Ireland A take win over US

United States 13 Ireland A 28

Ireland A opened their Barclays Churchill Cup campaign with a comfortable victory as they ran four tries past the United States in San Francisco.

Michael Bradley’s side relied on their forward power to seal the win, with tries from captain Shane Jennings, hooker John Fogarty and loose forward Neil McMillan all the result of successful lineout drives.

Andrew Maxwell added the coup de grace during 11 minutes of injury time with a neat chip and chase.

Ireland now have a week to prepare for a powerful NZ Maori side aware that victory will book them a place in the Edmonton final on June 18.

Number eight Jamie Heaslip was named man of the match after another eye-catching performance in a side featuring eight changes to the starting 15 that beat the England Saxons 33-18 in March.

Winger Simon Keogh, Andrew Maxwell and John Muldoon all made their debuts at A level while Tom Court, the former Queensland tight-head prop and international shot putter, earned his first run in the emerald green, even though he is yet to play for Ulster or club side Ballymena.

The Americans, under the charge of interim coach Peter Thorburn, were in action for the first time in nearly a year but took an early lead with a Francois Viljoen penalty.

Paddy Wallace replied in kind for Ireland after good breaks from Keogh and Heaslip had put the Eagles under pressure.

Then Ireland began to turn the screw. Matt McCullough won the lineout just inside the USA’s 22, Ireland launched the rolling maul and Jennings, the Leicester flanker, got the touchdown.

The hosts moved deep into Irish territory with a powerful run from fly-half Alipate Tuilevuka but coughed up possession.

Ireland retained their 10-point lead heading into half time but tempers boiled over when Fogarty and Owen Lentz were sin-binned for fighting.

Viljoen converted the resultant penalty but Wallace, having missed a simple penalty attempt, responded in the sixth minute of injury time.

The Americans were then reduced to 13 men after flanker Todd Clever was sin-binned for persistent infringements at the breakdown.

After 50 minutes, captain Kort Schubert, who plays for Cardiff, had a try ruled out in the right corner for a forward pass.

Viljoen’s penalty attempt would then have put the Eagles within one converted score, but it was Ireland who went on to score.

McCullough took the lineout and McMillan was driven over by Ireland A’s powerhouse pack before Maxwell notched up the fourth try, which earns them what could prove to be a valuable bonus point.

The Ulster winger chipped over the top, chased his kick and managed to dot down the loose ball before a Salesi Sika try for the US.