McCarthy leads the way as Ireland power to victory
Ireland U18 Clubs & Schools 30
England U18 Counties 17
Daire Walsh, Donnybrook
In the first of two games between the sides – they will renew acquaintances in Ashbourne on Saturday – Wayne Mitchell’s hosts got the ball rolling with a seventh-minute try from Paddy McAlpine at Donnybrook yesterday.
Powerful Leinster lock Joseph McCarthy added a brace of tries while Conor Rankin contributed 10 points off the kicking tee, as England trailed 25-3 at the break.
William Harding Terry scored a five-pointer – only for Ireland to respond with a Josh O’Connor score.
A resilient England grabbed their second try through fly-half Max Brown in the closing stages but it wasn’t enough.
Scorers for Ireland U18 Clubs & Schools: J McCarthy 2 tries, P McAlpine, J O’Connor try each, C Rankin 2 pens, 2 cons.
Scorers for England U18 Counties: M Brown try, con, W Harding Terry try, L Kendrick pen, con.
IRELAND: C Rankin; J O’Connor, B Moxham, J Delaney, M Grogan; J Leonard, W Reilly; H O’Malley, E de Buitlear, P McAlpine; J Traynor, J McCarthy; H Costello, A Coleman, P Campbell.
Replacements: R Loughnane, S Illo, R McGuire, M Sands, M Boyle, D Gaskin, C Forde, Z Kavanagh, M Kiely.
ENGLAND: C Scott; L Beer, H Oliver, W Harding Terry, L Kendrick; M Brown, F Walker; A Heaney, B Chapman, S Tooke; O Chessum, J Brown; J Goodwin, T Bloomer, W Smith.
Replacements: J Chance, E Pearce Crowley, B Farrance, J Bailey, T Norwood, E McPhun, M Bullock, M Burns.
Referee: R Campbell (Scotland).