Mixed Results For Age-Grade Sides From Weekend Interpros

It was a mixed weekend for our age-grade representative sides against their Connacht counterparts in the IRFU Interprovincial Championship.

On Sunday, Munster U19 edged out their Connacht counterparts 24-19 at Dubarry Park in Athlone while earlier in the day at the same venue, Munster U18 Clubs lost our narrowly to the Westerners on a scoreline of 13-10.

At St. Mary’s RFC in Dublin, our U18 Women side lined out for the first time in this Championship but Fiona Hayes’ side were unable to claw back a halftime 7-0 deficit as they lost out on a final score of 7-5.

IRFU U18 Men’s Clubs Interprovincial Championship Round 3

Connacht U18 Clubs 13 Munster U18 Clubs 10

The crucial score came from Corrib’s John Hughes, whose late try was converted by Ryan Roache. The teams had been level at three-all at half-time.

The early stages of the first half were dominated by Munster, who had suffered narrow defeats to Leinster and Ulster, but they could not make the breakthrough up to the water break.

Craig Riordan missed a penalty kick, while Conor Galvin’s Connacht side cleared their lines after Munster had pressed for a pushover score in the corner.

The hosts, who lost 24-17 to Leinster last week, were being penned back in their own half, but they held out until 29 minutes when Munster opened the scoring.

Goal-kicking winger Riordan was successful on this occasion with a well-struck penalty. Connacht rallied just before the interval and were rewarded on the scoreboard from the last kick of the half.

Munster U18’s Craig Riordan ©INPHO

A lineout saw Connacht finally put Munster under pressure and the ball was worked out to the right. Munster were penalised and Galwegians’ Roache made no mistake as he slotted over from in front of the posts.

The half-time whistle sounded to see a low-scoring half end level, Munster with lots of possession but a gritty Connacht hanging on to head into the second period in good spirits.

The closing half resumed in similar fashion with the Noel O’Meara-coached Munster team on top, yet Connacht had an early chance to take the lead.

Flanker Max Flynn played a captain’s role as he went on a run deep into the opposition half – only to be halted before he could cross the whitewash.

Connacht were certainly looking much improved, and they were rewarded with the lead score after 55 minutes. Roache, from in front of the posts, sent over a second successful penalty.

Their lead was short-lived, though, as Munster hit back just a minute later. A wayward pass was intercepted by Lukas Hagermark, and with Connacht suddenly exposed, the Cork Constitution youngster race clear to touch down.

Riordan added the extras, leaving Munster 10-6 ahead at the water break. However, there was a shock in store for the visitors as Connacht conjured up a decisive 69th-minute try.

The ball was worked along the line and replacement prop Hughes completed the move when scoring under the posts. Roache tagged on a straightforward conversion.

Munster then passed up two chances to level matters when close to the line. Penalties were awarded but they opted to go for the corner instead.

It was a ploy that failed to pay off as Munster could not drive over the line. When they were penalised, Roache kicked the ball dead to confirm a hard-fought maiden victory for Galvin’s side.

Scorers:

Connacht U-18 Clubs: Try: John Hughes; Con: Ryan Roache; Pens: Ryan Roache 2

Munster U-18 Clubs: Try: Lukas Hagermark; Con: Craig Riordan; Pen: Craig Riordan

HT: Connacht U-18 Clubs 3 Munster U-18 Clubs 3

CONNACHT U-18 CLUBS: Cody Farrell (Galwegians RFC/St. Paul’s Oughterard); Cathal Kelly (Ballina RFC/St. Muirdeach’s College), Sean Fox (Galway Corinthians RFC/Calasanctius College), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Colaiste Iognaid), Shane Fitzpatrick (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College); Ryan Roache (Galwegians RFC/St. Paul’s Oughterard), Joey Tierney (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College); Sean Hopkins (Ballina RFC/St. Muirdeach’s College), Ronan Lydon (Galwegians RFC/CC Roscrea), Charlie Byrne (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), Alistair Hill (Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School), Blayze Molloy (Ballina RFC/St. Muirdeach’s College), Eoin Kelly (Creggs RFC/CBS Roscommon), Max Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/CC Roscrea) (capt), Conor Ryan (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College).

Replacements: Oisin Dolan (Buccaneers RFC/Athlone CC), John Hughes (Corrib RFC/Yeats College), Dylan Bolger (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), Jamie Treacy (Ballinrobe RFC/Ballinrobe Community College), Charlie Leonard (Galway Corinthians RFC/Colaiste Iognaid), Ben Matheson (Ballina RFC/St. Muirdeach’s College), Charlie Naughton (Ballinasloe RFC/CC Roscrea), Eoghan Flannery (Galway Corinthians RFC/Colaiste na Coiribe).

MUNSTER U-18 CLUBS: Conall Doyle (Youghal RFC); Frankie Gillane (Waterford City RFC), Paul Graham (Kinsale RFC) (capt), Lukas Hagermark (Cork Constitution FC), Craig Riordan (St. Senan’s RFC); Jimi Fenton (Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne), Luca Cleary (Ennis RFC); Jack Ward (Bantry Bay RFC), Shaughan Hanrahan (Garryowen FC), Adam Cunningham (Clonmel RFC), Adam Sheahan (Skibbereen RFC), Eoghan Cawley (Skibbereen RFC), Ben Murphy (Cobh Pirates RFC), Eoghan McKay (Sunday’s Well RFC), Darragh Burns (Kilrush RFC).

Replacements: Donnacha Morrissey (Kilrush RFC), Adam McMahon (Garryowen FC), Tiernan O’Connell (Midleton RFC), Oluwanifemi Giwa (Cashel RFC), Sean O’Dwyer (Bruff RFC), Kyle Read (Midleton RFC), Kieran Kennedy (Waterford City RFC), Kian Smith (Charleville & District RFC), Conall Hoyland (Clonmel RFC), Jack Scahill (Ennis RFC), Sean Edogbo (Cobh Pirates RFC).

IRFU U18 Women Interprovincial Championship Round 2

Connacht U18 Women 7 Munster U18 Women 5

Connacht’s determination and resilience over two games of the PwC Interprovincial Series paid off with a rousing 7-5 victory over defending champions Munster at Templeville Road.

It was an entertaining and competitive affair for the full 70 minutes. Connacht had defended well in the face of an overpowering Leinster attack last week, but added a cutting edge in attack with this performance.

Molly Boote was a menace with ball in hand. She raced onto an intercept just as Munster were getting their offload game firing in the first quarter, and Eloise Clarke had to be forced into touch just metres out to prevent a try.

The strike running of Carrick-on-Suir full-back Ellen Boylan looked like Munster’s main attacking threat early on, while their kick-chase was causing problems for Connacht too.

Kate Flannery had one swerving run in midfield and Saskia Wycherley, cheered on from the stands by her brother Fineen, was faultless in the first half as Munster’s lineout winner.

Munster U18 Women’s Saskia Wycherley
©INPHO

Saskia pulled down another clean lineout after 32 minutes, but Munster’s exit kick from inside the 22 was caught brilliantly by Boote. She found Éabha Nic Dhonnacha who popped the ball off to Ballina’s Sarah McCormick to charge for the line.

Nic Dhonnacha’s conversion was to prove crucial, and with Connacht 7-0 to the good at half-time, they went close to scoring again soon after the restart.

Munster hesitated after a knock on in front of their posts and Roisin Maher dived on the loose ball. It was recycled to out-half Aifric Ní Ghibne, who was unfortunate to be held up in crossing the line.

Despite some inspirational turnovers from Connacht captain Ivana Kiripati and her back row colleagues, Munster’s efforts were deserving of a score and it arrived in the 66th minute.

A crash ball carry from skipper Shauna Maher set up the overlap for Boylan to cross the whitewash out wide. Flannery’s difficult conversion fell short and Connacht kept their noses in front.

Munster’s scrum earned them one last chance, but Connacht’s work-rate at the breakdown was worthy of winning the game, and it fell to prop Roisin Maher to kick the ball out of play and spark scenes of jubilation for the young women of the west.

Scorers:

Connacht U-18 Women: Try: Sarah McCormick; Con: Éabha Nic Dhonnacha

Munster U-18 Women: Try: Ellen Boylan.

HT: Connacht U-18 Women 7 Munster U-18 Women 0

CONNACHT U-18 WOMEN: Clara Barrett (Ballina RFC); Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam RFC), Molly Boote (Connemara RFC), Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (Galway Corinthians RFC), Clodadh Powell (Ballinasloe RFC); Aifric Ní Ghibne (Galway Corinthians RFC), Olivia Haverty (Ballinasloe RFC); Ellen O’Toole (Westport RFC), Joann Curley (Ballinasloe RFC), Roisin Maher (Creggs RFC), Grainne Hahessy (Claremorris RFC), Sarah McCormick (Ballina RFC), Eloise Clarke (Buccaneers RFC), Karly Tierney (Oughterard RFC), Ivana Kiripati (Buccaneers RFC) (capt).

Replacements: Leah Sweeney (Ballina RFC), Abigail Gibbons (Claremorris RFC), Mollie Starr (Portumna RFC), Kate Brady (Sligo RFC), Aibidh Ní Mháille (Galway Corinthians RFC), Amy McWilliams (Ballina RFC), Emma Jane Mitchell (Ballinasloe RFC), Maria Gorham (Connemara RFC).

MUNSTER U-18 WOMEN: Ellen Boylan (Carrick-on-Suir RFC); Aisling Stock (Bantry Bay RFC), Lucia Linn (Dolphin RFC), Brianna Heylmann (Waterpark RFC), Emily O’Regan (Tralee RFC), Kate Flannery (Fethard & District RFC), Ellie Cournane (Iveragh/Abbeyfeale RFC); Ciara Fleming (Carrick-on-Suir RFC), Robyn McKenna (Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Shauna Maher (Fethard & District RFC) (capt), Kaitlyn Callanan (Thurles RFC), Aimee Kelly (Bruff RFC), Kira Fitzgerald (Youghal RFC), Saskia Wycherley (Bantry Bay RFC), Anna Kate Cournane (Iveragh/Abbeyfeale RFC).

Replacements: Orla Evans (Midleton RFC), Aoife Fleming (Carrick-on-Suir RFC), Katie Houlihan (Abbeyfeale RFC), Tova McMahon (Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Rebecca Rogers (Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Kate O’Sullivan (Skibbereen RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (Youghal RFC), Beth Buttimer (Fethard & District RFC).

IRFU U19 Men’s Interprovincial Championship Round 3

Connacht U19 19 Munster U19 24

Henry Buttimer’s 58th-minute intercept try was enough to get Munster over the finish line, after they had led 17-7 at half-time.

It was three tries apiece in the end at Dubarry Park, Connacht launching a late surge for a levelling score but falling just short.

Luck has not been on the westerners’ side during this campaign, today’s result being their third narrow defeat on the back of three-point losses to Ulster and title winners Leinster.

Eager for action after last week’s postponement against Ulster, the Munster youngsters race into a 17-point lead up to the first water break.

Captain Jack Oliver slotted over a second-minute penalty, and Thurles number 8 Brian Gleeson powered over the try-line five minutes later. Oliver popped over the conversion.

A second try followed on the quarter hour mark as Fiach O’Loughlin’s side took control. Luke Doyle kicked ahead and sped through to touch down, with scrum half Oliver again converting.

Connacht responded in the 27th minute when Munster failed to clear their lines. Galwegians’ Andrew Sherlock got in to score a try, converted from the right by Harry West, his half-back partner.

It gave the Gavin Foley-coached hosts a foothold in a game that could easily have drifted away from them. Ten points was the difference when the half-time whistle sounded.

Munster U19’s Paddy Hassett
©INPHO

The outcome was still in the balance as the game headed towards the hour mark. Munster, though, made what looked like the crucial breakthrough of the second half.

Clonmel winger Buttimer brilliantly picked off a wayward Connacht pass and ran half the length of the pitch to score under the points, giving out-half Jeff Williams a simple conversion.

The half was 32 minutes old when Connacht cut through with an intercept of their own. Skipper John Devine was the beneficiary as he raced to the corner for an unconverted effort.

It looked like a consolation score but, impressively, more was to come from the boys in green as they bagged another try just three minutes later.

Ballina out-half West, a leading light for Connacht across the Championship, broke through for his third try of the campaign. He converted to take his tournament haul to 32 points.

A grandstand finish was now in prospect with only five points in it. West kicked for the corner on two occasions as Connacht pressed for another try, but Munster stood firm.

In the dying seconds, Connacht worked the ball across the line in search of a gap, only for the solid Munster defensive wall to swarm in and hold the ball up.

Scorers:

Connacht U-19s: Tries: Andrew Sherlock, John Devine, Harry West; Cons: Harry West 2

Munster U-19s: Tries: Brian Gleeson, Luke Doyle, Henry Buttimer; Cons: Jack Oliver 2, Jeff Williams; Pen: Jack Oliver

HT: Connacht U-19s 7 Munster U-19s 17

CONNACHT U-19: Tadhg Finlay (DLSP FC); Blaine Barry (Connemara RFC/Galway Corinthians RFC), Adam Madden (Galway Corinthians RFC), John Devine (Ballinasloe RFC) (capt), Adam O’Carroll (Ballinasloe RFC); Harry West (Ballina RFC), Andrew Sherlock (Galwegians RFC); Nicky Pfeiffer (Galwegians RFC), Dylan Keane (Galwegians RFC), Jonathon Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC), Eoin Ryan (Sligo RFC), Lorcan Fallon (Buccaneers RFC), Gareth Kilkelly (Galway Corinthians RFC), Adam Hunter (Sligo RFC), Fiachna Barrett (Ballina RFC).

Replacements: Adam Nash (Buccaneers RFC), Aaron Burke (Ballinasloe RFC), Alex Hennigan (Ballina RFC), Harry Regan (Ballina RFC), Luke Walsh (Ballinasloe RFC), Kelvin Langan (Monivea RFC/Galwegians RFC), Liam Golden (Ballina RFC), David Gacquin (Creggs (RFC).

MUNSTER U-19: James O’Brien (St. Munchin’s College/St. Mary’s RFC); Henry Buttimer (Rockwell College/Clonmel RFC), Paddy Hassett (Ardscoil Rís/Shannon RFC), Liam McCarthy (Bandon Grammar School/Skibbereen RFC), Luke Doyle (Waterford City RFC); Jeff Williams (Bandon Grammar School/Bandon RFC), Jack Oliver (Garryowen FC/Castletroy College) (capt); Conall Henchy (Crescent College Comprehensive/UL Bohemian RFC), Gus Harrington (Shannon RFC/St. Munchin’s College), Danny McCarthy (Midleton RFC/Midleton CBS), Diarmuid Dennehy (Bruff RFC), Eoghan Sheehan (CBC Cork/Dolphin RFC), Ruadhan Quinn (Crescent College Comprehensive/Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Peter Hyland (PBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Brian Gleeson (Rockwell College/Thurles RFC).

Replacements: Evan O’Riordan (CBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Thomas Land (CBC Cork/Midleton RFC), Stephen Hayes (St. Munchin’s College/St. Mary’s RFC), Tommy O’Connor (St. Gerard’s School), Robert McCarthy (Bandon RFC), Andrew O’Mahony (CBC/Dolphin RFC), Daire Burke (CBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Joshua Costello (Shannon RFC/St. Munchin’s College), Tom Downey (Rockwell College/Cashel RFC), James Finn (Nenagh Ormond RFC/St. Joseph’s CBS), Tomas Clifford (Killarney RFC).