Schools' Rugby International: Ireland schools - 35 England schools - 26 In some respects the final margin of victory was less emphatic than Ireland deserved at Templeville Road on Saturday. In another way it simply reflected a curious game in which both sides attacked with panache but were helped by some appalling defending.
Ireland's tenacious resistance in the closing 10 minutes of the first half, when England were often inches from scoring, had a major bearing on the outcome. Ireland led 15-7 but a converted try for the visitors at that stage would have greatly boosted their confidence.
It represented a cameo of the the overall match - Ireland fluffing a couple of opportunities to clear their lines and England trying to bully their way over while ignoring numerical superiority farther out.
It would be wrong not to acknowledge some excellent last-ditch Irish defending. Openside Gavin Murphy had a great game despite a sin-binning for allegedly collapsing an English maul. His backrow colleagues Chris Henry and Kevin McLaughlin also excelled. So too did second row Ross Noonan and prop Alex O'Sullivan.
Fergal Lawlor was tidy at outhalf, and centre Andrew Trimble was always looking for the half break. Full back Eamon Fitzgerald had a mediocre day with his place-kicking but not in his general play.
The home side produced some scintillating rugby in the opening 15 minutes. An England turnover at a ruck on their 22 allowed Ireland to work the ball wide, and Trimble chose a great line to take Lawlor's pass and hand off Cornwell before crossing for a try.
On seven minutes Ireland edged farther ahead. From a scrum on the English 22, McLaughlin picked up, turned his back and pretended to set for a drive by the pack. Scrumhalf Duncan Williams looped around and fed Lawlor and the outhalf popped a cleverly disguised pass for Stephen Grissing, coming off the blindside wing, to score under the posts.
Fitzgerald's conversion and a subsequent penalty made it 15-0 after just 11 minutes. Ireland backed off a little and England outhalf Ryan Lamb crossed for a try from a quickly taken tap penalty close to the Irish line, converted it and four minutes later was dispatched to the sin bin for killing ball.
Ireland hung on until the interval and began the second half with renewed purpose. Fitzgerald kicked a penalty, and scrumhalf Duncan Williams forced his way over for a try following good work by Henry.
The only problem was Ireland's defence was patchy, which helped refuel English belief. Jordan Crane scored a second try for the visitors. Murphy plunged over from a lineout catch and drive only for English scrumhalf Mark Simpson Daniel to grab another try.
Sublime work by Lawlor created a try for Fitzgerald but as Ireland emptied the bench, England responded with an injury-time try from Rory Teague.
Ireland travel to Wales on Sunday for their final international of the season chasing a clean sweep. If they improve their defence they have the quality to succeed.
SCORING SEQUENCE
2 mins: Trimble try, 5-0; 7 mins: Grissing try, Fitzgerald conversion, 12-0; 11 mins: Fitzgerald penalty, 15-0; 24 mins: Lamb try, Lamb conversion, 15-7. Half-time: 15-7. 38 mins: Fitzgerald penalty, 18-7; 45 mins: Williams try, Fitzgerald conversion, 25-7; 48 mins: Crane try, 25-12; 54 mins: Murphy try, 30-12; 60 mins: Simpson Daniel try, Lamb conversion, 30-19; 66 mins: Fitzgerald try, 35-19; 71 mins: Teague try, Lamb conversion, 35-26.
IRELAND: E Fitzgerald (Belvedere); S Grissing (St Mary's), A Trimble (Coleraine AI), M Scott (Methody), C McNaughton (Rockwell); F Lawlor (Roscrea), D Williams (CBC Cork); A O'Sullivan (PBC Bray), J Coady (Blackrock), A Kirkpatrick (Ballymena Academy), R Noonan (CBC Cork), A Dunlop (Terenure), C Henry (Wallace HS, capt), K McLaughlin (Gonzaga), G Murphy (Clongowes). Replacements: D O'Leary (PBC Cork) for Williams 61 mins; R Caldwell (RBAI) for Dunlop 61 mins; D Hurley (CBC Cork) for Coady 67 mins; J Kerins (CBC Cork) for Kirkpatrick 67 mins; P Collins (Templeogue) for O'Sullivan 67 mins; E Ronan (CBC Cork) for Lawlor 67 mins; J McGrugan (Ballyclare HS) for Scott 67 mins. Sin-binned: G Murphy 32-42 mins.
ENGLAND: M Cornwell; M Tait, J Hoyle, T Gregory, T Jarvis; R Lamb, M Simpson-Daniel; D Greenhalgh, R Webber, M Halsall, J Crane, B Lloyd, A Newton, C Goodman, J Wheeler. Replacements: S Mackie for Webber h/t; S Worrall for Wheeler 53 mins; M Cusack for Greenlagh 56 mins; M Baxter for Simpson-Daniel 61 mins; L Ovens for Halsall 61 mins; R Teague for Cornwell 61 mins; A Peck for Crane 67 mins. Sin-binned: R Lamb 28-38 mins.
Referee: V Azoulay (France).
