IRELAND TRIAL: The Leinster Under-19 side defeated their Munster counterparts 20-7 in Nenagh yesterday.
Among some of the better performers were Leinster's backrow giants Mike Walsh (Old Belvedere) and Conor Smyth (Terenure College), while Munster's best performers were flanker David Daly (Cork Constitution), Shannon's Wayne Murphy and Glenstal's Conor Quinn.
Munster started in flying fashion with halfbacks David Corcoran and Murphy in form. An eight minute try from Simon Maloney, converted by Jeffrey Hitchmough, should have been the starter for more Munster points but poor handling in scoring positions let them down in decisive moments.
Leinster replied before the break when Killian Lett set up Peter Durcan for a fine try. Tries from Matthew D'Arcy, Brian McGovern and Max McDonald completed a good day for Leinster.
LEINSTER: A McCormack (Lansdowne); K Stafford (Clongowes), E Flanagan (Lansdowne), R Lambe (Enniscorthy), S Mulhall (Portarlington); K Lett (UCD, captain), M D'Arcy (Trinity); B McGovern (UCD), B O'Reilly (Terenure College), K Maloney (Blackrock College); S O'Carroll (Greystones), D Carley (Co Carlow); C Smyth (Terenure College), M Aboud (St Mary's College), M Walsh (Old Belvedere). Replacements used: A Hughes, M McDonald, C Savage, K O'Dwyer, B Kennedy, P Durcan, G Cooney.
MUNSTER: C Quinn (Glenstal); F Daly (Thomond), J Hitchmough (Midleton), E Ryan (UCC), P. Shallow (Rockwell College); W Murphy (Shannon), D Corcoran (Young Munster); G Walsh (UL-Bohemians), S. Malone (Bruff), W O'Donovan (Bandon); F Walsh (UCC), C Kennifick (UCC); C Horgan (UCC), D Daly (Cork Constitution, capt), E Crowley (Highfield). Replacements used: K Griffin, D Ryan, D Lavery, C O'Connor, S Maloney, O Culliton.
Referee: T Horkan (Connacht).
SCHOOLS' RUGBY: St Columba's College had a match-winner in Konrad Pierchalla as they made their chances tell in a gritty 19-8 win over Wilson's Hospital in the Leinster Schools' Section A (McMullen) Senior Cup quarter-final at Edenderry yesterday.
Strong running Pierchalla added two tries to another in the previous round and Oliver Rowland weighted in with another to control the frenzied efforts of their Westmeath opponents.
Wilson's did manage a breakthrough try from Gregor Kloess and a Jonathan Field penalty, but it wasn't enough to subdue an alert St Columba's 15 that were given good direction by Adam Dean.
St Columba's will be given the awesome task of handling a Skerries Community College side that ran riot against St Conleth's College at Malahide. Sean Dempsey made it five tries in two games, and his colleagues made it 16 in two, as St Conleth's were whitewashed 55-0.
There was no shock at Skerries where holders St Patrick's Classical School, Navan, overpowered a game St Mary's, Drogheda, 29-8.
Thomas Behan's first-half try kept St Patrick's from disappearing out of sight of the losers. But, wing Niall Mathews and centre Peader Flood broke open St Mary's with tries for a 15-5 lead and flanker Neil Finley and Flood again rewarded St Patrick's for the superior pressure play of their team-mates.
At Edenderry - St Columba's College 19 (K Pierchalla 2 tries; O Rowland try; A Dean 2 cons); Wilson's Hospital 8 (G Kloess try; J Field pen)).
At Malahide - Skerries CC 55 (Sean Dempsey 2 tries; Eoghan Dempsey try, 2 pens 2 cons; E O'Mahony, R O'Connor, J Glennon, J Gavin, D Daly, K Keane try each); St Conleth's College 0.
At Skerries - St Patrick's CS, Navan 29 (P Flood 2 tries; N Finley, N Matthews try each; S Eite 2 cons; K Manning pen, D Curran con); St Mary's, Drogheda 8 (T Behan try; M McGill pen).
