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PwC U-19 Interprovincial Series
Connacht U-19 19
(Eoin O’Doherty, Dara Walsh, Rory Lyons tries; Fiachra O’Neill, Billy Cross cons)
Ulster U-19 26
(Angus Graham (two), James Kerr, Thomas Dougan tries; Owen O’Kane three cons).
Kevin Egan at Creggs RFC
Seven tries, six coming from forwards, was an accurate indication of the type of tough, physical encounter that played out between the U-19s of Ulster and Connacht this afternoon at Creggs RFC. Ulster’s maul defence and their ability to force turnovers in the tackle was ultimately the prove the most notable edge that saw them pick up victory in wet and blustery conditions.
The contest was finely poised at the interval with Ulster leading by a converted try (19-12) having played with the aid of a very strong downfield breeze for the opening 40. Connacht were back on level terms within seven minutes of the restart when Rory Lyons ran over a tackler to touch down five metres left of the posts, but for the remainder of the third quarter the hosts struggled to use the elements well, and perhaps as a karmic punishment for that failure, the wind changed and blew across the ground for the final quarter.
By then Ulster were back in front thanks to Angus Graham’s second try of the afternoon, and for the final 20 minutes Connacht had plenty of possession but they struggled to break through the line, leaning heavily on their pack to make the hard yards through the phases.
Ferdia Ó Braonáin was the exception to that rule, eating up the ground with his pace and power on a couple of occasions when he had the chance to open up and attack gaps and space, while Pasha Thiam and in particular Rory Gavin were a great source of primary possession with their immense presence in the lineout.
Time and again however, that front foot ball failed to turn into meaningful pressure on the Ulster defence, and while a lot of the credit for that must go to the defensive structure of the northern province as a whole, very frequently it seemed to be Thomas Dougan who was at the centre of their best work, either forcing a spill in the tackle or providing the power and strength to hold up and turn around Connacht’s lineout mauls.
Even on the pristine 5G surface that minimised the effect of unseasonally wintry conditions on the Galway/Roscommon border, the value of the bounce of the ball is as important as ever in the sport.
Owen O’Kane, the outhalf and captain who was the playmaker at the heart of Ulster’s best work throughout this game, took advantage of a turnover forced by Dougan and Noah Bell to hammer the ball from inside his own 22 right down into the right corner of the field at the other end.
Not one but two bounces went infield, and what might have been a 50/22 and a strong attacking platform instead turned into a Connacht scrum for the ball rolling dead. With the wind at it’s strongest, Connacht went for touch with two central penalties that followed, Gavin won both lineouts and Eoin O’Doherty drove over, with Fiachra O’Neill converting.
The break of the ball gave, the break of the ball was soon to take away.
Connacht allowed another deep kick to roll dead shortly afterwards, but didn’t realise that a fingertip touch on O’Kane’s kick meant it would be a five-metre scrum, and two phases was all it took - Callum McKinney with the initial carry, Graham with the finish – for Ulster to go over, right under the posts.
Connacht’s style of play meant that they weren’t unduly impeded by the elements but Bell and Dougan continued to dominate in defence, aided by the hosts’ reluctance to play the ball too wide.
O’Kane’s range of kicks, with deft chips and booming clearances all keeping the Connacht defence guessing and keeping the back three honest, opened up a little bit more space for the visitors and when they did get inside the Connacht 22, James Kerr was the first to take advantage, followed by Dougan, who added the final touch to a 70 metre series that began with Ryan McDowell showing strength and composure to steal possession in a ruck at the opposite end of the field.
What Connacht might have lacked in their range of attacking options, they made up for through doggedness and vim. Dara Walsh’s score before half-time epitomised this, born out of midfield chaos and finished with authority after his first attempt to connect with Eoin Conlon didn’t work out.
That score gave the boys in green their route back in, but by virtue of their strength in the backrow and at half-back, Ulster were able to close it down and ensure they were the side that finished the 2025 PwC U-19 series on a high.
CONNACHT U-19: Oisín Kelly; Peter Moran, Ferdia Ó Braonáin, Eoin Conlon, Oisín Berthoz; Billy Cross, Fiachra O’Neill; Rory Lyons, Eoin O’Doherty, Jaynel Almanzar; Rory Gavin, Leo Anic; Pasha Thiam, Matthew McNamara, Dara Walsh.
Replacements: Seán Glennon for O’Doherty (half-time), Thomas Cotton for Berthoz (half-time), Tom Walsh for O’Neill (45 mins), Dylan Rice for McNamara (45 mins), Simon Cantwell for Anic (59 mins), Ryan Duffy for Lyons (65 mins), Dara Noone for Almanzar (65 mins), Daniel Browne for Kelly (65 mins)
ULSTER U-19: James Kerr; Russell Lovo, Max Readman, Callum Largey, Ryan McDowell; Owen O’Kane, Luke Gibson; Matthew Wright, Charlie Hargy, Angus Graham; Raanan Potter, Paddy Woods; Noah Bell, Thomas Dougan, Callumn McKinney.
Replacements: Dylan Fox for Potter (11 mins), Luke Caskey for Wright (28 mins), Rio McDonagh for Graham (28 mins), Graham for McDowell (37 mins), McDowell for McDonagh (41 mins), McDonagh for Caskey (49 mins), Jake Irwin for Readman (50 mins), Andrew Jackson for Lovo (60 mins), Wright for Caskey (69 mins), Sam Clarke for Fox (69 mins), Michael McCavery for Bell (75 mins).
Referee: Brian Bennett (MAR).
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