Connacht Juniors 20 Ulster Juniors 34

Ulster Juniors got their Junior Interprovincial Series campaign off to a winning start on Saturday afternoon, with a 20-34 win over Connacht at Castlebar RFC. With a very strong wind blowing across the field, Ulster skipper Cory Tipping won the toss and elected to play up the hill in the first half. Connacht got off to a great start and despite the Ulster defence forcing Connacht backwards, the home team managed to create an overlap down their right wing for full back Henry O’Toole to cross for the first points of the game. Ulster managed to gather the restart and kept the ball for a series of phases. The pressure eventually told following a number of carries and Ulster hooker Matthew Coulter forced his way over the line to level the score on 10 minutes. Connacht then kicked a long range penalty to regain the lead 8-5 after 22 minutes. Ulster took control of the 2nd quarter of the game. Following some great work, punching through the middle, Ulster worked the ball wide to full back Paul Armstrong who pivoted out of contact and released Tom Caesar on the left wing. Tom still had a great deal to do but stepped and weaved his way past 3 defenders to score near the touch line. Lee Steenson nailed the conversion to make it 8-12 to Ulster after 24 minutes. Following some good pressure from Ulster, Connacht cleared their lines up to half way, conceding the line out. Ulster’s line out functioned well, with the ball moved into midfield where Jordan Taylor made a fantastic line break. Ulster recycled the ball extremely well, going through a number of phases and as they worked the ball back from the touchline, Number 8 Connor McKee hit a great line to score to the right of the posts, Steenson again converted to make it 19-8 after 35 minutes. Some poor discipline from Ulster gave Connacht the chance to kick the ball deep into the Ulster 22 with only a minute or so before half time. Connacht caught and drove the subsequent line out and them being unsuccessful at getting the ball over the line, the referee adjudged Ulster 2nd row Timmy Woods to have deliberately collapsed the maul. A yellow card for the Ulster man and another penalty for Connacht, who repeated the dose but this time managed to complete the score and add the extras to make it 15-19 to Ulster at the break. Ulster made a sloppy start to the 2nd half, knocking the ball down from their own lineout just inside their 10. The loose ball bounced straight into the hands of the onrushing Connacht replacement, Brian Donoghue who ran in unopposed for the score, to put Connacht in the lead 20-19. Ulster responded extremely well, controlling both possession and territory as Steenson used his left foot to run the ball down the hill on the breeze and into the bottom corner of the pitch. Ulster then constructed a really well taken team try, with the ball going through many sets of hands from left to right and prop Gavin Warrington making a break as they play changed direction. Ulster recycled the ball very quickly and put it through the hands again for left wing Tom Caesar to finish in the corner and put Ulster back in the lead 20-24. A Paul Armstrong penalty shortly after made it 20-27 after 62 minutes. Connacht had their moments but just couldn’t get out of their own half, as the Ulster defence was very good and forced them into a number of errors. The final score of the game came from this excellent defence. Connacht knocked the ball on around the half way line, with the referee playing advantage, Tom Caesar came round off his left wing to gather the ball. As he straightened up through the middle, beating a number of close defenders, he then showed his pace as he went for the right corner, leaving the Connacht defence scrambling behind him. Full back Paul Armstrong kicked the conversion and Ulster managed the remainder of the game fairly well to prevent Connacht from getting a fourth try bonus point and from getting the point for finishing within 7. Credit is due to both teams for a very open and entertaining game of rugby to watch for all that turned up in very tricky conditions. 2019 Junior Interprovincial Series Fixtures: Saturday 27th April, 2.30pm at Castlebar RFC – Connacht 20-34 Ulster Saturday 4th May, 2.30pm at Ballyclare RFC – Ulster v Munster Saturday 11th May, 2.30pm at Dundalk RFC – Leinster v Ulster