Munster hopes fade after heavy defeats

Munster U16 captain Richard Lynch attempts to beat a Leinster player. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Munster’s hopes of taking either the U18 or U16 boys interpro titles have been all but dashed, after each side tasted defeat twice on the opening day.

The scheduling at UCD didn’t favour the southern province, with each side having to play twice on the opening day, and both outfits found it difficult to get to grips with their opponents from Leinster and Ulster.

The Stephen Jackson-coached U18 side were downed by quickfire strikes in each of their games. Banbridge hitman Stephen Dowds put Ulster 2-0 up inside six minutes of their opening clash with Munster, before Stephen Swanton hit back to give the reds hope.

But Ian Sloan and Owen Magee stretched out the lead to 4-1 before the break, as Ben Dobson sat out a five minute suspension. Munster’s defence tightened up in a scoreless second half, but the northerners’ victory was never in doubt.

In their second clash with Leinster, Dundalk native Andrew Shekleton put the hosts in front, only for Nick Burns to take full advantage of a defensive error and a questionable umpiring decision to slot home the equaliser.

The sides remained deadlocked at the break, but two sucker punches inside a minute – a Shane O’Donoghue drag-flick and a Luke Chadwick strike – had Munster on the ropes.

O’Donoghue repeated the trick to push Leinster out to 4-1, before Swanton grabbed his second of the competition as a consolation.

Leinster U18 captain Shane O'Donoghue helps Munster's Ben Dobson relieve leg cramps. Picture: Adrian Boehm

It was an even tougher day at the office for the U16s, who lost 5-0 and 5-1 to Ulster and Leinster respectively. Matthew Allister’s brace and an effort from Ireland U16 Josh Moffett had Ulster 3-0 to the good at the break, with James Cox and James Lorimer finishing the job in the second half.

Kilkenny’s Jeremy Duncan spear-headed Leinster’s 5-1 victory; opening the scoring with a stunning individual goal before Richard Kingston made no mistake from close range to equalise.

But Ross Canning had Leinster back in front inside a minute, and he turned provider for Duncan to score another cracker before knocking in his second for 4-1, latching on to David Cole’s fine defence-splitting pass. Kirk Shimmins also hit the target to rub salt into Munster’s wounds.

Meanwhile, John Jermyn claimed the 50th goal of his international career as Ireland saw off Scotland 3-1 at Havelock Park in Banbridge last night.

The Cork C of I man’s drag-flick arrived in the last minute, following a stunning Mikey Watt reverse and a Timmy Cockram effort, with a Mark Ralph drag sandwiched in between for the Scots.