Development XV 21-13 in difficult wet conditions at Musgrave Park on Thursday afternoon.
The match was part of the Ireland U20s preparations for the upcoming Six Nations.
With strong wind and heavy rain, Garryowen FC out-half Tony Butler controlled the game well for Munster throughout the first-half, often giving his side good field position.
Both sides struggled to sustain prolonged periods of possession due to the difficult conditions but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock first when Ireland U20s captain Reuben Crothers crossed for the opening try of the game after some strong carrying close to the Munster line.
Out-half Charlie Tector was able to convert to give Ireland U20s a 7-0 lead approaching half-time.
Munster responded immediately when scrum-half Adam Maher was able to cross in the corner after his side took advantage of a two-on-one overlap.
Butler’s difficult conversion attempt drifted wide of the posts but the Clare man was on target moments later with a penalty kick.
Ahead 8-7, Munster extended their lead to 13-7 on the stroke of half-time when Garryowen’s Dylan Murphy crossed the line off the back of a powerful rolling maul. Butler’s touchline conversion attempt was just wide.
Conditions began to deteriorate further in the second half and it was Ireland U20s who then took the lead when Fionn Gibbons touched down under the posts after being played through by a perfectly executed grubber kick. The conversion saw Ireland take a 14-13 lead into the final 20 minutes.
Despite good pressure from Munster, Ireland consolidated their lead and made sure of the result when replacement Lorcan McLoughlin crashed over in the final minutes.
MUNSTER DEVELOPMENT XV: Conor Phillips (Young Munster); Henry Buttimer (Rockwell), Darragh French (UCC), Daniel Squires (UCC), George Coomber (UCC); Tony Butler (Garryowen), Adam Maher (Young Munster); Kieran Ryan (Shannon) , Dylan Murphy (Garryowen), Darragh McCarthy (Garryowen); John Forde (Cork Con), Fearghail O’Donoghue (Cashel); Jack Kelleher (C) (UCC), Jack O’Sullivan (UCC), Daniel Okeke (Shannon). Replacements (All Used): Luke McAuliffe (Cork Con), Mark Donnelly (Garryowen), James French (UCC), Diarmuid Dennehy (Shannon/Bruff), Ruadhann Quinn (Crescent College), Jack Oliver (Garryowen), Jeff Williams (Bandon Grammar), Alan Flannery (Shannon),
IRELAND U20S: Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Belvedere College/Leinster), Callum O’Reilly (Dublin University FC/Leinster); Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster); Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster); Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster); Conor Moloney (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(Captain), James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster). Replacements: Howard Noonan (Temple Carrig School/Leinster), Joe Mawhinney (Ballymena Academy/Ulster), JJ Hession (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Fionn McWey (CC Roscrea/Leinster), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Michael Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster), Ross Taylor (Armagh/Ulster), Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster).