CLUB INTERNATIONAL: Ireland 13 England Counties 13:THE HONOURS were shared in this lively Club international fixture at Donnybrook last night with a 76th minute penalty from Barry Keeshan earning the home side a share of the spoils.
Ireland having surrendered good possession as a result of a collapsed scrum on the right side then went over for the first try of the game on eight minutes when off second phase ball, a skipped pass from Ruairi Cushion set up Alan Maher for a try under the English posts which Barry Keeshan duly converted.
Then after the English Counties had threatened to score a breakaway try from inside their own half, Keeshan brought the home side into double figures when landing a penalty from just inside the English half on 13 minutes.
England opened their account courtesy of a Mark Bedworth penalty with just under quarter of an hour remaining, but were then dealt a blow on the half hour when their number eight, Robert Baldwin, was forced to retire hurt.
And England’s anxiety was heightened by some very effective in your face tackling from the tight five as Ireland continued to set the agenda. The only downside for the home side was the sin binning before half-time of Irish wing, Derek Corcoran.
England began the second half in confident mode with Bledworth exploiting a gap to race clear. But Ireland recovered the situation superbly with Philip Brophy and Torrie stopping him just under the posts with 10 minutes gone in the half. But the English counties were back in business moments later when Doherty sidestepped a series of tackles to present Bedworth with the simplest of conversions.
England then went ahead with ten minutes to go through Bedworth only for Ireland to level proceedings when a great drive by man-of-the-match, Barry O’Mahony presented Keeshan with a straight forward penalty goal which he duly converted with four minutes remaining.
IRELAND: E Torrie; C Healy, D Fitzpatrick; P Brophy, D Corcoran, B Keeshan, R Cushion; M Gately, B McNamee, K Moran, A Maher, M Warburton, K Croke, B O'Mahony, H Hogan. Replacements: A Dunlop for Warburton (55 mins), S Cronin for Cushion (60 mins), C Murphy for Gately (69 mins), R Quinn for McNamee, N O'Brien for Torrie (both 70 mins), R Boucher for Hogan (74 mins), T Bennett for Fitzpatrick (77 mins).
ENGLAND: R Cook; M Billings, A Billig; M Bedworth, S Smith, G Beasley, J Doherty; D Jaques, L Wordley, R Harden, L Collins, T Bason, J Lord, J Kellard, R Baldwin. Replacements: J Smithson for Baldwin (29 mins), J Harrison for Billings (48 mins), P Knight for Doherty (59 mins), C Johnston for Beasley (65 mins). B Gerry for Wordley (70 mins), S Legg for Jaques, J Rule for Collins (both 72 mins).
Referee: P Gauzere (FFR).
