Under-20 International/Ireland 17 Scotland 12:Ireland seemed poised for a facile victory when they led by 17-0 at the interval but Eric Elwood's men had to withstand a strong Scotland fightback in the second-half of an entertaining under-20 Six Nations encounter at Dubarry Park.
The reigning champions will be far from happy with a poor second-half display which almost cost them the game as Scotland, for the third game in a row, dominated in the second half as they fell to their third loss in this season's competition.
Ireland got on top in the opening half and were well worth their big interval lead after dominating with some excellent backline running.
Left winger Chris Cochrane and outside centre Eoin O'Malley were particularly impressive and were involved in most of the positive things Ireland did.
Ireland wanted to set a high tempo to the game from the outset against a Scottish side beaten in both games to date and they could not have hoped for a better start as they crossed for a try after less than three minutes.
O'Malley was twice involved as Ireland built the phases with quick ball and in the end the half-backs of David Moore and outhalf Martin Dufficy created the gap for lock James Sandford to get in for a fine try. Dufficy was off target with the conversion but he subsequently landed four from five in the remainder of the half as Scotland's discipline let them down in the face of some great Irish pressure.
The Scots lost flanker Fraser McKenzie for 10 minutes for killing the ball just after the half hour mark and with centre Stephen McColl squandering a 16th-minute penalty in front of the posts, they looked in trouble.
Ireland were leading 14-0 at that stage and growing in confidence but they landed just another penalty from Dufficy with numerical advantage and just before the interval Ireland lost winger Cochrane for hands in the ruck during a rare Scottish attack.
But it was a different story after the restart as Scotland took control with a Stephen McColl try three minutes after the restart, which the centre himself converted, bringing them back into contention.
McColl was also instrumental in setting up the Scots' second try when he tapped a penalty to send winger Tom Bury over to make it 17-12 after 54 minutes.
Dufficy was off target with a couple of penalties which would have made the game safe but Ireland defended well in the closing stages after the Scots kicked two penalties to the right corner.
Both sides had two men sinbinned - impressive winger Cochrane and Paul Ryan for Ireland and the Scots pair of McKenzie and Josh Brown.
IRELAND: D Kearney (Lansdowne); S Scanlon (UCC), E O'Malley (Old Belvedere), E Sheridan (Lansdowne), C Cochrane (QUB); M Dufficy (TCD), D Moore (Blackrock); P Karaviannis (QUB), J Harris-Wright (Greystones), B Barclay (UCD), J Sandford (QUB), E Sherriff (Lansdowne), K Essex (UL Bohemians), P Ryan (Blackrock), P Mallon (Lansdowne). Replacements: C Cleary (Greystones) for Sheridan (50 mins); D Nolan (Galwegians) for Sandford (50 mins).
SCOTLAND: M Allan; T Bury, C Kinloch, S McColl, J Smart; R Jackson, M Heeks; G Strain, A Duncan, L Niven; J Brown, N Patrick; F McKenzie, J Baird, L Calder. Replacements: F Brown for Duncan (45 mins); R Sansom for Heeks (45 mins); C Simmonds for Patrick (65 mins).
Referee: D Rosich (France).
