Double Joy For Munster Sides At Lansdowne

Both the Munster Clubs Under 18 side and Schools side recorded wins over Ulster in their respective Interprovincials at Lansdowne, the CBC grounds, today.

U18 Clubs: Munster 24 Ulster 7.

Munster came from behind to defeat Ulster in the final game of the series at Lansdowne this afternoon.

The visitors made the better start and they were presented with the game’s first scoring opportunity within two minutes of the kick-off but Cormac Fox’s long range penalty effort was narrowly off target.

Ulster continued to have the home side on the back foot and they opened the scoring in the fifth minute when the ball was spread out across the backline to Callum O’Hagan for a try in the corner following a five-metre scrum. Fox converted from a difficult angle.

Munster opened their account midway through the opening half when Colin Deane crashed over in the corner following a ruck deep inside the visitors’ 22.

The home side continued to have Ulster pinned back approaching the break and they took the lead when Jordan Higgins touched down under the posts following a scrum on the visitors’ ten-metre line. David McCarthy followed it up with the simple conversion to give Munster an interval lead of 12-7.

Munster raised their game for the second half as Dev Murphy got their third try in the opposite corner following a ruck deep inside the visitors’ 22, seven minutes after the break.

The scoring was completed 11 minutes from time when David McCarthy scored a try in the corner, which he also converted, following a scrum inside the Ulster 22.

Scorers: Munster: David McCarthy try & 2 cons; Colin Deane, Jordan Higgins, Dev Murphy tries.
Ulster: Callum O’Hagan try; Cormac Fox con.

Munster: Jordan Higgins (Shannon); Timmy Phelan (Dolphin), Maurice Daly (Dungarvan), David McCarthy Capt. (Skibbereen), Ethan Greene (Kinsale); Alex Molloy (Waterpark), Finn Rhys Thomas (Dungarvan); Luke Jordan (Dolphin), Tadgh McCarthy (Bantry Bay), Pat Casey (Bantry Bay); Colin Deane (Clonakilty), Jack Nolan (Waterpark); Shane O'Neill (Killorglin), Jack Daly (Castleisland), Odhran Ring (Bruff).

Replacements: Derry Gleeson (Garryowen), Josh Wycherley (Bantry Bay), Jack Mullany (Dungarvan), Evan Carroll (Young Munster), Conor Ferns (Young Munster), Conor Hayes (Young Muster), Colm McSweeney (Newcastle West-Estuary), Dev Murphy (Waterpark).

Ulster: Peter Scott (Letterkenny); Callum O'Hagan (City of Derry). Michael O'Neill (Rainey Old Boys), Daniel Faulkner (Letterkenny), Michael Savage (Monaghan); Cormac Fox (City of Armagh), William Holden (Portadown); Shay McLaughlin (Randalstown), Matthew Coulter (Ballyclare), Paul Mullen (City of Armagh); Oisin Kiernan (Virginia), John McCusker (Rainey Old Boys); Joe Dunleavy (Letterkenny), Barry Finn (City of Armagh), Aaron Hall (Ballyclare).

Replacements: Philip Ewing (Omagh Academicals), Aaron Kennedy (City of Armagh), Michael Gordon (Virginia), Elliot Forbes (Dromore), Dylan Tighe (Virginia), Jack Lloyd-Evans (Rainey Old Boys), Niall McKeating (Malone), Ronan Patterson (Virginia).

Referee: Brian Deighan (IRFU)


U18 Schools: Munster 24 Ulster 18.

The Munster Under 18 Schools side also finished their Interprovincial Campaign on a winning note as they came from behind to defeat Ulster in a closely contested encounter at Lansdowne.

Callum Smith put the visitors in front with a penalty from inside the Munster 22 in the second minute.

Munster remained on the back foot for most of the opening half as they had to wait until the 25^th minute for Daniel Hurley to score their first try under the posts, following a lineout deep in the Ulster 22. James Taylor added the simple conversion to give Munster a 7-3 advantage.

Smith brought Ulster to within a point of the home side following the restart with a penalty and sloppy passing was proving to be costly for the home side approaching the break.

In an entertaining second half Ulster regained the lead with Smith’s third penalty, but the home side replied instantly with a try from Jack O’Sullivan, which was also converted by Taylor.

Two unanswered penalties by Smith put Ulster back in the driving seat entering the final quarter.

Taylor won the game for Munster with a try, which he converted and this was followed by a late penalty.

Scorers: Munster: James Taylor try, pen & 3 cons; Daniel Hurley & Jack O’Sullivan tries.
Ulster: Callum Smith 6 pens.

Munster: Marcus Browne (St. Munchin's College); Daniel Hurley (Crescent College Comprehensive), Pa Ryan (Ard Scoil Rís), Peter Sylvester (PBC Cork), Seán French (PBC Cork); James Taylor (CBC Cork), Aaron Rice (St. Munchin's College); James French (Bandon Grammar), Diarmuid Barron (Rockwell College), Ciaran McHugh (CBC Cork); Seán English (Castletroy College), Ronan Coffey Capt. (Ard Scoil Rís); Fergus Hennessy (CBC Cork), Charlie Carmody (St. Munchin's College), Jack O'Sullivan (PBC Cork).

Replacements: Johnny Williams (Glenstal Abbey School), Luke Masters (CBC Cork), Mark Bromell (Castletroy College), Conor O'Flynn (PBC Cork), Ian Brown (Ard Scoil Rís), Steven Atkinson (Castletroy College), Jack O'Shea (PBC Cork). Paul Buckley (PBC Cork)

Ulster: Joe Finnegan (RBAI); Josh Agnew (Royal School Armagh), Chris Jordan (Sullivan Upper), Callum Smith (Coleraine Grammar School), Ben Finlay (Wallace High School); Michael Lowry (RBAI), Jonathan Stewart (Wallace High School); Callum Reid (RBAI), Alex Clarke (Ballymena Academy), Tom O’Toole (Campbell College); Alistair Burke (Ballyclare High School), Matt Dalton (RBAI); Zac Ward (Down High School), Cameron Kelly (Methodist College), Jack Berry-Glendinning (Campbell College).

Replacements: Clayton Milligan (Down High School), Tyler Arnold (Belfast High School), Kyle Van Giesen (Regent House), James Nelson (Campbell College), Azur Allison (Ballymena Academy), Conor McAuley (RBAI), Angus Kernohan (Ballymena Academy), Matt Norris (Coleraine Grammar School).

Referee: Barry O’Keeffe (IRFU).

RESULTS:

Under 18 Clubs: Munster 24, Ulster 7;

U18 Schools: Munster 24, Ulster 18.