Ireland U20s 21 

Ireland’s preparations for the U20 Six Nations Championship suffered a blow with an agonising last-gasp defeat to a Leinster Development side at Energia Park in Dublin on Friday.

Richie Murphy’s national side had overcome a shaky start and looked set to earn a second successive warm-up win, following last week’s 21-13 triumph over Munster Development at Musgrave Park. Yet Leinster had other ideas and, courtesy of a stoppage-time try from winger Donal Conroy, they claimed the spoils at the end of an eventful contest.

The home province hit the ground running early on with Joe McCarthy and Conor Gibney both breaking over for unconverted tries inside the opening quarter.

Ireland grew into the tie as it developed, however, and Fionn Gibbons eventually opened their account with a powerful finish off a Matthew Devine pass on 32 minutes.

Fly-half Charlie Tector was on hand to supply the bonuses, which left Ireland just three points in arrears (10-7) at the break. Bolstered by the presence of Munster prodigy Patrick Campbell – who was joined in the back-three by provincial colleague George Coomber – the underage side swung the pendulum in their favour on the resumption.

Either side of a penalty try for Leinster, hooker James McCormick and scrum-half Devine crossed over in clinical style to leave Ireland in the driving seat.

Devine’s 58th-minute try looked set to be the decisive score of the game, until Conroy’s superb solo effort – supplemented by a Sam Prendergast bonus strike – ensured Leinster snatched victory at the death.

Scorers for Leinster Development: J McCarthy, C Gibney, D Conroy try each, penalty try, S Prendergast con.

Scorers for Ireland U20s: F Gibbons, J McCormick, M Devine try each, C Tector 3 cons.

LEINSTER DEVELOPMENT: D O’Grady; D Conroy, C Gibney, L Turner, C Cosgrave; D Hawkshaw, M Moloney; B Popplewell, J McKee, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Dunne; A Soroka, L Callinan, D Lawlor.

Replacements: L Barron, T Lasisi, D Lynch, P Deeny, J Peters, F McWey, B Murphy, S Prendergast, M Lynch, D Dooley.

IRELAND U20s: P Campbell; G Coomber, F Gibbons, B Brownlee, A King; C Tector, M Devine; O Michel, J McCormick, R McGuire; J Glasgow, M Morrissey; L McLoughlin, R Crothers, J Culhane.

Replacements: J Hanlon, K Ryan, S Wilson, A McNamee, C Moloney, A Maher, T Butler, D Squires, C O’Tighearnaigh, R Malone, D Rhys Hey.