SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIALS:Leinster U-18 Schools 37 Ulster U-18 Schools 13: HOLDERS Leinster made it two wins out of two in the Schools Under-18 Inter-provincial Championship at Donnybrook yesterday.
This was a step up in performance for Leinster as captain Luke McGrath showed the way with a muscular, mature performance in orchestrating the players around him.
Locks Jerry Sexton, younger brother to Jonathan, and Gavin Thornbury were also influential in providing the platform for tries from number eight Luke Satchwell, centres Conor McEllin and Rory Kavanagh and wings Michael Mellett and Mark Roche.
While Ulster never threatened an upset, they did do enough damage for centre Ryan Martin to pile over the top of a ruck for a second-half try and their outhalf Stuart Holding struck for eight points.
LEINSTER: J Fitzpatrick (Gonzaga); M Mellett (Castleknock), C McEllin (Blackrock), R Kavanagh (St Michael's), M Roche (Blackrock); S Crosbie (St Gerard's), L McGrath (St Michael's, capt); E Byrne (Clongowes Wood), A Murphy (St Michael's), A Boland (Blackrock), J Sexton (St Mary's), G Thornbury (Blackrock), C Kilcoyne (Blackrock), D Leavy (St Michael's), L Satchwell (King's Hospital). Replacements: B Byrne (Clongowes Wood) for Murphy 52 mins; D Shanahan (Belvedere) for McGrath 60 mins; B Howard (CBC Monkstown) for Mellett 63 mins; J O'Neill (Castleknock) for Leavy 68 mins.
ULSTER: R Scholes; M Best (both Campbell), R Martin (Methodist), C Farrell (Campbell), N Burns (Foyle Derry); S Holding BRA), J Creighton (Campbell, capt); S McNabney, J Andrew (both Ballymena Academy), J Harrison, J Andress (both Methodist), J Cooke (Campbell), T Burns (Foyle Derry), J-F Bester (Campbell), B Alexander (RBAI). Replacements: C Taylor (Wallace High) for Harrison, J Donnan (Down High) for Cooke, S Hooks (Royal Armagh) for Alexander all 40 mins; S Best (Coleraine AI) for McNabney, O McCollum (Methodist) for Andrew both 63 mins; R MaGowan (Royal Armagh) for Holding, G Baillie (Campbell) for Scholes both 65 mins.
Referee: W O'Connor (IRFU).
