England U20s 20 Ireland U20s 26
A brave and fearless second half from Ireland earned them a rare win over England in Kingston Park. What looked like shaping into a one sided game for the physically dominant England side was turned on its head in 19 minutes of magical play from Ireland in the second period.
Ireland, trailing 20-6 after 42 minutes hit England with three tries in a 19 minute spell between 48 and 67 minutes to rattle the home side and set up their first win of the series after an opening two defeats to Wales and France.
Ireland took time to adjust to the plastic surface and with England racing off to a fast start they were forced to chase the match.
Things looked ominous for Ireland from the beginning. After just two minutes England were hauled back for a forward pass as right wing as George Perkins had taken off for the Irish line. It looked flat in the replay.
Then the first scrum of the match saw Ireland being driven backwards. The subsequent lineout in Ireland's 22 was gathered and again England showed their superior strength by driving for 20 metres, openside flanker Sam Smith with the easiest of touchdowns from the back of the rolling maul. Mathew Protheroe converted for 7-0.
Irish outhalf Johnny McPhillips landed his first penalty after 16 minutes for 7-3. If there was any weakness in the England side it was their discipline. McPhillips would go on to have four kickable penalties in the first half and convert just two.
But the first 20 minutes were frustrating in that Ireland looked dangerous running wide and putting England through the phases. Too often the offload went astray for lack of patience and accuracy.
England added their second try on 20 minutes when the pacy Protheroe dummied left and sped through the narrowest of gaps in Ireland’s midfield. With support runners at hand he off loaded , Perkins running the ball under the Irish posts.
Ireland found themselves 14-3 down from one great English break and one catch and drive.
The English were pressurising the breakdown and when McPhillips added his second penalty for 14-6, Ireland were at least keeping in touch.
Tighthead Conon O’Donnell drew a yellow card just before the break for cynically killing the ball with Protheroe adding a late penalty for 17-6 at halftime and a drop goal on 42 minutes for 20-6 before the heart stopping Irish revival kicked in.
Captain James Ryan was first over, stealing off the back of a lineout, the England defence caught napping. Matthew Byrne added another touchdown on 53 minutes, the ball spun fast across the England defence and Byrne's touchdown requiring the TMO to decide that he was not in touch.
When Brett Connon converted for 20-18, the momentum dramatically shifted as England began to look nervous and bothered. What looked like a good England try from number 8 Calum Chick was ruled out just minutes before Ireland struck again.
Gaining yards inside the England 22 and stretching the home defence a popped ball for UCD’s Andrew Porter set him up for a two yard sprint over the English line for Ireland to take a three point lead 20-23, the first time they had been ahead in the match.
It was a triumph of Irish belief and determination. Physically Ireland were well off the English power levels but made up for it in fight and ability when they ran with the ball in space.
England will see it as a collapse and having to play the last six minutes a man down after Stan South was shown a red card for stupidly tip tackling Porter in front of the French referee, Tual Tranini.
It was Connan who sealed the win, a penalty on 74 minutes for 20-26. A heart warming comeback and an important win over England, Ireland having lost the last three meetings.
ENGLAND U-20: M Malins (Saracens); G Perkins (Saracens), J Marchant (Harlequins), C Thacker (Leicester Tigers), O Thorley (Gloucester); M Protheroe (Gloucester), M Green (Yorkshire Carnegie); T West (Wasps), J Singleton (Worcester Warriors), W Stuart (Wasps), H Taylor (Worcester Warriors), G Nott (Sale Sharks), A White (Harlequins), S Smith (Worcester Warriors), C Chick (Newcastle Falcons) (capt). Replacements: C Langdon (London Irish), J Pope (Sale Sharks), B Keast (Exeter Chiefs), S South (Harlequins), J Willis (Wasps), J Shillcock (Worcester Warriors), J Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), P Odogwu (Leicester Tigers).
IRELAND U-20: J Power (UCD/Leinster); H Keenan (UCD/Leinster), S Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster), J O'Brien (UCD/Leinster), C O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster); J McPhillips (Queen's University/Ulster), S Kerins (Sligo/Connacht); A Porter (UCD/Leinster), A McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster), C O'Donnell (Sligo/Connacht), P Claffey (Galwegians/Connacht), J Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt), C Gallagher (Sligo/Connacht), W Connors (UCD/Leinster), G Jones (UCD/Leinster). Replacements: S Fenton (Young Munster/Munster), J Bollard (Dublin University/Leinster), B Betts (Young Munster/Munster), S O'Connor (Cashel/Munster), K Brown (Shannon/Munster), J Poland (Cork Constitution/Munster), B Connon (Newcastle Falcons/Exiles), M Byrne (Terenure College/Leinster).
Scoring sequence; 4 mins S Smith try, M Protheroe pen 7-0; 15 mins J McPhillips pen 7-3; 20 mins G Perkins try, Protheroe con 14-3; 27 mins McPhillips pen 14-6; 40 mins Protheroe pen 17-6. Halftime. 42 mins Protheroe drop goal 20-6; 48 mins J Ryan try 20-11; 53 mins M Byrne try, B Connon con 20-18; 67 mins A Porter try 20-23; 74 mins B Connon pen 20-26.
