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World Cup spot secured

IRELAND - 60 ITALY 14 Under-21 International: Nine tries gave Ireland under-21s a comfortable victory over Italy in the Six …

Sat Mar 23 2002 - 00:00

IRELAND - 60 ITALY 14Under-21 International: Nine tries gave Ireland under-21s a comfortable victory over Italy in the Six Nations championship at the Galway Sportsground yesterday.

This was their second victory of this campaign and it booked their passage to the IRB Under-21 World Cup in South Africa later this year.

Ireland took the lead on two minutes with a try from open-side flanker Niall McMillan, converted by outhalf Eoghan Hickey. Their second came a few minutes later from blind-side flanker Denis Leamy, and was also converted.

Though Michele Rizzo went over, there was no way back for the Italians and Ireland struck again with a penalty by Hickey.

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Further tries before the interval from scrumhalf Brian O'Riordan (two) and second row Matt McCullough - the latter converted - left the half-time score at 34-7.

Italy had their last scores of the match early after the interval with a try from centre Diego Sacca. Ireland scored further tries from prop Brian Young, full back Scott Young, O'Riordan and replacement Barry Lynn, Hickey converted three of these tries.

SCORERS: Ireland - B O'Riordan, three tries; N McMillan, D Leamy, M McCullough, B Young, S Young, B Lynn, try each; E Hickey, pen and six cons. Italy - M Rizzo, D Sacca, try each; V Zullo, two cons).

IRELAND: S Young (Ballymena); M McPhail (UL-Bohs), G Duffy (Galwegians), C O'Sullivan (UCC), C McPhillips (St Mary's College); E Hickey (St Mary's), B O'Riordan (UCD); J Lyne (Lansdowne), K Corrigan (UCD), B Young (Ballymena), S Keogh (UCC), M McCullough (Ballymena, capt), D Leamy (UCC), R Wilson (Dublin University), N McMillan (Ballymena). Replacements: S Phillips (Saracens) for Young (70 mins); F Murphy (UCC) for O'Riordan, R Best (Newcastle) for Corrigan (both 73); J Norton (St Mary's) for McPhillips, M Carroll (Blackrock College) for Keogh (both 77 mins); B Lynn (St Mary's) for O'Sullivan, C Hartigan (Garryowen) for McMillan (both 79).

ITALY: A Masi (capt); C Gaudillo, D Sacca, M Barbini, G Canale; V Zullo, P Travagli; C Russo, M Rizzo, M Pietrosanti, A Bresolin, A Pegoretti, A Mannato, A Frassinella, L Ferraro. Replacements: G Intoppa for Rizzo (55); S Picone for Travagli, Bezzati for Pegoretti (both 59); Accorisi for Canale (65); F Tripodi for Rassinella (79).

Referee: P Fear (WRU).