Slick Ireland too hot to handle

IRELAND U20’s hammered a Leinster Development side 40-15 in the annual challenge at Donnybrook yesterday.

Ireland had a dream start with captain Conor Gilsenan touching down inside two minutes with out-half Cathal Marsh converting. Marsh then converted his own try nine minutes later to fire the national side into a 14-0 lead.

Gradually Leinster clawed their way back into contention and were rewarded with a Jack O’Connell try on 25 minutes. But Ireland upped the ante and their centre Barry Daly took a superb Marsh pass to race clear for a brilliant try which Marsh coverted for a 21-5 interval lead. Both sides ran the benches and Leinster stormed back with first hooker David Doyle and then Darren Hudson darting in for tries to cut the deficit to six points (21-15). But the recovery was short-lived and Ireland scored tries late on from Jack Carty, an intercept Jack Conan effort – both converted by sub Carty – before Kieran Marmion touched down for a fine win.