Munster Development Defeated by Ireland U20s

The future stars of Irish Rugby were in action in Thomond Park this afternoon with a Peter Malone coached Munster Development side taking on Ireland U20s ahead of the upcoming U20 Six Nations.

The Ireland U20s included four Munster representatives with UCC’s James French and academy players James McCarthy (UL Bohs) and Jack O’Sullivan (UCC) in the starting XV while Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen) was named in the replacements.

Late changes to the Munster side saw Evan O’Gorman start in place of Jack Power as Shannon’s Nathan Randles was added to the replacements, while Young Munster’s Jack Lyons took the place of John Poland on the bench.

The visitors opened the scoring after six minutes when a crossfield kick from outhalf Harry Byrne was contested by academy opposition Liam Coombes and James McCarthy. It was a favourable bounce for the young Irish side as McCarthy scooped the ball to cross for the first try, which Byrne converted.

McCarthy saw yellow five minutes later for an intentional knock on when Munster were attacking inside the opposition 22.

The province were clinical with the extra man and scored out wide through Liam Coombes after stretching the Irish defence. Sylvester was off target with the conversion.

The second quarter saw both tens miss penalty chances in the blustery conditions and it remained 5-7 up to the half-time whistle.

Munster made a much better start to the second half and were on the attack almost from the off.

Cork Con’s Sean Duffy finished off a well worked try with the Garryowen duo of Dave McCarthy and Liam Coombes linking up in the build-up out wide after McCarthy showed great hands in getting the pass away to his winger. Sylvester’s conversion attempt dropped wide.

Ireland hit back with a Max Kearney try in the 56th minute as the men in red went through their own 10-minute spell with 14 men after Mikey Wilson picked up a yellow. Byrne kicked the conversion to extend the lead further.

The momentum was now with the visitors and they finished strongly with a Peter Sullivan brace to give a final score of 10-26 with Conor Kelly kicking one of the conversions.

Munster Development: Conor Hayes, Evan O’Gorman, Kieran Dunne, Dave McCarthy (C), Liam Coombes ; Peter Sylvester, Colin Sisk; Joey Conway, Tadhg McCarthy, Bryan O’Connor; Ronan Coffey, Mikey Wilson; Sean Duffy, Jack Daly, John Foley.

Replacements all used: John Hodnett, Josh Wycherley, Pat Casey, Rob O’Donovan, Denis Broderick (73), Charlie Carmody, Jack Lyons, Ben Healy, Nathan Randles.

Ireland U-20: James McCarthy, Peter Sullivan, Tommy O’Brien, James Newey, Angus Kernohan, Harry Byrne, Hugh O’Sullivan, James French, Ronan Kelleher, Jack Aungier, Cormac Daly, Jack Dunne, Sean Masterson, Matthew Agnew, Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements all used: Diarmuid Barron, Jordan Duggan, Joe Byrne, Charlie Ryan, Max Kearney, Ronan Foley, Jonny Stewart, Conor Kelly, Aaron O’Sullivan, Sean O’Brien, Michael Silvester.

Referee: Johnny Lacey