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U-18 Interprovincial Series
Connacht U-18 14
(Fiachra O’Neill, Peter Moran tries; Cillian O’Neill two cons)
Leinster U-18 22
(Hayden Casey Gray, Alex Carter, Ryan Murphy tries; James Curry one pen, two cons)
Kevin Egan at Creggs RFC
A robust defensive stand while playing into a strong wind in the first half and a strong second half running game wasn’t quite enough for Connacht U-18s in an entertaining encounter against Leinster Clubs U-18 this afternoon in Creggs, where Ryan Murphy’s try with just under ten minutes proved to be the clinching score that made it two wins from two for the eastern province.
A game of two halves was always likely with a fierce breeze blowing down towards the new clubhouse that’s under construction at the progressive Galway/Roscommon border club, and James Curry’s initial kick off sailing over the heads of the Connacht fielders and pushing play to within ten metres of the Connacht try line was a sign of what was to come.
The ball didn’t escape the Connacht half for the first six minutes, but just when it looked like the home side might have the platform from which to mount an attack, their lineout was disrupted by Cian Crampton, and winger Hayden Casey Gray pounced ruthlessly, sprinting nearly 50 metres before touching down in the left corner.
Crampton, also known for his athletic prowess with a discus, was hugely influential from the lineout throughout and his incredible athleticism to claim a couple of Eoin O’Doherty throws in the swirling breeze, not to mention his ability to cause chaos on Connacht’s throw, was a huge factor in Leinster turning the screw in the opening half. The scrum was also dominated by the visitors, and so Connacht leaned heavily on their defensive discipline, fitness, focus and strength.
Those attributes held up brilliantly with Andrew Henson, Cillian O’Neill and Peter Moran in the backs, as well as Ruben Flynn, Emmanuel Olanrewaju and James Greaney up front, all stepping up to the mark with big hits.
Seán Gannon made one powerful 30 metre run to bring the ball up close to the Leinster 22, winning a penalty in the process, but the strength of the wind was demonstrated by their decision to turn down a shot at the posts in favour of the scrum option, and the strength of the Leinster pack was in evidence as the boys in blue got a huge shove on and won their own scrum penalty.
That led to another phase of relentless Leinster battering of the Connacht line, with Daniel Norval getting across the whitewash, only for Henson to hold him up. There was no stopping Alex Carter when he picked and drove at the end of a lengthy period of pressure within ten metres of the Connacht line, with the Navan club player stretching out to touch down, close enough also to make it a simple conversion for Curry, who soon added another penalty.
Cian Butler also looked like he got in for Leinster but he too was held up as Connacht hung on desperately, and they got a huge lifeline before half-time, all set up by James Greaney’s block on a clearing kick from inside the Leinster 22. This time Connacht won their penalty and opted to tap and go, forcing Butler to receive a yellow card for not releasing close to the line. On the next play Fiachra O’Neill darted in between bodies to touch down, Cillian O’Neill had the ball blown off the tee but brilliantly improvised to drop kick the conversion through, and with six minutes of numerical supremacy to come, 15-7 to Leinster nearly felt like a lead for Connacht.
Now it was time for Leinster’s defence to stand firm however, and they did exactly that. Connacht showed imagination and bravery in the way they looked for different ways to open up the defence of their opponents, with Cillian O’Neill trying a range of different kicking options while Ruben Flynn and Seán Gannon linked up with some clever lineout trickery, but in the end it was successive line-breaking runs from Daniel Browne and Tom Walsh that opened gave Connacht the front foot ball they needed. Cillian O’Neill’s perfectly weighted skip pass out to Moran set up the Mohill winger for the score, and an exceptional conversion for O’Neill left just a point between the sides with a little under a quarter of an hour to play.
Rather than defending against the ball, Leinster saw out their win by instead controlling possession, using their power in the tight exchanges to take the softening breeze out of the game as a factor. Hayden Casey Gray making 10 yards and putting the Connacht defence on the back foot was the momentum-starter that culminated in a close range lineout, claimed by Crampton and turned into a try for Ryan Murphy.
Curry added the extra points to ensure that Connacht needed two scores, and they never really looked like getting even one. The Marist pair of Andrew Henson and Phillip Finnan looked dangerous on the ball, but getting in a position to use their athleticism proved too difficult, and Leinster held on for their win.
CONNACHT U-18: Andrew Henson (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College); Peter Moran (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Mohill CC), Daniel Browne (Corinthians RFC/St. Joseph's Patrician College), Tristan Hoey (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Scoil Mhuire Strokestown), Zack Kelly (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Iognáid); Cillian O'Neill (Sligo RFC/Summerhill College), Fiachra O'Neill (Connemara RFC/Clifden CS); Kailin Blessing (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), Seán Gannon (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College), Dara Noone (Corinthian RFC/Coláiste Bhaile Chláir); Emmanuel Olanrewaju (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College), Dara Walsh (Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Éinde); James Greaney (Corinthians RFC/Presentation Athenry), Niall Stenson (Carrick RFC/Carrick-on-Shannon CC), Ruben Flynn (Corinthians RFC/Cistercian Roscrea).
Replacements: Philip Finnan (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College) for Kelly (half-time); John Durkan (Galwegians RFC/Gort CC) for Noone (half-time); Tom Walsh (Buccaneers RFC/Clongowes Wood College) for F O’Neill (half-time); Cathal McDonagh (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/St. Nathy's College) for Blessing (50 mins); Conor Connolly (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/St. Muredach's College) for Hoey (50 mins); Peter Bourke (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College) for Olanrewaju (55 mins); Reuben Colleran (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College) for Stenson (57 mins); Hugh Óg Arnold (Sligo RFC/Summerhill College) for Gannon (57 mins).
LEINSTER U-18: Ryan Ovenden (Greystones RFC); Peader Glennon (Mullingar RFC), Brynn Nolan (Tullow RFC), Daniel Norval (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Hayden Casey Gray (Athy RFC); James Curry (Wicklow RFC), Oisín Kelly (Suttonians RFC); Jack Power (MU Barnhall RFC), Eoin O’Doherty (Wexford Wanderers), Anthony Ukagwu (Boyne RFC); Micheal Bolger (Suttonians RFC), Cian Butler (Portlaoise RFC); Cian Crampton (Naas RFC), Shane McGuigan (Longford RFC), Alex Carter (Navan RFC).
Replacements: Ryan Murphy (Cill Dara RFC) for Kelly (42 mins); Simon Cantwell (Suttonians RFC) for McGuigan (45-50 mins, blood); Cantwell for Carter (50 mins); Ponemu Pallezetti (Suttonians RFC) for Ukagwu (67 mins), Oisín Carroll (Cill Dara RFC) for Power (67 mins).
Referee: Brian Ellis (Munster).
