The opening exchanges were a tense battle, with both sides testing each other physically in the breakdown. Ulster A, marshalled by the experienced James McNabney, displayed a resolute defensive line, frustrating the Ireland U20s' attempts to penetrate their territory. The game began fast paced with a lot of box kicking, keeping the intensity high. Ulster showed an unwavering defence with great tackles from Reffell and game control from scrum-half Conor McKee.
Both sides were very evenly matched in the opening of the game, with the play hanging around the halfway line with both teams showing strong attacking and defending. However, the visitors showcased their attacking prowess in the 21st minute. A well-executed break from Sam Berman put them on the cusp of the Ulster A try line, and moments later, Max Flynn powered his way over to open the scoring, Ulster 0 - 7 Ireland.
Undeterred, Ulster A responded with a period of sustained pressure. Winger Ethan Graham, who had a standout performance throughout the match, showcased his electric pace with a weaving run that created a scoring opportunity. He burrowed his way over the whitewash just three minutes later, with Reece Malone narrowly missing the conversion, Ulster 5 - 7 Ireland.
The home side continued to threaten, with the impressive Charlie Irvine orchestrating attacks with support from Jake McCay and Tom Brigg. Their efforts were rewarded on the half-hour mark. After some lovely territory gained with a clever tap and go from McKee, Ulster headed into Ireland’s 22. Callum Reid crashed over the line, after a powerful maul from the Ulster A forwards, expertly driven by skipper McNabney. Malone converted to give Ulster A the lead for the first time in the match, 12 - 7.
Ulster continued to gain momentum, and were back on the attack moments later with a try held up by the Irish defence just five minutes later. Ulster’s third try of the half would come in the 39th minute from Conor McKee, after a lovely hand off from Ethan Graham, McKee found the space and dove over the gainline. Malone added the extras taking the score to Ulster 19 - 7 Ireland.
Moments before the break, Ireland U20s displayed their resilience. A well-executed kick chase from the backfield put them on the front foot, and Ruben Moloney capitalised on a defensive lapse to cross the try line. Jack Murphy's kick went wide, taking us into half-time with the scoreboard reading Ulster 19, Ireland 12.
HT: Ulster 19 - 12 Ireland
The second half mirrored the first in terms of intensity, with both sides showcasing their attacking intent. Ulster A started strong and a penalty kick from Reece Malone extended the lead to 22-12 in the 47th minute. However, Ireland U20s responded with a clinical display of attacking rugby. Finn Treacy exploited space in the Ulster A defence to score a try, converted by Jack Murphy in the 49th minute, Ulster 22 - 19 Ireland.
Ulster A's defensive woes continued as Ireland U20s capitalised on turnovers. Wilhelm de Klerk and Max Flynn crossed the line twice in quick succession, both times converted by Murphy, extending the lead to 22-33. Moments later in the 60th minute, de Klerk added his second try of the match further consolidating Ireland U20s' advantage, Ulster 22 - 40 Ireland. Ireland’s seventh try of the match came from Tom Larke, after a great run from Sean Naughton. Sean Naughton then added the extras, taking the score to 22-47 in the closing stages.
Despite the scoreline, Ulster A never gave up the fight. Their spirit was epitomised by Ethan Graham, who continued to torment the Ireland U20s defence. His tireless work ethic was rewarded with a well-deserved second try in the final minutes which was converted by Conor McKee, making the final score, Ulster 29 - 47 Ireland.
FT: Ulster 29 - 47 Ireland
This entertaining encounter showcased the exciting talent coming through both the Ulster and Ireland ranks. The young Ulster A players displayed flashes of brilliance in attack, with Ethan Graham, Callum Reid, Sean Reffell and Charlie Irvine particularly impressive. The pack, captained by James McNabney, showed commendable resilience throughout the game.
While the result didn't go Ulster A's way, there were plenty of positives to take from the performance. Both teams should be commended for putting on a thrilling display of attacking rugby that kept the Kingspan Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats.
We at Ulster Rugby would like to wish the Ireland U20s the very best of luck in the upcoming World Cup.
### Teams
Ulster A
(15-9) Rory Telfer, Ben McFarlane, James Girvan, Jonny Scott, Ethan Graham, Reece Malone, Conor McKee
(1-8) Callum Reid, James McCormick, Tom McAllister, Jake McCay, Charlie Irvine, Tom Brigg, Sean Reffell, James McNabney ©
Replacements: Zac Solomon, Jack Boal, Flynn Longstaff, Callum Johns, Reuben Crothers, Josh Stevens, Clarke Logan,
Ireland U20s
(15-9) Ruben Moloney, Davy Colbert, Wilhelm de Klerk, Sam Berman, Hugo McLaughlin, Jack Murphy, Oliver Coffey
(1-8) Alex Usanov, Stephen Smyth, Alex Mullan, Alan Spicer, Evan O’Connell ©, Sean Edogbo, Max Flynn, Brian Gleeson
Replacements: Danny Sheahan, Emment Calvey, Patreece Bell, Billy Corrigan, James McKillop, Tadhg Brophy, Sean Naughton, Finn Treacy, Mikey Yarr, Andrew Sparrow, Mikey O’Reilly, Luke Murphy, Gordon Wood, Oisin Pepper, Tom Larke
### Scorers
Ulster A (29)
TRY: Ethan Graham x 2, Callum Reid, McKee
CON: Malone x 2, McKee
Pen: Malone
Ireland U20 (47)
TRY: Flynn x 2, Moloney, de Klerk x 2, Treacy, Larke,
CON: Murphy x 5, Naughton
