Ireland Under-18 Clubs 13 France Under-18 B 19:THE IRELAND Clubs, or Youths, as they were known, were not able to maintain a strong start, falling to three second-half penalties to France at Templeville Road yesterday.
The Irish boys poured all their energy into a superb start, Dungarvan left wing Séamus Keating flying over early on and Charleville lock John Madigan the beneficiary of a second try from the solid work of a tight-knit forward pack.
Navan outhalf Fergal Cleary could not convert either try, but added a penalty to guide Ireland to a 13-10 lead at the interval.
However, the French forced a try from a driving maul for captain Adrien Corbex to go with five points by their 10 Yoan Le Bourhis.
The power of the French began to tell as they activated heavy firepower from the bench to win the territorial battle.
Eventually, the penalties had to come and Le Bourhis brought the visitors level in the 42nd minute, while his replacement Adrian Bau added two killer kicks in the last quarter.
IRELAND U18 CLUBS:R Pepper-Hobbs (Westport); A Enright (Abbeyfeale), A Byrne (UCD), S OHagan (London Irish), S Keating (Dungarvan); F Cleary (Navan), K OKeeffe (Crosshaven); P Dooley (Birr, capt), P ODonnell (Galwegians), J Walshe (Ballinasloe), R Blair (Ballymoney), J Madigan (Charleville), K Sweeney (Malahide), J Bercis (Exiles), J ODonoghue (Waterpark, capt). Replacements: C Blade (Monivea) for OKeefe ht; B Cunningham (Navan) for Walshe, S Flannagan (Buccaneers) for ODonnell both 49 mins; L Connolly (Exiles) for Blair, F Taggart (Exiles) for Bercis both 55 mins; S Dalton (Exiles) for Dooley, E OReilly (Buccaneers) for Keating, both 63 mins.
FRANCE:B Pointurier; H Aounallah, N Lambert, J Heriteau, W Thomas; Y Le Bourhis, P Nova; N Chocou, L James, M Simmonet, R Manas, A Corbex (capt), B Plessis, J Abiven, A Meron. Replacements: R Chies for Chocou, R Chambord for James, T Raynuad for Sommonet, all ht; A Bau for Le Bourhis 50 mins; M Seneclauze for Plessis, G Annetta for Abiven both 53 mins; A Lubrano for B Pointurier 61 mins.
Referee: S Lee (England).
