Another victory in Athlone sees Ireland U-20s take title

IRELAND demolished Scotland 44-15 in their ESB U-20 Six Nations Championship game at Dubarry Park and, in the process, clinched a second title in four years. After dealing with Wales the previous week, Ireland reached a higher plateau with this exciting demolition of the Scots in front of another decent turnout in the midlands despite the inclement weather that became wetter as the game progressed. Otherwise, conditions were ideal on a mild night and with James McKinney landing a home penalty inside five minutes the game seemed to be going as anticipated. However, Ireland may have been just a little bit too urgent in the opening stages and they conceded a brace of soft penalties within four minutes, both converted by Alex Blair, to give the visitors a 6-3 lead. This being Ireland's thirteenth successive home game at the Athlone venue where they have lost just once, those with a superstitious nature may have begun to worry that Scotland could spoil the party. But an exciting break and chip by the recalled Simon Zebo got Ireland back on track and Nevin Spence was soon splitting the visiting defence for a superbly taken 16th minute try at the posts which McKinney converted. Spence wreaked further havoc shortly afterwards but a poor final pass spoiled a try opportunity before outhalf McKinney tacked on a pair of penalties to give the homesters breathing space on the scoreboard, 16-6 ahead on 28 minutes. David O'Callaghan did the initial damage in setting up inside centre Nevin to again demonstrate his terrific finishing for a 32nd try again converted by McKinney. Blair kicked his third penalty for Scotland but Ireland retorted with Spence and fellow centre Eoin Griffin dancing through the cover to set up Andrew Conway for a try at the posts just before the break. McKinney's conversion gave the home nation a commanding 30-9 half-time advantage. Blair kept Scotland ticking on the scoreboard with a penalty just after the resumption, but Ireland's response was prompt and scintillating, a lightning counter-attack being finished off in style by full-back Conway and McKinney's conversion stretching the lead to 37-12. A lengthy stoppage for an injury to Scotland's Matthew Reid and a later unconnected yellow card to Patrick Butler, yielding Blair's fifth successful penalty for the visitors, took some of the impetus out of Ireland's charge to the title. Scotland's Stuart McInally was sin-binned on 64 minutes and Ireland took advantage with Tiernan O'Halloran's strength and footwork got him in for a fine 65th minute try, with McKinney completing the scoring with the conversion from wide on the right. Ireland came tantalisingly close to grabbing further tries but had to settle for a handful in an emphatic 44-15 victory. Spence was a worthy 'ESB Man of the Match' winner and the constantly-improving Ireland had a superb back five and excellent back row trio where Dominic Ryan was outstanding. Lock O'Callaghan also was immense and McKinney's kicking was near faultless in a superb all-round team contribution. IRELAND: A.Conway; T.O'Halloran, E.Griffin, N.Spence, S.Zebo; J.McKinney, J.Cooney; J.O'Connell, N.Annett, S.Maguire; D.O'Callaghan, B.Marshall; R.Ruddock (captain), D.Ryan and P.Butler. Replacements: B.Cagney (for Maguire, 68 mins), B.Hayes (for Marshall, 68), B.Macken (for O'Halloran, 76), G.Quinn-McDonough (for McKinney, 83), M.Heaney (for Cooney, 85), R.Byrne (for Annett, 85) and R.O'Sullivan (for Ryan, 85). SCOTLAND: T.Brown; O.Grove, J.Johnstone, A.Dunbar, D.Fife; A.Blair, A.Black; N.Little, A.Walker, C.Phillips; M.Reid, R.Harley; M.Maltman, D.Denton and S.McInally (captain). Replacements: K.Hamilton (for Black, h/t), D.Weir (for Dunbar, h/t), G.Hunter (for Phillips, 46 mins), C.Stidston-Nott (for Reid, 46), M.Scott (for Johnstone, 64) and L.Gibson (for Walker, 72). REFEREE: M.Raynal (France).