Ireland 41 Scotland 24

Ireland claimed seventh spot at the U20 Six Nations Summer Series with a convincing play-off victory against Scotland at Stadio di Monigo in Treviso on Tuesday.

Richie Murphy’s charges enjoyed a whirlwind start to this contest, racing into a 24-point lead by the 17th minute of the action. There were less than 90 seconds gone on the clock when Daniel Hawkshaw (younger brother of new Connacht signing David) crossed the whitewash and Scott Wilson followed up this breakthrough score with a powerful finish of his own.

Aitzol King tore up the right flank for a superb solo effort on 13 minutes before Sam Prendergast – who had already knocked over a brace of conversions – grabbed their fourth try in routine fashion.

While Patrick Harrison finally opened Scotland’s account with a converted score on 21 minutes, Fionn Gibbons reinforced the superiority of Ireland by getting over straight off the restart.

The Six Nations Grand Slam winners kept their line intact during flanker Diarmuid Mangan’s spell in the sin-bin, but a second try from Harrison (his fifth of the series) saw the Scots reducing their deficit to 15 points (29-14) in time for the interval.

A penalty from outhalf Euan Cunningham on the resumption kept his side within shooting range of Ireland, though this was as close as they came to forging a dramatic comeback. Following a quickly-taken penalty in the 54th-minute, Mangan crashed over for a five-pointer that was supplemented by a Prendergast bonus strike.

This score effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt, but Young Munster star Shay McCarthy nonetheless got in on the scoring act by superbly gathering Prendergast’s audacious crossfield kick and touching down in the right-corner.

Ollie Leatherbarrow did grab another Scotland try with nine minutes remaining, but it was a mere consolation in the end.

Scorers – Ireland: S Prendergast try, 3 cons. D Hawkshaw, S Wilson, A King, F Gibbons, D Mangan, S McCarthy try each. Scotland: P Harrison 2 tries, O Leatherbarrow try, E Cunningham pen, 3 cons.

Ireland: P Campbell; A King, F Gibbons, D Hawkshaw, G Coomber; S Prendergast, A O’Mahony; G Hadden, J Hanlon, S Wilson; C Irvine, A McNamee; D Mangan, R Crothers, L McLoughlin.

Replacements: D Rhys Hey, K Ryan, J Mawhinney, G Shaw, R O’Sullivan, M Moloney, H West, S McCarthy, R Malone, O Michel, J McCormick.

Scotland: K Clark; K Johnston, D Munn, A Stirrat, G Jones; E Cunningham, B Afshar; I Carmichael, P Harrison, C Norrie; J Taylor, M Williamson; R Tait, G Hiddleston, O Leatherbarrow.

Replacements: D Hood, A Rogers, G Scougall, J Lascelles, J Spurway, T Brown, T Glendinning, R McKnight, L McConnell, R Brown, F Burgess.