Ireland u20s step up Six Nations prep with Musgrave win over Munster 

BATTLE: Players from both teams shake hands after the game. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Ireland 40 Munster 26.

Ireland’s preparation for February’s U20 Six Nations Championship continued in style as they defeated a Munster Development side 40-26 at Musgrave Park on Friday.

The teams were level with less than half an hour remaining but three late tries ensured Ireland bounced back from their narrow friendly loss to Italy before Christmas.

It took Ireland just over a minute to get on the scoreboard as they capitalised on some sloppiness from their opponents to break the deadlock.

Munster were under pressure right from the first whistle as they fumbled Ireland’s kick-off and John Devine eventually punished them by powering his way across the end line although Harry West failed to add the conversion.

The home side, to their credit, responded well to that setback and following a succession of scrums close to the Irish posts, they levelled the scores just past the quarter of an hour mark.

Munster had a man advantage as West was sent to the sin-bin and they took full advantage as quick passing from left to right allowed Shannon’s Josh Costello to go down in the corner before Jeff Williams also failed to add the extras.

Ireland would soon regain control of proceedings and on either side of being restored to the full complement of players, they managed to grab tries through Matt Victory and Paddy McCarthy with Jack Oliver converting the former before West returned to convert the latter.

SNEAKING THROUGH: Munster Development's Ethan Coughlan scores a try. Pic: Tom Maher, Inpho

But Munster’s development side continued to battle and they reduced the deficit before the half time break thanks to a superb run and finish from Ethan Coughlan.

And they cancelled out the deficit altogether shortly after the restart when Coughlan again went down behind the line with Williams splitting the uprights on both occasions, 19-19.

But as both managers rang the changes, it was Ireland who grew stronger and in the end, they would race to an impressive triumph to take into their next preparation game against a Leinster Development side next week.

Tries from Hugh Gavin, James McNabney and Jack Oliver - all converted by substitute Sam Prendergast secured the win for Ireland before Chris Moore snatched a consolation - converted by Coughlan - for Munster late on.

Scorers for Ireland U20s: Tries: John Devine, Matt Victory, Paddy McCarthy, Hugh Gavin, James McNabney, Jack Oliver.

Cons: Sam Prendergast (3), Jack Oliver, Harry West.

Munster Development: Tries: Ethan Coughlan (2), Josh Costello, Chris Moore.

Cons: Jeff Williams (2), Ethan Coughlan.

IRELAND U20S: Henry McErlean (Leinster), Ike Anagu (La Rochelle), Hugh Gavin (Connacht), John Devine (Connacht), Noah Sheridan (Leinster), Harry West (Connacht), Jack Oliver (Munster); Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Matt Victory (Leinster), Fiachna Barrett (Connacht), Conor O'Tighearnaigh (Leinster), Evan O'Connell (Munster), Diarmuid Mangan (Leinster), Ruadhan Quinn (Munster), James McNabney (Ulster).

Replacements: Gus McCarthy (Leinster), George Hadden (Leinster), Ronan Foxe (Leinster), Joe Hopes (Ulster), George Shaw (Cardiff Univ.), Oscar Cawley (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Rory Telfer (Ulster), Charlie Irvine (Ulster), Sam Berman (Leinster), James Doyle (Leinster.

MUNSTER DEVELOPMENT: Conor Phillips (Young Munster), Josh Costello (Shannon), Fionn Gibbons (Young Munster), Liam McCarthy (Highfield), Ihechi Oji (UL Bohemian), Jeff Williams (UCD), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon); Kieran Ryan (Shannon), Danny Sheahan (UCC), Darragh McSweeney (Shannon), Fearghail O’Donoghue (Cashel), Eoin O’Connor (Young Munster), Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution), Jacob Sheahan (UCC), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen).

Replacements: Chris Moore (Young Munster), Mark Donnelly (Garryowen), Danny McCarthy (UCC), Oisin Toland (Old Crescent), Ronan O’Sullivan (Young Munster), Kyle Read (Midleton), Aaron Quirke (UCC), Cian O’Halloran (Shannon), Oli Morris (Garryowen), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster), Daniel Hurley (Cork Constitution), George Coomber (Cork Constitution).

Referee: Joy Neville.