Olver’s superb drop goal ruins the day for Ireland
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Ireland U19 15 England U19 16
A terrific drop-goal at the end of normal time from Sam Olver proved to be the difference in yesterday’s thrilling U19 international at Donnybrook yesterday.
The visitors started the game with plenty of intent, and scrum-half Jordan Burns’ 11th minute try was quickly followed by a penalty from out-half Olver.
Conor McKeon of Gonzaga College was short of the target with a 30m penalty 25 minutes in, and England capitalised when second-row Ross Moriarty touched down just past the half-hour mark.
This gave England a 13-0 interval lead, but this advantage was, incredibly, reduced to the bare minimum with 20 minutes remaining when a try by centre Rory O’Loughlin was swiftly added to five minutes later by his defensive partner, Old Belvedere’s Peter Robb, who crossed over after England full-back Nathan Earle failed to deal with an awkward bounce.
Having expertly secured the first conversion, McKeon was marginally short with the second.
However, he looked like he might give Colin McEntee’s charges the victory when he split the posts with a majestic drop-goal on 58 minutes, only for the excellent Olver to have the final say with a similar effort.
Scorers For Ireland U19: R O’Loughlin, P Robb try each, C McKeon d/goal, con.
Scorers For England U19: J Burns, R Moriarty try each, S Olver pen, d/goal.
IRELAND: C Kelleher; R Adair, R O’Loughlin, P Robb, I Fitzpatrick; C McKeon, C Blade; R Kane, M Abbott, S Meunargia, S O’Brien (capt), R Molony, B Alexander, J Bercis, J O’Donoghue.
Replacements: R Burke for Meunargia 42; S Delahunt for Abbott, J Walshe for Kane both 44; J O’Neill for Bercis 48; R Parata for O’Loughlin 53; D Johnston for Fitzpatrick 56; R Foley for Blade 65.
ENGLAND: N Earle; Z Kibirige, T Stephenson, J Pohe, J Watkins; S Olver, J Burns; D Hobbs-Awoyemi, H Thacker, A Jamieson, M Itoje, T Ellis, R Moriarty, G Jones (capt), H Stringer.
Replacements: D Buck for Pohe, T Hudson for Earle both 26; C Neild for Thacker, A Lundberg for Hobbs-Awoyemi, J Armstrong for Itoje, D Hughes for Moriarty all 48; L Ludlow for Jones 52.
Referee: A Ruiz, France.