Under-19 World Championship Division A Ireland 17 England 16Ireland produced a late try by the St Munchin's centre Keith Earls to seize a dramatic win over England at the Exiles Ground in Dubai and in the process gave themselves the perfect start to their IRB Under-19 World Championship campaign.
It was a magnificent victory for the Irish team, all the more so in the light of their 32-9 defeat by the same opposition last month in the Six Nations championship.
The turnaround is undoubtedly due to the recent availability of several quality players but also to the new confidence engendered in the Irish squad over the past few weeks.
"This was simply a brilliant win by this Ireland team," said manager Keith Patton.
"It was a top-drawer performance. Perhaps the only disappointing aspect was that we created a lot in the first half but didn't get the rewards.
"We used the ball a lot better than in the last game against England and could have scored more tries. We probably left a couple of tries behind us in the first half.
"This game has given us a massive boost in confidence ahead of what will be a difficult game against France on Sunday.
"They (France) looked very good in defeating South Africa tonight but we are obviously buoyed by our win."
Outstanding for Ireland were the openside flanker and captain, Dave Pollock, outhalf Brian Collins - whose goal kicking effectively won the match - and full back Seán Carey.
There were huge contributions too from the loosehead prop Cian Healy, lock Conor McInerney and try-scorer Earls.
The match, played at the magnificent Exiles Ground, the venue for the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens, was all about accurate goal kicking in the early stages.
In the event the Wasps outhalf Daniel Cipriani, playing in his second successive championship, landed two goals to give England an early advantage before Castleknock outhalf Brian Collins ate into the England lead with his own effort.
Then just before the interval England made a decisive breakthrough with a close-range try by skipper Adam Powell, the powerfully built Saracens centre muscling his way to the try line through several tackles.
Cipriani's conversion gave England a 13-3 interval advantage.
The tide quickly turned in the second half when England had two players sinbinned: the Worcester prop Matt Mullen for a hands-in-the-ruck offence and the Leeds fullback David Doherty for a late tackle.
With the opposition down to 13 men Ireland were able to apply massive pressure, forcing English infringements and resulting in three penalty goals by Collins to bring them within a point of England's scoreline.
England struck back, however, and a penalty goal by Cipriani opened their lead to four points.
Then came Ireland's dramatic and decisive riposte, a patient build-up, and then a release of the ball to the right to allow Earls to score on the overlap.
England came back fiercely and had chances to steal the match at the end but with Ireland's determination showing through in their magnificent defence, the English were never able to regain the lead, leaving Ireland deserved winners on a night to savour.
IRELAND: S Carey (Garbally College); S Monahan (Trinity College), K Earls (St Munchin's), I Keatley (UCD), M Barker (Queen's Univ); B Collins (Castleknock), P O'Donohoe (Belvedere College); C Healy (Belvedere College), G Slattery (St Munchin's), J Gethings (Gonzaga); T Anderson (Queen's Univ), C McInerney (UCD); T O'Donnell (UL Bohemians), D Pollock (Queen's Univ), K Sheahan (UCD). Replacements: R Murphy (Castleknock), A Browne (Galwegians).
ENGLAND: D Doherty; O Dodge, T Youngs, A Powell, J Turner-Hall; D Cipriani, D Care; M Mullan, J Page, T Mercey; D Attwood, S McDonald; A Shaw, A Saull, D Tait.
Referee: W Roos (South Africa)
