Sport

Munster have the edge

Schools Interprovincials/Connacht Under-18 5 Munster Under-18 27: Munster comfortably secured their second win of the schools…

Linley MacKenzie
Wed Oct 24 2007 - 01:00

Schools Interprovincials/Connacht Under-18 5 Munster Under-18 27:Munster comfortably secured their second win of the schools' under-18 series in the Galway Sportsground yesterday, a four-to-one try tally consigning Connacht to their third interprovincial loss.

Munster spent the majority of the game in defence. But their superiority out wide, where centre Diarmuid McCarthy shone, made the difference.

They led 15-5 at the break, courtesy of two tries, having bounced back from Connacht's bright opening effort when flanker Shane Conneeley sent prop Denis Buckley over from a tap penalty five metres out.

Munster's first try came after 10 minutes when number eight Ger Burke finished off from third phase after Ireland schools' flanker Brian O'Hara set up position with a nifty break from half way. Centre Michael Kelleher added the points having earlier slotted a penalty.

READ MORE

McCarthy and Kelleher posed the biggest attacking threat in the three-quarters, and after 31 minutes McCarthy scored the first of his brace. It came from a lineout steal and an initial burst from flanker John McCarthy before the centre fended off the covering defender to race in from the 22.

On the defensive for most of the second half, Munster's first attack didn't come until the 64th minute. But they made it count as McCarthy touched down again. Replacement outhalf Brian Smith grabbed a fourth try on 73 minutes.

CONNACHT: B Carpenter; T O'Halloran, C Conroy, F Gormley, P Finn; C Murphy, M Dolan; D Buckley, K Egan, J Robinson, S Casey, E McKeown, S Conneeley, R Kerins, S Connolly. Replacements: J Hayes for East, M Dobson for O'Meara (both 65 mins); J Kenny for Kerins (70 mins).

MUNSTER: G Nugent; C O'Hanlon, D McCarthy, M Kelleher, D Loftus; R Guerin, D O'Driscoll; B Cagney, J Flannery, B Cullinan, B Hayes, D O'Callaghan, J McCarthy, B O'Hara, G Burke. Replacements: P Butler for Hayes, B Downey for Cullinan (both 50 mins); B Smith for Guerin, E O'Toole for Nugent, D Casey for Flannery, D Lucy for J McCarthy, G Horan for Cagney (all 65 mins).

Referee: M Kennedy (MAR).