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Clincial Connacht claim clean sweep of Clubs inter-pro championship

It was an emphatic win for Connacht against Ulster.

Connacht 41

Ulster 15

CONNACHT SEALED THE U18 Clubs Interprovincial Series in emphatic fashion against Ulster at University of Limerick on Sunday.

Connacht celebrate with the trophy after the game Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

They got out to two tries in the first ten minutes when captain Darragh Murray and centre Dylan Keane struck impressively for out-half Cathal Forde to convert the latter.

Ulster were not inclined to bend the knee and fly-half Luke McMullen speared The Westerners on the left for 12-5 in the 20th minute.

Connacht’s forwards put their stamp on matters for scrum-half Leo McFarlane to dive over for Forde to convert.

Then, loose-head Caolan Hopkins took off for an outside break that was too much for the Ulster defence for 24-5 in the 27th minute.

Once again, there was character shown in the way James McMaster ground out a try from close range for 24-10 at the break.

It took full-back Conor O’Shaughnessy’s plunder of a fifth try to settle Connacht in the 44th minute.

The cohesion of the forwards paved the path for Murray’s second try and centre Harry Balsiger didn’t take long to follow his lead with their seventh try.

Ulster flanker Callum Smyton twisted to the line for their third try.

Connacht celebrate with the trophy after the game Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Connacht scorers: Tries: D Murray [2] H Balsiger, L McFarlane, D Keane, C Hopkins, C O’Shaughnessy

Conversions: C Forde [3]

Ulster scorers: Tries: L McMullan, J McMaster, C Smyton

Connacht’s Best:

Darragh Murray: The captain’s all-round impact was there from his early try, to one monster counter ruck and the athleticism of his coverage of ground.

Ulster’s Best:

Sam Murray: The number eight did all he could in a losing battle, always bouncing back up off the floor to go ins search of more work.

Michael McKeown Boyle scores a try Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Connacht

15. Conor O’Shaughnessy (Galwegians RFC & St Jarlath’s College)
14. Darragh Hanrahan (Corinthians RFC & Colaiste Iognaid)
13. Dylan Keane (Ballinrobe RFC & Cistercian Roscrea)
12. Luke Hogge (Sligo RFC & Colaiste Mhuire).
11. Harry Balsiger (Buccaneers RFC & Gallen CS)
10. Cathal Forde (Corinthians RFC & Colaiste Iognaid)
9. Leo McFarlane (Buccaneers RFC & Marist College)

1. Caolan Hopkins (Ballina RFC & St Joseph’s Foxford)
2. Matthew Earley (Carrick On Shannon & Sligo Grammar)
3. Alan Duffy (Ballina RFC & Jesus and Mary Enniscrone)
4. Cathal Fleming (Monivea RFC & Holy Rosary College)
5. Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC & Colaiste Chiaran, CAPT)
6. Hubert Costello (Corinthians RFC & Calasanctius College)
7. Oisin McCormack (Ballinasloe RFC & Garbally College)
8. Kacper Palamarczuk (Westport RFC & Rice College).

Replacements

16. Eoin de Buitlear (Corinthians RFC & Scoil Chuimstitheach, Chiaran
17. Conal O’Grioffa (Corinthians RFC & Scoil Chuimstitheach, Chiaran)
18. Edward Shekete (Galwegians RFC & Colaiste Einde)
19. Martin Fallon (Buccaneers RFC & Marist College)
20. Diarmuid McCormack (Corinthians RFC & Colaiste Iognaid)
21. Donnacha Byrne (Sligo RFC & Summerhill)
22. Aodha Hession (Creggs RFC & Roscommon CBS)
23. Rory McLeane (Oughterard RFC & Colaiste Einde)
24. Cian Scanlon (Corinthians RFC & Scoil Chuimstitheach, Chiaran)
25. Hubert Gilvarry (Sligo RFC & Sligo Grammar)

Both teams shake hands after the game Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Ulster

15. Stuart Wightman (Belfast Met)
14. Thomas Wilson (Carrickfergus)
13. Curtis Henry (Cambridge House)
12. Matthew Hamilton (Malone)
11. Oran O’Neill (Malone)
10. Luke McMullan (Dungannon)
9. Rory Maginty (Letterkenny)

1. Michael McKeon-Boyle (Virginia)
2. Evan Charters (Virginia)
3. James McMaster (Grosvenor)
4. Stephen Kelly (Letterkenny)
5. Matthew Sands (Newry)
6. Ashley Tweed (Ballymoney)
7. Callum Smyton (Enniskillen)
8. Sam Murray (City of Armagh).

Replacements

16. Keenan Barrett (Letterkenny)
17. Justin White (Enniskillen)
18. Philip Nicholl (City of Armagh)
19. Cein McColgan (City of Derry)
20. James Crummie (City of Armagh)
21. Rhys Cobain (Belfast Met)
22. Thomas McDevitt (Instonians)
23. Alan Thompson (Coleraine)
24. George Robb (Sullivan)

Leinster 29

Munster 7

Leinster completed the U18 Clubs Interprovincial Series with a second win in three games against the host province at University of Limerick on Sunday.

These two pulled the short end of the straw as the weather deteriorated to produce a wild wind and intermittent rain.

It made possession as much a liability as anything else with multiple mistakes leading to a stop-start contest.

Leinster moved ahead from full-back Jamie Osbourne’s speedy finish down the right in the 11th minute.

They were priceless points as both teams struggled to find any fluency, despite the strong carrying from Munster lock Craig Hannon and hooker Dylan Murphy.

It was turning into a battle for territory and taking it from there. When Munster came up offside, centre Karl Martin stroked three points for 8-0 in the 33rd minute.

On resumption, an alert block from Osbourne put Leinster on the frontfoot and the full-back went close from his own grubber.

The pressure increased and second row Diarmuid Brannock crashed over for Martin to convert in the 48tth minute.

Munster finally began to exert enough pressure to cause problems and centre Conor McMahon rifled through a hole from broken play for out-half Tony Butler to convert for 15-7 in the 58th minute.

Leinster kept calm and found the answer from flanker Mark Boyle’s piledriving surge and Martin’s conversion.

Leinster scorers: Tries: J Osbourne, D Brannock, M Boyle.

Conversions K Martin [2]

Penalties: K Martin

Munster scorers: Tries C McMahon

Conversions: T Butler

Leinster’s Best:

Jamie Osbourne: The full-back’s intelligence came into play in how he tried to manipulate the conditions with his running game and use of the boot.

Munster’s Best:

Craig Hannon: The big lock forward reveled in the conditions with a performance full of aggression and impact.

Leinster

15. Jamie Osbourne (Naas RFC),
14. Ben Jones (MU Barnhall RFC)
13. Josh O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC)
12. Karl Martin (Boyne RFC)
11. Ryan Foley (Athy RFC);
10. Tim Corkery (Kilkenny RFC)
9. Will Reilly (Portlaoise RFC)

1. Temilolhwa Adewunmi-Lasisi (Enniscorthy RFC)
2. Finn Tierney (Wanderers RFC)
3. Jordan Finney (Navan RFC)
4. Ryan Doyle (MU Barnhall RFC)
5. Diarmuid Brannock (Cill Dara RFC)
6. Mark Boyle (Gorey RFC)
7. David Murphy (Blackrock College RFC, CAPT)
8. James Reilly (Ardee).

Replacements

16. Jack Hanley (MU Barnhall RFC)
17. Sean Kelly-Komolafe (Wexford Wanderers RFC)
18. Michael Hand (Birr RFC)
19. Cathal Purcell (Dundalk RFC)
20. Phillip Byrne (Tullow RFC)
21. Cormac Fenton (Wicklow RFC)
22. Niall Hilliard (MU Barnhall RFC)
23. Patrick Kieran (Greystones RFC)
24. David Manning (Mullingar RFC)
25. Conor Duffy (Tullow RFC).
26. Fionn O’Hara (Mullingar RFC).

Munster

15. Tim Hegarty (Old Christian’s RFC)
14. Ihechi Oji (Douglas RFC)
13. Conor McMahon (Nenagh Ormond RFC)
12. Jack Barrett (Bruff RFC)
11. Chimdi Oji (Douglas RFC)
10. Tony Butler (Ennis RFC)
9. Ethan Coughlan (Ennis RFC)

1. Kian Regan (Tralee RFC)
2. Dylan Murphy (Nenagh Ormond RFC)
3. Darragh McCarthy (Cobh Pirates RFC)
4. Jay Traynor (Waterpark RFC)
5. Craig Hannon (Galbally RFC)
6. Fearghail O’ Donoghue (Cashel RFC)
7. Richard Wallace (Killarney RFC)
8. Jack O’Keeffe (Nenagh Ormond RFC, CAPT).

Replacements

16. Ciaran Bohane (Ballincollig RFC)
17. Eddie McIntosh (Clonmel RFC)
18. Matt McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC)
19. Jack Cosgrave (Young Munster RFC)
20. Tadhg Galvin (Bandon RFC)
21. Gavin Foley (Skibbereen RFC)
22. Anthony Castillo (Mallow RFC).
23. Dylan Brosnan (Young Munster RFC).

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