Munster Juniors Suffer Defeat In Final Junior Interpros Game

Connacht defeated Munster 22-17 at Castleisland, to finish runners up in this year’s Junior Interprovincial series.

A defeat for Ulster in their final game would have meant that the winners of this tie would have finished as winners, but that was never going to be, as Ulster dominated from the start to retain their title with a deserving 63-21 win at home to Leinster.

Munster took the lead with a penalty from Shane Airey after 21 minutes despite playing with fourteen players following a yellow card for Sean Murphy.

Munster led 3-0 at the interval, but three minutes into the second half Johannes Terblanche scored a try for Connacht, following sloppy play by Munster and Dylan Keane converted for a 7-3 lead.

Munster hit back quickly with a try by Brian Mullins and Fionn Fogarty converted, but it was Connacht who dominated to the finish. Tadgh Johnston and Luke Sweeney scored tries for the Westerners and Keane added a penalty and a conversion.

Frankie Horgan earned Munster a losing bonus point in the final minute and Fogarty converted.

Check out the gallery from the game here.

Munster: Ben Daly (Waterpark); Sam Glynn (Mallow), Jack Boylan (Carrick-on-Suir), Brian Mullins (Richmond), Sean Murphy (Newcastle West); Shane Airey (Newcastle West), Sean Crowe (Old Christians); Cathal Dennehy (Muskerry), Ewan Kennedy (Sunday’s Well), Cian Walsh (Old Christians); Jack Lonergan (Old Christinas), Jake Kennedy (Sunday’s Well); Killian O’Connell (Cobh Pirates), Sam Quinlan (Thurles); Scott Nolan (Waterpark).

Replacements: Phillip O’Callaghan (Muskerry), Matthew McCarthy (Clonakilty), Dave Jennings (Clonakilty), Conor O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Adam McEvoy (St Senan’s), Fionn Fogarty (Thurles), Jack O’Connell (Crosshaven), Frankie Horgan (Muskerry).

Connacht: Rory King (Galway Corinthians); Jack Wise (Galway Corinthians),  Harry Sheridan (Westport), Eoghan Coyle (Creggs), Josh Rowland (Dunmore); Dylan Keane (Ballinrobe), Tadhg Johnston (Galway Corinthians); Aidan Healy (Ballyhaunis), Max Holmes (Galway Corinthains), Sean O’Connell (Ballina); Xavier Tavai (Creggs), Bryan Walsh (Galway Corinthains); Malachy Joe Gavin (Dunmore), Johannes Terblanche (Tuam), Fintan Crawley (Ballyhaunis).

Replacements: Shane O’Hehir (Sligo), Ronan Mullin (Dunmore), Brendan McLoughlin (Westport), Stephen Grenham (Ballinasloe), Luke Sweeney (Ballina), Cormac Lyons (Westport), Daniel O’Connor (University of Galway), Paul Brennan (Ballina).

Referee: Kenny Goldrick (ARLB).