Paddy Jackson in action last season when a similar Ravens "tanked" a similar Leinster A!
I must admit we didn’t have a good feeling about this one, preparing ourselves for a Somme type massacre as the UR Generals, in Haig like fashion, send a plucky young Ravens team over the top in Donnybrook.
Our daring boys bravely fought back the hordes during the first half but shipped heavy casualties with Dave McGuigan going off after 10 minutes with “an ankle like a bap” only to be followed by Iain Henderson who was carted away by the field ambulance with a suspected broken leg. Fortunately (?) it was an ankle injury and he returned on crutches to view the carnage of the battlefield before the final whistle.
Ulster’s valiant offensive did see them slip into the lead with two penalties by Patrick Jackson, before he was confined to barracks for ten minutes, cancelling out an unconverted try from Andrew Conway and Ulster slipped further ahead with Ian Porter adding a third penalty in Jacksons absence.
The lead gave false comfort to the troops and another salvo from Conway set up Darren Hudson for Leinster’s second try with the howitzer of a boot from Noel Reid adding the conversion.
A restored Jackson brought out his own big guns to level the score with a penalty just before the break.
Leinster sent in wave after wave of attack in the second half, with Ulster fighting a rearguard action under the experienced leadership of First Lieutenant Niall Annett though Hudson did manage to breach the line for his second try. Annett shortly found himself confined to barracks and the leaderless Ulster shipped more ties with Jamie Hagan, Ciaran Ruddock (twice), and Andrew Boyle all breaching the line.
Chris Farrell rallied the troops for a final sortie, though his brief insurgence was too little too late with the game ending Leinster 46 Ulster 19.
LEINSTER ‘A’: (15-9) Andrew Conway, Darren Hudson, Brendan Macken, Colm O’Shea, Andrew Boyle, Noel Reid, John Cooney. (1-8) Jack McGrath, Aaron Dundon, Jamie Hagan, Steven Sykes, Mark Flanagan, Ciaran Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Leo Auva’a. (16-23) Jason Harris-Wright, Jack O’Connell, Martin Moore, Neilus Keogh, Jordi Murphy, Cillian Willis, Cathal Marsh, Danny Riordan
RAVENS:(15-9) Ricky Andrew, Conor Gaston, Michael Allen, Chris Farrell, Chris Cochrane, Paddy Jackson, Ian Porter. (1-8) Callum Black, John Burns, Adam Macklin, Iain Henderson, Neil McComb, Conor Joyce, David McGuigan, Sean O’Connell. (16-23) Niall Annett, Kyle McCall, Ryan Jablonski, James Simpson, Neil Falloon, Blane McIlroy, James McKinney, Peter Nelson
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2 Responses to “Ravens: Leinster 46 Ulster 19”
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Bacically Ulster were always going to suffer due to a young and inexperienced backrow when compared to Ruddock Ryan and Auva’a . when your backrow is out gunned you will be in trouble. Especially with a player like Conway in their backline and much as you / we sing the praises of our backs and think they are potential Internationals my bet is that Conway will be an International before most of Ulsters vaunted youngsters.
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Big call there mote picking out the Junior World Championship leading try scorer as someone likely to do well
. I don’t think there is any doubt to the gifted Conway’s international future, but having seen most of these youngsters many times playing for Ireland, Ulster and Leinster underage sides and having watched a similar Ulster side ripping apart a similar Leinster side minus the established first teamers at Donnybrook this time last season I wouldn’t get too excited.
However off their peers I would say that Gilroy is most likely to receive a call up first, him being the same age as Conway and all that!
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