Below are reports from the second day of Schools games at the IRFU U18 inter-provincial festival. Check out reports from the Clubs games here.
Munster Schools 7
Leinster Schools 7
THESE TWO COULD not be separated in a real ding-dong draw in the U18 Schools inter-provincial series at the University of Limerick on Wednesday.
Josh Pyper bursts away for a Leinster try. Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO
It quickly became apparent that this would be a tight tussle, Munster’s Jack Delaney smacking the right post from a penalty and Leinster’s Sam Barry running out of options down the left.
Slowly, Leinster started to take over the territory, if not the scoreboard, with captain Barry and prop Levi Vaughan prominent and wing Matt Grogan unable to beat the vigilant Aaron Leahy.
The game was delayed for the best part of 10 minutes due to an injury and this took some of the fizz out of it.
Nonetheless, Leinster had the edge in possession and territory without being able to get any closer than a Chris Cosgrave penalty which drifted left and wide in the 31st minute. The breakthrough came from Josh Pyper’s speed onto a loose ball for Cosgrave to convert for 7-0 in the 39th minute.
Centre Delaney had to be rocked by fullback Ed Kelly in a tackle and Grogan poached a turnover as Munster came looking for a response.
Harry O’Riordan scores for Munster. Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO
They found it from centre Harry O’Riordan’s angled run off a scrum, allowing Delaney to make it 7-7 in the 57th minute. It was nip-and-tuck from there with neither province able to find a winning answer.
Munster’s best:
Daniel Okeke – In a game of heavy collisions, the number eight was one of the few to usually take and make contact on his terms.
Leinster’s best:
Levi Vaughan – The livewire tighthead was a ball of energy in how he refused to go to ground without a fight.
Munster:
15. Killian Dineen (Ardscoil Ris)
14. Conor Sheahan (St Munchin’s)
13. Harry O’Riordan (CBC, Cork)
12. Jack Delaney (Crescent)
11. Aaron Leahy (CBC, Cork)
10. Cian Whooley (CBC, Cork)
9. Jake Connolly (Crescent)
1. Mark Donnelly (CBC, Cork, captain)
2. Billy Kingston (CBC, Cork)
3. Craig Finn (St Munchin’s)
4. Will O’Callaghan (Ardscoil Ris)
5. John Forde (PBC, Cork)
6. Jack Kelleher (PBC, Cork)
7. Jack Ward Murphy (Ardscoil Ris)
8. Daniel Okeke (Ardscoil Ris)
Replacements:
16. Ronan O’Sullivan (CBC)
17. Donagh Hyland (Glenstal Abbey)
18. Corey Hanlon (CBC)
19. Luke Obersby (Midleton College)
20. Niall Queally (Glenstal Abbey)
21. Mark O’Connor (CBC Cork)
22. Will Twomey (Glenstal Abbey)
23. Daniel Hurley (PBC)
24. Michael Hand (PBC)
Leinster:
15. Ed Kelly (St Michael’s)
14. Matthew Grogan (Belvedere)
13. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s)
12. Justin Leonard (Belvedere)
11. Josh Pyper (Pres Bray)
10. David Wilkinson (Clongowes Wood)
9. Rob Gilsenan (St Michael’s)
1. Levi Vaughan (Terenure)
2. Lee Barron (St Michael’s)
3. Sam Illo (Wesley)
4. Jonathan Fish (St Michael’s)
5. Alex Soroka (Belvedere)
6. Jack Barry (Gonzaga, captain)
7. Aaron Coleman (Belvedere)
8. Will Hickey (St Michael’s)
Replacements:
16. Calum Dowling (Clongowes Wood)
17. Barry Dooley (Clongowes Wood)
18. Hugo O’Malley (Blackrock)
19. Jack Guinane (St Michael’s)
20. Tom Gilheany (Clongowes Wood)
21. Ben Murphy (Pres Bray)
22. Niall Carroll (St Michael’s)
23. Tim O’Brien (Clongowes Wood)
24. Simon O’Kelly (St Michael’s)
25. Arthur Henry (Gonzaga)
26. Gavin Meagher (Cistercian, Roscrea)
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Ulster Schools 41
IQ Rugby 26
The pinpoint kicking of Nathan Doak – son of former Ulster coach Neil – was key to Ulster eventually taming Irish-Qualified Rugby, formerly known as the Exiles, in the first of the U18 Schools inter-pros in UL.