UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS: Ireland19 England18: IT WAS a victory filched six minutes into injury time at the end of the match, a fitting reward for a team whose raw courage and unbending spirit allowed them to ultimately defy the odds at Dubarry Park last night.
England won a Grand Slam at Under 20 level last season and this team was rated as an even better amalgam of talent. But they could not legislate for an Ireland team that refused to lie down.
The final throes of an extraordinary night in Athlone proved compelling. Trailing 18-16, the Irish pack took ball into contact, inching forward, fighting for every yard. It was a laborious process, exacerbated by cramp and severe fatigue, yet green-shirted players queued up to take responsibility, protecting the ball.
The catalyst for the final instalment of an enthralling game was David Kearney’s brilliant break that allowed the home side to begin their final push 35 metres from the English line.
Ireland’s outhalf Ian Madigan waited patiently in the pocket, hoping his team-mates would give him one final opportunity to try and pilfer victory. Ireland broached double figures in terms of the pick-and-goes by the time they recycled the ball on England’s 22 and scrumhalf Matthew Healy turned to find Madigan.
A snappy wrist-driven pass and the large crowd waited with bated breath as Madigan sent the ball spiralling into the cold night and between the uprights. It was a beautiful strike that deserved the roar of acclamation.
Referee James Jones blew the final whistle immediately, players from both sides falling to their knees with exhaustion.
“There is a fantastic defiance and spirit in this team: if you could only bottle it,” said Ireland coach Allen Clarke. “I would have told them how proud I was whether we had got that final drop goal or not. They never gave up, kept going and kept going. I can’t speak highly enough of them. We have now won three matches and we have a couple of weeks to recuperate and we’ll need that.”
He may have thought the opportunity to win had evaporated when centre Ian McKinley – he had a superb game both in place-kicking terms and his general play – had pulled his snap drop goal wide just five minutes before Madigan struck decisively. He’ll also have plenty to analyse as Ireland were outplayed for long periods.
The opening 40 minutes was a curious affair from an Irish perspective as they coughed up eight of their own lineouts, the counterbalance coming in a 7-1 penalty count in their favour.
It would be wrong to make Irish hooker Tom Sexton the scapegoat for the travails out of touch: on at least four occasions there were timing and lifting issues for which he couldn’t be held responsible.
Denied this platform, Ireland rarely managed to escape their half and England knew that they could play the territorial game with impunity on the basis that the Irish throw-in was a lucrative source of possession for the visitors.
England dominated field position and possession, enjoyed a physical advantage in the contact areas, particularly the tackle but this ascendancy was largely negated by indiscipline at ruck time and some untimely handling errors when the home side’s defence was stretched.
England’s offloading game was impressive but flawed.
They did score three tries, the first from Josh Owens but Ireland led 6-5 at the interval through a brace of McKinley penalties. A penalty from English outhalf Rory Clegg nudged the visitors back in front but Michael Keating, a threat all night with the ball in hand, scored a fine individual try which McKinley converted.
England never wavered in their offloading expansive game and were rewarded with unconverted tries from Will Hurrell and George Lowe, both characterised by superb back play. From eight points behind they went 18-16 ahead as the clock wound down.
On a night in which every single Irish player contributed, a few deserve special mention; the Ruddock brothers, Rhys and Ciaran, Dominic Ryan, Paddy McAllister, while centre Eamonn Sheridan carried ball powerfully. Keating was awarded the man of the match accolade but it could have been any one of a dozen: Madigan’s all round game, probably elevated him slightly above his team-mates.
Scoring sequence: 23 mins: Owens try, 0-5; 24: McKinley penalty, 3-5; 40(+2): McKinley penalty, 6-5. Half-time: 6-5. 45: Clegg penalty, 6-8; 52: Keating try, McKinley conversion, 13-8; 55: McKinley penalty, 16-8; 64: Hurrell try, 16-13; 75: Lowe try, 16-18; 86: Madigan drop goal, 19-18.
IRELAND: D Kearney (Lansdowne); R O’Mahony (Garryowen), I McKinley (UCD), E Sheridan (Lansdowne), M Keating (Clontarf); I Madigan (Blackrock), M Healy (Lansdowne); P McAllister (Ballinahinch), T Sexton (Old Belvedere), J McGrath (St Mary’s); C Ruddock (Neath), J Sandford (QUB); R Ruddock (Millfield School), D Ryan (Lansdowne), P O’Mahony (Cork Constitution, capt). Replacements: J O’Connell (Lansdowne) for McGrath (47 mins); M Flanagan (UCD) for Sandford (59 mins); M Noone (Seapoint) for P O’Mahony 62 mins. Sin Bin: M Flanagan (74 mins)
ENGLAND: G Tonks; S Stegmann, G Lowe, T Casson, W Hurrell; R Clegg, D White; B Moon, J George, S Knight; J Gaskell, P Elder; J Ovens, C Clark, C York. Replacements: B Baker for Knight (54 mins); C Fearns for Elder (59 mins); S Harrison for White (59 mins); J Short for Hurrell (70 mins).
Sin Bin: C York (England) 45 mins;
Referee: James Jones (Wales).
