Ireland U19 Men entertained Scotland U19 Men in the final match of the Four Nations at University of Ulster, Jordanstown, on a very sunny Sunday afternoon. Both sides were vying for the championship, Ireland needing a draw or better and Scotland needing a win.

It was the Scottish side that claimed the championship with a 0 – 2 win, after goals from Adam MacKenzie and Keir Robb, Ireland unable to make their pressure count in the last third of the pitch.

Ireland started on the front foot and enjoyed the bulk of possession in the first half but the Scots looked more dangerous on the break. However, defences dominated in the first half and the teams turned round with the game scoreless.

The Scots began to get their stick on the ball more often in the second half and they slowly built up the pressure on the Irish goal throughout the third quarter and they finally got their breakthrough when MacKenzie tapped in a rebound for the visitors to take a 0 – 1 lead into the final quarter.

Ireland pushed hard but that vital final touch continued to eluded their forward line and a late break, through the centre, by MacKenzie was eventually finished off by Robb to give Scotland a 2 – 0 win and the championship.

Squads

IRELAND U19: Ross Clarke(GK), Iarlatih O’Neill(GK), Max Anderson, Adam Walker, Mark Collins(C), Fionn Marriott, Jack O’Meara, Ryan Spencer, Kent Irwin, Tiarnan Gaffney, Matthew McKibbin, Paddy Rose, Ian Balding, Robert Sweetnam, Ben Ryder, Karl Smyth, Ben Pasley, Charlie Rowe.

SCOTLAND U19: Cameron Bosi(GK), Henry Saxby(GK), Sam Knight, Jamie Croll, Keir Robb, Euan Burgess, Scott Menzies, Matthew Hughson, Adam MacKenzie, Ben Galloway, Iain McFadden, Charlie Jack, Euan Cowan, Pete Caughey, Alex Wilson, Stephen MacKenzie, Ali Douglas(C), Cameron Ede

Gallery

Images by Bob Given and John McMurtry