Ulster U19 hosted Irish Qualified Rugby U19 at Newforge Country Club in an U19 Interprovincial fixture on a damp Wednesday afternoon.
It was a typical early season match, where new teams faced each other in an interpro game. Both sides showed a little rustiness in a start-stop game, but their was plenty of energy and enthusiasm from the teams.
Despite being under pressure for most of the first quarter it was Ulster who opened the scoring on the 20 minute mark with hooker Will Alexander finding the line at the end of a break out by Ulster. Jordan McAuley added the extras to give Ulster a 7 – 0 lead.
IQ Rugby hit back four minutes later with Charlie Coghlan crashing over off a line out and with Cameron Ward adding the extras the game was tied at 7 – 7.
The visitors extended their lead straight from the restart with winger Jayden Lyons crossing for Ward to convert to give IQ Rugby a 7 – 14 lead.
The game settled down and Ulster started to work their way into the game and after a sustained period of pressure full back Sean McKay ran a good line to cross with the last play of the half. No conversion leaving the half time score at 12 – 14 in IQ Rugby’s favour.
IQ rugby extended their lead to 14 – 19 after a pile over out wide with Coghlan coming up with his second score.
Ulster responded well and had a good twenty minutes which saw Ryan McNeil bundle over to tie the game before replacement Alex Place (confirm name) crossed to push Ulster in front 26 – 19 after McAuley converted both .
Still over 15 minutes to play, which stretched out to over 20 minutes with stoppages as the game got a bit scrappy. It all went down to the last minute and a big effort from the visitors saw them camped in the Ulster 22 as the clock ticked down. After a couple of attempts Thomas Wickham (confirm name) was adjudged to have hit the line to take it to 26 – 24 with the conversion to come.
Ward held his nerve and avoided the onrushing attempts at a charge down to tie the game at 26 – 26 as the ref blew the whistle for time.
Ulster U19: Joshua Hanna (Wallace HS), Will Alexander (Campbell College Belfast), Tom McAllister (Ballyclare High School, Captain), Daniel Moore (Royal Belfast Academical Institution), Alexander Brennan (Campbell College Belfast) , Reuben Gibson (Royal School Dungannon), Billy Allen (Rainey Endowed School), Ryan Kidd (Methodist College Belfast), Sean McKay (Ballymena Academy), Rory Fulton (Sullivan Upper School), James Hilman (Royal Belfast Academical Institution), JF Burns (Coleraine RFC), Max McCrabbe (Coleraine Grammar School), Jordan McAuley (Coleraine Grammar School), Clark Logan (Coleraine Grammar School). Replacements: Jed Dornan (Campbell College Belfast), Ryan McNeill (Wesley College), Matthew McQuiston (Belfast Royal Academy), Jacob Edwards (Royal Belfast Academical Institution), Reece Williamson (Ballymena Academy), Finn Fehnert (Royal School Armagh), Peter Bird (Lurgan College), Oliver Smyth (Belfast Royal Academy), Alex Place (Royal Belfast Academical Institution), Lucas Armstrong (Royal School Armagh), Archie Johnston (RS Armagh), Ben Neely (Coleraine RFC), Josh Watterson (Royal School Armagh).
IQ Rugby U19: Matthew Wright (Kirkham Grammar School), Sebastian Easterby-Gray (Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate), Rhodri Jones (Coleg y Cymoedd), Joseph O’Rourke (Hartpury College), Charlie Coghlan (Belvedere College), Conan Lennon (Castleknock College), Jack O’Kelly (The Henley College), Richie Ajuzie (Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical School), Ben Haigh (Myerscough College), Cameron Ward (Lord Wandsworth College), Jayden Lyons (Millfield School), Jack Clover (Blundells School), Noah Fenton (Blundells School), Daniel Green (St. Ambrose College), Ollie Byrne (Beechen Cliff School). Replacements: Liam Harrison (Xaverian College Manchester), Harry Bellamy (Sedbergh School), Cian Jackson (Kirkham Grammar School), Thomas Wickham (European School IV Brussels), Piers Fortey (St Peter’s Catholic High School), Max McCarthy (Sir Richard Reynolds), Dan Fennell (Bablake King Henry School), Tom Austin (Epsom College), Harvey Leonard (Ellesmere College), Alexander Kerr (St. Anselm College Wirral).
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