Munster Underage Sides Fall To Opening Round Defeats

Munster U19 and Munster U18 Clubs fell to defeats on the opening weekend of the IRFU Inteprovincial Championship.

Both sides came up against their Leinster neighbours on Saturday at Energia Park in Dublin with the U19s falling to a 27-7 defeat while the U18 Clubs side were narrowly beaten 12-8.

IRFU U19 Men’s Interprovincial Championship Round 1

Leinster U19 27 Munster U19 7

By Thomas Lyster 

In a game played in all four seasons at Energia Park, the Leinster Under-19s beat Munster 27-7 to begin their IRFU U-19 Men’s Interprovincial campaign in impressive fashion.

Prop Evan O’Riordan’s try on the stroke of half-time edged Munster into a 7-5 lead, responding to an earlier effort from Leinster lock Jim Peters.

Munster’s Liam McCarthy comes up against Liam Molony of Leinster during Round 1 of the IRFU U19 Men’s Interprovincial Series at Energia Park on Saturday
©INPHO

The wet weather gave way to sunshine on the restart, with Leinster captain Sam Prendergast taking advantage to kick his side in front from a penalty.

Andy Wood’s charges went 15-7 up when out-half Prendergast kicked through for winger James Nicholson to touch down.

They added two more tries in a rain-lashed final ten minutes to seal their bonus point. Diarmuid Mangan, via a lovely George Hadden pass, and replacement Gus McCarthy both crossed.

Scorers: Leinster U-19s: Tries: Jim Peters, James Nicholson, Diarmuid Mangan, Gus McCarthy; Cons: Sam Prendergast 2; Pen: Sam Prendergast

Munster U-19s: Try: Evan O’Riordan; Con: Jack Oliver

HT: Leinster U-19s 5 Munster U-19s 7

Leinster U19: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC); James Nicholson (St. Michael’s College), Hugh Cooney (Blackrock College), David Dooley (MU Barnhall RFC), Ethan Laing (Blackrock College); Sam Prendergast (Newbridge College) (capt), Fintan Gunne (St. Michael’s College); George Hadden (Gorey RFC), Tom Barry (Gonzaga College), Ronan Foxe (Tullamore RFC), Daniel Leane (St. Mary’s College), Jim Peters (Portlaoise RFC), Diarmuid Mangan (Newbridge College), Liam Molony (Blackrock College), Matthew Victory (St. Michael’s College).

Replacements: Gerhard Zdunek (Temple Carrig School), Gus McCarthy (Blackrock College), Patrick McCarthy (Blackrock College), James Doyle (Enniscorthy RFC), Dan Carroll (St. Michael’s College), Oscar Cawley (Naas RFC), Matthew Lynch (Terenure College), Darragh Gilbourne (St. Mary’s College).

Munster U19: Jacob O’Driscoll (Bandon RFC); Joshua Costello (Shannon RFC/St. Munchin’s College), Henry Buttimer (Rockwell College/Clonmel RFC), Liam McCarthy (Bandon Grammar School/Skibbereen RFC), James O’Brien (St. Munchin’s College/St Mary’s RFC); Jeff Williams (Bandon Grammar School/Bandon RFC), Jack Oliver (Garryowen FC/Castletroy College) (capt); Evan O’Riordan (CBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Thomas Land (CBC Cork/Midleton RFC), Danny McCarthy (Midleton RFC/Midleton CBS), Eoghan Sheehan (CBC Cork/Dolphin RFC), Tommy O’Connor (St. Gerard’s School), Rudhan Quinn (Crescent College Comprehensive/Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Peter Hyland (PBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Brian Gleeson (Rockwell College/Thurles RFC).

Replacements: Conall Henchy (Crescent College Comprehensive/UL Bohemian RFC), Gus Harrington (Shannon RFC/St. Munchin’s College), Stephen Hayes (St. Munchin’s College/St. Mary’s RFC), Diarmuid Dennehy (Bruff RFC), Kevin Roche (CBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Andrew O’Mahony (CBC Cork/Dolphin RFC), Daire Burke (CBC Cork/Cork Constitution FC), Paddy Hassett (Ardscoil Rís/Shannon RFC), Jack Kevane (Bandon Grammar School/Skibbereen RFC), James Finn (Nenagh Ormond RFC/St. Joseph’s CBS), Luke Doyle (Waterford City RFC).

IRFU U18 Men’s Clubs Interprovincial Championship Round 1

Leinster U18 Clubs 12 Munster U18 Clubs 8

By Thomas Lyster 

Leinster won the opening fixture of the PwC IRFU Under-18 Men’s Clubs Interprovincial Championship, edging out Munster 12-8 to complete a double for the province in Donnybrook.

Following up on their U-19 counterparts’ earlier success at Energia Park, second half tries from Oisin Lynch and Charlie Sheridan saw Leinster overturn a five-point half-time deficit.

Munster’s Paul Graham during the IRFU U18 Men’s Clubs Interprovincial Series Round 1 match with Leinster at Energia Park on Saturday
©INPHO

Influential Midleton scrum half Kyle Read, who had scored out wide to break the deadlock, was inches away from notching a second try as Munster finished strongly.

However, Joe Carbery’s Leinster side dug deep to keep a hold of their narrow lead, forcing a late knock-on and then winning a crucial turnover penalty.

Scorers: Leinster U-18 Clubs: Tries: Oisin Lynch, Charlie Sheridan; Con: Ethan Travers

Munster U-18 Clubs: Try: Kyle Read; Pen: Jimi Fenton

HT: Leinster U-18 Clubs 0 Munster U-18 Clubs 5

Leinster U18 Clubs: David Donohue (Lansdowne FC); Aidan Henry (Athy RFC), Charlie Sheridan (Naas RFC), Senan Phelan (St. Mary’s College RFC), Jack Sheridan (Naas RFC); Ethan Travers (Naas RFC), Andrew Doyle (Athy RFC); Oisin Lynch (Boyne RFC), Niall O’Hanlon (Athy RFC), Adam Deay (Tullow RFC), James O’Loughlin (Naas RFC) (capt), Luke O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Eoin Clarke (Cill Dara RFC), Donagh McCarrick (Coolmine RFC), Grant Palmer (Wexford Wanderers RFC).

Replacements: Liam Nicholson (Wicklow RFC), Jamie Rafferty (Dundalk RFC), Keith Farrell (MU Barnhall RFC), Sean Whelan (New Ross RFC), Anrai Poole (Suttonians RFC), Jack Nolan (Lansdowne FC), Tom Larke (Old Wesley RFC), Páidí Farrell (Tullamore RFC).

Munster U18 Clubs: Conall Doyle (Youghal RFC); Kieran Kennedy (Waterford City RFC), Paul Graham (Kinsale RFC) (capt), Lukas Hagermark (Cork Constitution FC), Craig Riordan (St. Senan’s RFC); Jimi Fenton (Rugbaí Corca Duibhne), Kyle Read (Midleton RFC); Jack Ward (Bantry Bay RFC), Shaughan Hanrahan (Garryowen FC), Adam Cunningham (Clonmel RFC), Adam Sheahan (Skibbereen RFC), Oluwanifemi Giwa (Cashel RFC), Darragh Burns (Kilrush RFC), Eoghan McKay (Sunday’s Well RFC), Sean Edogbo (Cobh Pirates RFC).

Replacements: Donnacha Morrissey (Kilrush RFC), Adam McMahon (Garryowen FC), Tiernan O’Connell (Midleton RFC), Eoghan Cawley (Skibbereen RFC), Ben Murphy (Cobh Pirates RFC), Sean O’Dwyer (Bruff RFC), Luca Cleary (Ennis RFC), Frankie Gillane (Waterford City RFC).