CLUB INTERNATIONAL Ireland 30 England 20:Ireland Club avenged last season's record defeat in Preston to leave England Counties still searching for a first win on Irish soil at Temple Hill last night.
Ireland made the most of limited first-half opportunities to lead 20-8 at the interval.
After 13 minutes Stuart Morrow cut out Rory Teague’s pass to race away for an intercept try between the posts with outstanding outhalf Craig Ronaldson converting.
Teague narrowed the gap with a penalty, but Ronaldson added two penalties inside five minutes to make it 13-3 after 23 minutes.
England hit back with a fine try by Nev Edwards only for Ireland to claim a second try by Ben Reilly, converted by Ronaldson, in injury-time.
England lost scrum-half Matt Heeks to the sin bin after the resumption, though Ireland could only muster a Ronaldson penalty in his absence.
Then Ireland scrum-half and captain Gerry Hurley saw yellow with England capitalising by scoring two tries through Heeks and Will Hurrell in quick succession.
Teague adding a conversion to cut Ireland’s lead to 23-20 after 62 minutes. Ireland had Ronaldson sin-binned with 10 minutes left but the 14 men dug in and claimed the clinching try just as the outhalf returned, hooker Ger Slattery touching down with Ronaldson adding the extras with his sixth successful kick from seven attempts.
