Irish Colleges Defeat Welsh Colleges

Irish Colleges announced their return to the International arena with a resounding 47-0 victory over their Welsh counterparts

HOCHTIEF FACILITY MANAGEMENT COLLEGES RUGBY INTERNATIONAL

Irish Colleges 47 Welsh Colleges 0

Irish Colleges announced their return to the International arena with a resounding victory over a Welsh team not short on skill but physically lacking when compared to there Irish opponents. Ireland came into this game with a team featuring players who play All Ireland league every weekend and the experience and application was evident throughout the whole team, with a strong subs bench providing good backup when called on.

Ireland crossed the Welsh Colleges line 4 times in the first half with one each from Mark Ryan and Eric Moloney and two from Stephen Corr. All four tries were converted by Outhalf Colin Mahony, who was having a good game, getting his three quarter line running at every opportunity. In fact it was the Irish Colleges team s ability to keep the ball in hand for long phases which opened up the Welsh defence on numerous occasions and the skill level displayed on a blisteringly cold and windy February day was to be admired.

The Irish Colleges resumed where they had left off in the second half and Eric Moloney was over for his second and the fifth try for Ireland after 5 minutes. Wales then had a period of dominance where they attacked the Irish line with good phases of rugby and no shortage of effort and skill on their part. But the Irish defence stood rock solid; well organised and disciplined, and negated the Welsh Colleges onslaught. After a quick counter-attack on 35 minutes, Michael O’ Hea then went over for a try which wasn’t converted. This took the sting out of the Welsh Colleges, and at the death, Francis Cooney cut through a visibly tiring Welsh defence to score his first try of the afternoon and the Irish Colleges seventh. This was converted by replacement outhalf Jeff Hitchmough (CIT) to leave the final score standing at Irish Colleges 47 pts, Welsh Colleges 0.

The Irish Colleges will take huge encouragement out of this win as the Welsh side were very much an unknown quantity at International level. With the Scottish match now on the horizon, the Irish Colleges team, which was ably led by Michael McKeever of the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, can look forward with confidence to what is more than likely going to be a far stiffer challenge than that offered by the Welsh Colleges in two weeks time (March 10th, Edinburgh).

Donal Duggan

Irish Colleges Team

NAME COLLEGE CLUB

15 Darragh Hughes Garda College Garda RFC
14 Francis Cooney Dublin Institute of Technology DLSP
13 Eric Moloney Cork Institute of Technology UCC
12 Michael McKeever UU @ Jordanstown Belfast Harlequins….Captain
11 Pat O’Connor Limerick Institute of Technology Shannon
10 Colin Mahony Cork Institute of Technology Highfield
9 Alex Ryan Cork College of Commerce Cork Constitution
1 Colm Murphy Dublin Institute of Technology Blackrock
2 David Sheehan Limerick Institute of Technology Young Munster

3 Gareth Fitzgerald National College of Ireland Blackrock

4 Francis Broderick University of Limerick Garryowen
5 Michael O’ Hea Limerick Institute of Technology Garryowen
6 Brian Moroney IT Tallaght Terenure
7 Mark Ryan Limerick Institute of Technology Old Crescent
8 Stephen Corr UU @ Magee City of Derry
RESERVES:

16 Sam Duffy North West Institute Derry City of Derry (FOR COL MURRAY)
17 Batt Duggan Cork Institute of Technology UCC (FOR DAVID SHEEHAN)
18 Philip O’Connor Limerick Institute of Technology Old Crescent (FOR FRANCIS BRODERICK)
19 Matthew Irvine UU @ Jordanstown Banbridge ( FOR MARK RYAN)
20 Ben Clements UU @ Jordanstown Ballymena ( FOR ALEX RYAN)
21 Jeff Hitchmough Cork Institute of Technology Midleton (FOR COLIN MAHONY)
22 Stephen Carey Limerick Institute of Technology Young Munster (FOR ERIC MOLONEY)

WELSH COLLEGES

15.Craig GRIFFITHS (Coleg Sir Gar)
14.Gary PETERS (Coleg Sir Gar)
13.Nathan Townley (Bridgend College)
12.Greg Roberts (Neath Port Talbot College)
11.Dafydd Cartwright(Coleg LLandrillo)
10.James Garland (Swansea College) capt
9.James Leadbetter (Coleg Gwent)
1.Stephen Kelly-Harris (Bridgend College)
2.Andrew Baston (Coleg Menai)
3.Ryan Forshaw (Yale College)
4.Luke De Winton (Coleg Powys)
5.John Kierney (Coleg Sir Gar)
6.James Cullen (Coleg Glan Hafren)
7.Daniel Griffiths (Coleg Sir Gar)
8.Dan Lydiate (Coleg Powys)
RESERVES
16.Ashleigh Banfield (Coleg Sir Gar)
17.Gareth Jones (Swansea College)
18.Jamie Watkins (Swansea College)
19.Dean Ronan (Bridgend College)
20.Dan Haymond (Coleg Powys)
21.Mike Powell (Coleg Powys)
22.Elfyn Davies (Coleg Meirion Dwyfor)
23.Aaron Owen (Coleg Meirion Dwyfor)
24.Ifan Jones (Coleg LLandrillo)