Romania 10

Emerging Ireland 31

EMERGING IRELAND BEAT Romania 31-10 to end the IRB Nations Cup as champions.

Stand-out player Robin Copeland scored the pick of Ireland’s four tries. Craig Gilroy chipped in with a score out wide on the right, captain Dominic Ryan barged over, there was a late penalty try and Ian Keatley kicked 11 points.

The scores were tied at 3-3 after 20 minutes before Paul Marshall teed up Ryan, who powered over from close range. Stuart Mcloskey and Eoin Griffin were involved in Gilroy’s try and Keatley, who missed a simple penalty early on, did well to convert from the right-hand touchline. Romania attempted to respond immediately and Irish fullback Johne Murphy was sin-binned for deliberately slowing up a Romanian attack.

Ireland led 17-3 at the break but Copeland soon added to that with a 35m dash after a line break. He evaded two Romanians en-route to dotting down near the posts to give Keatley a simple conversion chance.

Romania refused to wilt and made most of the running in the final half hour. Munster lock Dave Foley was yellow-carded for dipping his hands into a home ruck from an offside position. Dan McFarland’s side looked set to hold form but leaked a late try after a period of exerted pressure.

Andrew Conway looked odds-on to score a late try before he was illegally shoulder-barged out of contact. Ireland got the penalty try and, with the win, claimed the 2014 Nations Cup.

Paul Marshall tries to disrupt a maul. FFR.RO / INPHO FFR.RO / INPHO / INPHO

Emerging Ireland line-up

15. Johne Murphy (Young Munster/Munster)
14. Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
13. Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Dungannon/Ulster)
11. Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Munster)
10. Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
9. Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)

1. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
2. James Tracy (UCD/Leinster)
3. Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
4. Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5. Dave Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster)
6. Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) capt
7. Sean Dougall (Dolphin/ Munster)
8. Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues)

Replacements:
16. Brian Byrne (Clontarf/Leinster)
17. Ricky Lutton (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
18. Paddy Butler (Shannon/Munster)
19. Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
20. Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
21. JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)
22. Brendan Macken (Blackrock College/Leinster)

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