Ireland fall short in epic comeback
U20 SIX NATIONS
IRELAND 38
WALES 41
Daire Walsh
Donnybrook
There was agony at Donnybrook last night for the Ireland U20s who came out on the wrong side of an 11-try thriller against Wales in the U20 Six Nations Championship.
Wales looked set for a comfortable triumph as they led by 16 points in the early stages of the second half. However, with UCC’s Jack O’Sullivan brilliantly leading their charge, Noel McNamara’s side pushed them all the way in a gripping finale.
Ireland endured the worst possible start to the proceedings as Taine Basham and Harri Morgan set up Tommy Rogers for a clinical finish from Wales’ opening attack.
A subsequent maul on the right-hand side produced a converted try for Welsh lock Max Williams, before Ireland finally opened their account through a 16th-minute Harry Byrne penalty.
This only acted as a temporary release for the hosts, though, as James Botham crashed over for the visitors at the beginning of the second-quarter.
Ireland grew into the game as the half progressed and a strong break by Ronan Kelleher provided the platform for Angus Curtis’ powerful drive over the whitewash.
Byrne supplied the extras at a left-hand angle, reducing the Irish deficit to 19-10 in time for the interval. Tommy Reffell and Botham tries – either side of Jack O’Sullivan’s superb five-pointer – kept Wales in the driving seat after the restart.
However, Ireland refused to concede defeat in this compelling battle. Another superb touchdown by UCC’s O’Sullivan cut the gap down to seven points, before Callum Carson restored order with a superb finish on the left-flank.
Yet, this proved to Wales’ final try of an absorbing battle, as Ireland scrum-half Stewart dived over for the score that his performance deserved 16 minutes from the end. The visitors secured some breathing space with a 72nd-minute Evans penalty, but a brilliant breakaway try from skipper Tommy O’Brien at least ensured that Ireland at emerged with two bonus points to their credit.
Scorers for Ireland: J O’Sullivan 2 tries, A Curtis, T O’Brien try each, J Stewart try, con, H Byrne pen, 4 cons
Scorers for Wales: J Botham 2 tries, T Rogers, M Williams, T Reffell, C Carson try each, C Evans 4 cons, pens.
IRELAND: M Silvester; T O’Brien, J Hume, A Curtis, J McCarthy; H Byrne, J Stewart; J Duggan, R Kelleher, J Aungier, C Daly, J Dunne, S Masterson, M Agnew, J O’Sullivan.
Replacements: C Ryan for Daly (30), A Kernohan for McCarthy (67), C Dean for Byrne, J French for Duggan, T O’Toole for Aungier, R Foley for Masterson (all 72), H O’Sullivan for Hume (73).
WALES: C Evans; J Goodchild, C Carson, M Llewellyn, T Rogers; B Jones, H Morgan; J Reynolds, I Harris, R Henry, O Lloyd, M Williams, T Reffell, J Botham, T Basham.
Replacements: R Carre for Reynolds, K Mathias for Henry (both 48), D Lake for Harris, M Morris for Botham, D Babos for Morgan (all 62), D Smith for Goodchild (65), B Thomas for Rogers (67).
Referee: S Grove-White (Scotland).