Ulster U19’s v Italy Academy U18’s Banbridge RFC Saturday 20th August 2016
The Ulster U19 squad played their second warm-up fixture of the summer against a talented Italy Academy U18 team on a superb playing surface at Banbridge RFC on Saturday 20th August. Despite the difficult weather conditions both teams were determined to play attacking rugby throughout the game with the Ulster team emerging as 34-0 winners.
Ulster took an early 7-0 lead with just four minutes on the clock when winger, Mark Keane, outpaced his opposite number to run in for a try. Cormac Fox added the extras to put his team into their 7-0 lead. The Ulster team moved the possession they secured with intent and their lead was extended to 14-0 midway through the first half when James Hume finished off a flowing move with a try. Cormac Fox, once again, was accurate with his conversion kick. Seven minutes later the industrious Alexander Clarke put the finishing touches to a well-organised driven maul, following a lineout, when he dotted the ball down over the Italian line. Cormac Fox converted the try to increase the Ulster lead to 21-0. Just before the break Cormac converted a penalty opportunity to put the Ulster U19 team into a 24-0 lead at the interval.
Both teams made a raft of changes after the break with the Italian team adapting to the conditions. Despite their best intentions they could find no way past the Ulster defence. In fact, somewhat against the run of play in the early stages of the second period, it was the Ulster U19 team that extended their lead to 29-0 when Mark Keane won a foot race for the touchdown for an unconverted try. The Italian team never gave up and ran the ball from deep on a number of occasions and came close to causing problems for the Ulster team. However, the resilient Ulster team had the final say in the game when debutant player, Lewis Sampson, making his bow in the centre, ran in for an unconverted try which secured the hard-earned 34-0 victory for the Ulster U19 team.
Next up for the Ulster U19 team will be the first of their three game series of Inter-Provincial games. They will host Leinster U19’s at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution playing fields on Saturday 3rd September in a game scheduled to kick off at 3-00pm.
Ulster U19 team v Italy Saturday 20th August Banbridge RFC
1/ Paul Mullen Armagh RFC
2/ Alexander Clarke Ballymena Academy
3/ Tom O’Toole Campbell College, Belfast (Captain)
4/ John McCusker Rainey RFC
5/ Zac Ward Down High School
6/ Joe Dunleavy Letterkenny RFC
7/ Matthew Agnew Bangor Grammar School
8/ Jack Barry Glendinning Campbell College, Belfast
9/ Rhys 0’Donnell Royal Belfast Academical Institution
10/ Cormac Fox Armagh RFC
11/ Mark Keane Royal Belfast Academical Institution
12/ Michael Lowry Royal Belfast Academical Institution
13/ James Hume Royal Belfast Academical Institution
14/ Michael Stronge Ballymena Academy
15/ Joe Finnegan Royal Belfast Academical Institution
16/ Jesse Iredale Belvedere College
17/ Matthew Russell Campbell College, Belfast
18/ Corrie Barrett Royal Belfast Academical Institution
19/ James Nelson Campbell College, Belfast
20/ Josh Kennedy Portora Royal School
21/ John Crowther Campbell College, Belfast
22/ David Pogatchnik St Conleth’s College
23/ Richard Fahy Blackrock College
24/ 0scar Yandall Campbell College, Belfast
25/ Lewis Sampson Exiles
26/ Dennis Posternak Dalriada School
27/ Yannic Marriott Exiles
Team Management
Coaches 🙂 James Topping David Creighton Bryan Young
S&C Matthew Godfrey
Kit Manager Tim Morton
Physiotherapist Richard Johnston
Doctor Dr Owen Rainey
Manager Barney McGonigle
