Cave makes his mark as Ireland impress

Ireland A 48 Tonga 19: IRELAND A were made to battle for their victory against Tonga in an entertaining game at a wet and freezing cold Ravenhill.

The home side outscored the visitors seven tries to three with a number of players putting their hands up for selection for the Fiji game next weekend.

Darren Cave scored two of the Irish tries and gave a good account of himself, while Andrew Trimble showed some of the form that has already earned him 34 full caps.

Ireland took just three minutes to break the deadlock, with Connacht prop Brett Wilkinson celebrating his first representative call -up with the opening try.Ian Humphreys missed the conversion but increased then lead with a penalty on 11 minutes. Humphreys added his second penalty on 16 minutes before the Tongans hit back when fullback Vungakoto Lilo caught the home defence napping to score under the posts, with Clonakilty’s Kurt Morath converting.

Trimble scored Ireland’s second try following a slick handling move before Cave added a try on 33 minutes following Seán O’Brien’s great break. Tonga had the last say of the first half with centre Sukanaivalu Hufanga scoring their second try to cut Ireland’s lead to 21-14 at the interval.

Humphreys landed a third penalty two minutes after the restart and Northampton flanker Neil Best scored the home side’s forth try on 53 minutes when he was driven over from a lineout after he stole the Tongan throw.

Gavin Duffy then profited from a poor kick out of defence to score Ireland’s fifth try and Cave added his second try on 64 minutes, finishing the move following Andy Kyriacou’s rampaging run.

Tongan replacement hooker William Hafu crashed over from close range before Ian Keatley added Ireland’s final try.

IRELANDA: G Duffy; S Horgan, D Cave, F McFadden, A Trimble; I Humphreys, P Stringer; B Wilkinson, D Fogarty, M Ross; D Toner, D Ryan; S OBrien, N Best, C Henry. Replacements: A Kyriacou for Fogarty (41 mins), K McLaughlin for Henry (55 mins), I Boss for Stringer (59), J Murphy for Duffy (62), B Young for Wilkinson, D Tuohy for Ryan, I Keatley for Humphreys (all 68 mins).

TONGA: V Lilo; A Fatafehi, S Hufanga, J Vaka, P Vakaloa; K Morath, for Filo 60 mins; T Toke, S Telefoni, M Moala, P Hehea, E Kauhenga; S Filo, U Fono, S Vahafolau. Replacements: W Hafu for Telefoni (41 mins), P Taula for Toke (19 mins), P Fakalelu, L Faaoso for Filo (60), R Mahe for Fono (69), M Fangupo for K Fangupo, M Ahotaeiloa for Hufanga (53 mins). P Hola for Fatafehi (55)

Referee: Chris White(England)