Collins calls the tune as Irish Schools master U19’s

Irish Schools 20 Irish U19’s 5

The Irish Schools went in front after five minutes. After stealing possession in the lineout in the U19’s 22, they set up a ruck from which Cian Healy scored in the left corner.

Outhalf Brian Collins, who gave an accomplished display, added the conversion and then landed a long-range drop goal.

And as the Irish Schools continued to apply the pressure, Collins added a penalty on 20 minutes before suffering a rare lapse in front of the posts with a missed attempt shortly afterwards.

Just short of the half hour, the Irish Schools went over for their second try. The move was started in midfield before scrum-half Adam Bartholomew launched a diagonal ball into the corner. The bounce deceived the U19’s cover and there to pounce for an opportunist try was wing Vasya Atremiev.

Five minutes into the second-half wing Max Rantz McDonald forced a five metre scrum and although the U19’s were twice stopped short of the line, they finally went over through front row David Ryan.

Scorers for Irish schools: C Healy try, V Atremiev try each, B Collins pen, drop goal, 2 cons

U19’s: D Ryan try

IRISH U19’S: R Kearney (UCD); M Rantz-MacDonald (Mount Temple), E Ryan (UCC), F McFadden (Clongowes), D Black (Portadown); K Lett (UCD), D Williams (UCC); G Walsh (UL Bohemians), P Crossley (Wasps), D Ryan (Highfield); D Toner (Lansdowne), J Cornett (Queens); N Lysaght (Blackrock College RFC), W Falloon (Royal School Armagh), C Smyth (Terenure College RFC)

Replacements: C Kennefick (UCC) for Cornett 10 mins, J Sherry (Ard Scoil Ris) for Falloon 37 mins, K Maloney (Blackrock) for Walsh 42 mins, M D’Arcy(Dublin University) for Duncan 50 mins, J Power (Blackrock) for Ryan 55 mins, P Duncan (Roscrea) for Lett 62 mins, D Bowes (Malone) for Crossley 62 mins, S Marshall (Banbridge) for Kennefick 63 mins, K Griffin (Shannon) for Ryan 65 mins.

IRISH SCHOOLS: L Fitzgerald (Blackrock College); K Corrigan (Methodist, Belfast), M McCrea (Belfast High), D Cave (Sullivan Upper), Vasya Artemiev (Blackrock); B Collins (Castleknock), A Bartholomew (Royal School Armagh); C Healy (Belvedere), C Culleton (Blackrock), R Burke Flynn (St. Michael’s); D O’ Reilly (Blackrock), Conor McInerney (St. Mary’s); R Hamilton (Methodist), B O’Mahony (Crescent Comp), D Pollock (Royal School Dungannon).

Referee: P Haycock (IRFU).