Ulster captain and player-of-the-match Eddie Keys led by example with a 17-point kicking haul, as Damien Campbell’s side got the better of Connacht, winning 37-31 at Enniskillen RFC. They could retain the title against Leinster at Lisburn RFC next Saturday.
It has been the most competitive Junior Interprovincial campaign in recent memory, with all four fixtures so far being fiercely contested and six points the biggest winning margin across the two opening rounds.
Connacht and Munster – sitting on seven points each with Ulster at the summit on 10 10 thanks to back-to-back bonus point wins – are still very much in the hunt.
They meet at Castleisland RFC on the last day, the Eoin O’Connor-coached hosts buoyed by a hard-earned 28-26 victory over Leinster that included tries from forwards Killian O’Connell and Kain Donnellan. Both final round matches will kick off at 2pm.
IRFU JUNIOR MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Saturday, May 2 –
LEINSTER JUNIORS 26 MUNSTER JUNIORS 28, De La Salle Palmerston FC
Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Oisin McKenna 2, Graham Reynolds, Dewald Barnard; Cons: Conor Dunne 3
Munster: Tries: Jack O’Connell, Killian O’Connell, Penalty try, Kain Donnellan; Cons: Shane Airey 2, Pen try con, Fionn Fogarty
HT: Leinster 19 Munster 21
LEINSTER: Cormac Hurley (Seapoint Rugby); David O’Reilly (Seapoint Rugby), Conor Dunne (Tullamore RFC), Matt McKenna (Seapoint Rugby), Oisin McKenna (Seapoint Rugby); Craig Miller (Athy RFC), Ruairi Fenlon (Wexford Wanderers RFC); Dewald Barnard (Wicklow RFC), Graham Reynolds (Ashbourne RFC), Tadhg Ronan (Co. Carlow FC), Tom Brady (Athy RFC), Jake Caldbeck (Kilkenny RFC), Colm Heffernan (Tullamore RFC), Liam Forster (Seapoint Rugby), Donal McMahon (Seapoint Rugby) (capt).
Replacements: Liam Nicholson (Wicklow RFC), Scott Caldbeck (Tullow RFC), John McDonald (De La Salle Palmerston FC), Max Richards (Wicklow RFC), Garry Dunne (Kilkenny RFC), Ben Watson (Wicklow RFC), Evan Dixon (Coolmine RFC), Darragh Whyte (Newbridge RFC).
MUNSTER: Ben Daly (Waterpark RFC); Mathew Crowley (Bandon RFC), Sam Glynn (Mallow RFC), Jack O’Connell (Crosshaven RFC), Seán Murphy (Newcastle West RFC); Shane Airey (Newcastle West RFC), Dave Evans (Kinsale RFC); Matthew McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC), Scott Kingston (Bandon RFC), Cian Walsh (Old Christians RFC), Killian O’Connell (Cobh Pirates RFC), Tadhg Galvin (Bandon RFC), Josh Brady (Bandon RFC), Sam Quinlan (Thurles RFC) (capt), Kain Donnellan (Bandon RFC).
Replacements: Ewan Kennedy (Sunday’s Well RFC), Cathal Dennehy (Muskerry RFC), Dave Jennings (Clonakilty RFC), Jake Kennedy (Sunday’s Well RFC), Adam McEvoy (St. Senan’s RFC), Seán Crowe (Old Christians rfc), Fionn Fogarty (Thurles RFC), Brian Mullins (Richmond RFC).
ULSTER JUNIORS 37 CONNACHT JUNIORS 31, Enniskillen RFC
Scorers: Ulster: Tries: Charlie Williamson, James Ferguson, Dean Dillon, Sam Balfour; Cons: Eddie Keys 4; Pens: Eddie Keys 3
Connacht: Tries: Bryan Walsh, Max Holmes, Fintan Crawley, Dylan Keane; Cons: Dylan Keane 4; Pen: Dylan Keane
HT: Connacht 24 Ulster 17
ULSTER: Jonny Hunter (Dromore RFC); Sam Balfour (Enniskillen RFC), James Ferguson (Enniskillen RFC), Dean Dillon (Dromore RFC), Robbie Johnston (Ards RFC); Eddie Keys (Enniskillen RFC) (capt), Charlie Williamson (Lurgan RFC); David Braden (Omagh RFC), Niall Keenan (Enniskillen RFC), Ryan Emerson (Lurgan RFC), James Wright (Portadown RFC), Richard Dickson (Dromore RFC), Henry Keys (Enniskillen RFC), Angus Keys (Enniskillen RFC), Michael Rooney (Enniskillen RFC).
Replacements: Tom-Arthur Donnan (Ards RFC), Oisin Timoney (Enniskillen RFC), Simon Creane (Omagh RFC), Joe Duff (Omagh RFC), Jack Rutledge (Enniskillen RFC), Andy Smyth (Bangor RFC), Drew Fleck (Portadown RFC), Daire Hill (Enniskillen RFC).
CONNACHT: Rory King (Galway Corinthians RFC); Jack Wise (Galway Corinthians RFC), Calum Quinn (Ballina RFC), Harry Sheridan (Westport RFC), Paul Brennan (Ballina RFC); Dylan Keane (Ballinrobe RFC), Tadhg Johnston (Galway Corinthians RFC); Aidan Healy (Ballyhaunis RFC), Max Holmes (Galway Corinthians RFC), Seán O’Connell (Ballina RFC), Stephen Grenham (Ballinasloe RFC), Bryan Walsh (Galway Corinthians RFC), Xavier Tavai (Creggs RFC), Johannes Terblanche (Tuam RFC), Fintan Crawley (Ballyhaunis RFC) (capt).
Replacements: Shane O’Hehir (Sligo Rugby), Ronan Mullin (Dunmore RFC), Brendan McLoughlin (Westport RFC), Malachy Joe Gavin (Dunmore RFC), Luke Sweeney (Ballina RFC), Cormac Lyons (Westport RFC), Rowan Grous (Ballyhaunis RFC), Daniel O’Connor (University of Galway RFC).
FIXTURES TO COME:
Saturday, May 9 –
MUNSTER JUNIORS (3rd) v CONNACHT JUNIORS (2nd), Castleisland RFC, 2pm
ULSTER JUNIORS (1st) v LEINSTER JUNIORS (4th), Lisburn RFC, 2pm