Irish Colleges 45 Scottish Colleges 8 - Photos and report courtesy of Brendan Johnston (ICRU PRO)

Irish Colleges manager and former President of Derry RFC Moss Dineen and his assistant manager Mick Poole were in jubilant mood after the emphatic win by the Irish College's side against the Scottish Universities over the weekend.Head coach of the side was Connacht Branch Development Officer Eamonn Molloy assisted by coaches Eoin Hogan (Leinster) and Chris Galway(Ulster)

The game played under lights, with the impressive University of Ulster,Jordanstown campus as the venue and the recently completed High Performance Centre as a backdrop to the game.

Irish Colleges approached the game knowing that nothing less than a win was expected.They had demolished the Combined Services Under 23's 40pts to nil at the London Irish Club on February 1 st of this year,but the crunch and final game against England Students,who like the Irish are undefeated was very much in their thoughts.

The physical attributes,intensity and power of the Scottish forward line looked particularly menacing from the start and the Scots aggressive display was counteracted fairly and squarely by the Irish when in the 18 and 22 minutes the Scots were awarded penalties for Irish infringements one of which was converted by Scottish outhalf David O Hagan. The power and physical pressure of the Scottish forwards soon lost its momentum with the Irish gradually finding form with Dan Kenny going over for his first of three tries,in the 30 th minute converted by Phil De Barra.This try came about as a result of a flat ball taken from the ruck through the hands of De Barra.

The Irish Colleges well honed backline started playing as a cohesive unit when in the 39 th minute Brendan O Brien scored when he surged to the line for a try,leaving the score at half time 12 points to 3.

In the second half,the Scottish forwards furrowed away endlessly but there was a realisation that there was a lack of conviction in their backs with many passes going astray.

College's dominance began to come increasingly into vogue and in particular the colleges forwards who were motoring effortlessly when in the 52 th minute Dan Kenny received a well placed pass from Brian Collins who broke the centre to pass to Kenny who went over for his second try ,leaving the score 17 pts to 3.This try was a template of the avalanche of tries to come as it came as a result of an interception of a misplaced pass by Scots centre Marcus Mc Allister in which the Irish received gracefully and they then proceeded to put into operation a series of well executed cross field passes .The end product of well tuned passing was a wide ball from Brian Collins to Kenny who barged over for the try.The tries continued apace with tries in the 57 th ,65 th,70 th and the 72 th minutes by Ben Reilly,Mick O Shea ,James Taggart and Dan Kenny with conversions by Phil De Barra and Brian Collins who came on as a replacement.

The Scots had their only reply to the now rampant Irish in the 79 th minute with a try by Andrew Thomson .

Overall ,a good evening work by the Irish Colleges in particular Dan Kenny who was awarded the man of the match accolade. No doubt the colleges side are keenly awaiting their final and deciding game in the Four Nations Tournament against the England Students on Friday 14 thMarch in London.

Scores

Irish Colleges

Dan Kenny 3 Tries,1 Try each,Brendan O Brien,Ben Reilly,Mick O Shea,James Taggart.

Conversions,Brian Collins(3)Phil De Barra(2)

Scottish Colleges

Andrew Thomson,1Try

David O Hagan,Penalty

Irish Colleges

John Nichol (Stranmillis College(Ballymena)David Rowan,Inst Design Tech Dun Laoghaire(Blackrock) Craig Morrin IT,Tallagh(St.Marys) Mick O'Shea,Garda Coll(Suttonians),Phil Howard ,Inst Art,Design Dun Laoghaire,(St.Marys)Phil DeBarra IT,Carlow(DLSP),Brendan O’Brien,Blackhall Place,

Dublin(Wanderers ,Shane Cahill,Dun Laoghaire VEC(Blackrock College),Alex O'Sullivan,Inst Art Design Dun Laoghaire(Greystones),Stephen Snell NCI(Greystones),Barry HolmesDIT(Greystones),Chris Napier Belfast Metropolitan College(Ballynahinch), Brian Moroney,ITTallagh(Terenure), Dan Kenny ,Dun Laoghaire VEC(Greystones), John Downey,Sallynoggin,

Replacements:Jason East, Galway/Mayo Institute od Technology,James Taggert,University of Ulster ,Jordanstown,(Ballymena), Ben Reilly DCU(Suttonians), Al Birch,,University f Ulster,Jordanstown,Gary Collins ,National University Ireland Galway),Brian Collins ITBlanchardstown(Old Belvedere)Dermott Sherridan,LIT,(Shannon),

All substitutes used.

Manager Moss Dineen

Assistant Manager Mick Poole

Head Coach Eamonn Molloy

Assistant Coaches Chris Galway :Eoin Hogan

 

Scottish Universities

Jonathan Manning,(Glasgow Caledonian ),Tim Bergin,(Aberdeen),Peter Saunders (Heriot Watt),Marcus Mc Callister (Heriot Watt),Kelechi Esenou,(Edinburgh)David O Hagan(Queen Margareth),Gordon Mc Rorie(Sterling),Gabriel Holmes (Aberdeen),Greig Ramsay(Aberdeen),Gavin Hulme(Hariot Watt),Mark Jenkinson(Dundee),Fraser Galbraith(Aberdeen),Andrew Thompson(Glasgow),TBA (Dundee),Murray Wylie(Aberdeen).

Replacements:

Tom Dunnett (Aberdeen),Craig Samuel(Stirling),Nick Mc Auley (Strathclyde),David Mc Kenna(Glasgow Caledonian),Jerry Tsang(Edinburgh),James Mc Kinnel(St Andrews)Fergus Knight (St Andrews)

Referee Paul Haycock

Touch Judge Jonathan Peake, Peter Ferguson