U18 Schools Team Lose In Leinster

The Munster U18 Schools team, sponsored by Trend Micro, lost 15-13 in Leinster on Saturday afternoon as the hosts claimed the Interprovincial title.

The win for Leinster meant that both teams ended the campaign with three wins from four and 13 points apiece.

The destination of the title was then decided by points difference from the four games with Leinster coming out on top by just a single point to snatch the Interprovincial honours.

Munster started well with Glenstal Abbey's Ben Healy kicking a second minute penalty to make it 3-0. That early lead was wiped out almost immediately however as David Hawkshaw got in under the posts for Leinster with David Ryan converting.

A second penalty from the ever dependable Healy cut the deficit before the break as Leinster led 7-6 at the interval as Munster were held just short on a number of occasions.

The hosts pushed further in front on the hour as replacement Elliot Ryan kicked their first penalty to make it 10-6.

Leinster then crossed for their second try as Hawkshaw, Ruadhan Byron and Niall McEniff combined to put Ryan over in the corner as Leinster now led by nine, 15-6.

Munster's never-say-die attitude saw them hit back almost immediately as Castletroy's Paul Clancy crossed in the corner and Healy nailed the touchline conversion to reduce the deficit to just two.

They were unable to score again in the little time remaining however as Leinster took the title by the smallest of margins.

Leinster: Sam Dardis (Terenure College); Liam Turner (Blackrock College), David Ryan (St Michael's College), Cormac Foley (St Gerard's School), Sam Barry; David Hawkshaw (both Belvedere College), Conrad Daly (Clongowes Wood College); Niall McEniff, Richie Bergin (both St Mary's College), Luke Rigney (Cistercian College Roscrea); Ronan Watters (St Mary's College), Ryan Baird (St Michael's College) Captain; Cian Prendergast (Newbridge College), Adam Fleming (Catholic University School), Ruadhan Byron (Belvedere College).
Replacements: Michael Milne (Cistercian College Roscrea) for Rigney 26 mins; Elliott Ryan (Presentation College Bray) for Daly 52 mins.

Munster: Jonathon Wren (PBC); Ben Moloney (Glenstal), Seán French (PBC), Luke Fitzgerald (Glenstal), JD O'Hea (CBC); Ben Healy (Glenstal), Craig Casey (Ardscoil Rís, Capt); Josh Wycherley (Cistercian, Roscrea), George Downing (Glenstal Abbey), Luke Masters (CBC), Cian Hurley (CBC), Anthony Ryan (CBC), Cian Fitzgerald, (PBC), Daniel Feasey (Crescent College), Luke Clohessy (Ardscoil Rís).
Replacements: Travis Coomey (Bandon Grammar) for Wycherley 18 mins; Daniel O'Connor (CBC) for Downing, Finn Burke (CBC) for Fitzgerald both h-t; Mark Fleming (Glenstal Abbey) for Ryan 45 mins; Colin Sisk (CBC) for Casey 60 mins; Paul Clancy (Castletroy) for Moloney 65 mins.

Referee: J Erskine, IRFU.