The Ulster U19 team travelled to Donnybrook to play the Leinster U19’s team at Donnybroook on Saturday 21st September.
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The Ulster team needed only a draw to secure the Inter Provincial title, having won their previous two Inter Provincial games against Munster and Connacht. However, despite losing the game by 8-3 the Ulster team did win the U19 Inter Provincial title due to the Connacht U19 team registering a win against their Munster counterparts.
The Leinster team took a 3-0 lead in the first minute of the game when Tim Schmidt converted a penalty opportunity following an Ulster infringement at the breakdown. For most of the rest of the first half the Ulster team was in total control of both possession and territory. They pressurised the Leinster defence continually but let themselves down, at times, by knocking the ball on and giving away a series of penalties at crucial times. Injuries forced a number of changes in the Ulster backline but they stayed true to their determination to play with the ball in hand.
The Leinster team might have increased their lead close to the interval when, on a rare incursion into the Ulster 22m area, they home team had the chance to score a try. However, a crossing offence led to a penalty for the Ulster team and they were able to relieve the pressure with a clearance kick.
With Leinster taking their 3-0 lead into the second half the Ulster team started strongly after the interval. A penalty opportunity was narrowly missed immediately after the restart but Rory Campbell was successful with another penalty to level the score at 3-3 five minutes into the second half.
Midway through the second half Michael Cartmill made a great break through the Leinster defence and had the line at his mercy. However, he was brought back by the referee who adjudged that Michael had not released the ball in a previous tackle.
The Leinster team got into the Ulster 22m area for the first time in the second half on twenty seven minutes. The Ulster defence was up to the task and relieved the pressure. However, on the thirty fourth minute the Ulster team had a player sent to the “bin” The Leinster team kicked the ball to touch and, from the resultant line-out, replacement player, Andy Marks took advantage of some indecision in the Ulster defence to run in for a try. The conversion was missed but the Leinster team had an 8-3 lead, a lead they held until the final whistle.
There was a sense of devastation in the Ulster U19 camp immediately after the game but the mood lifted dramatically when, on the way back to Belfast, the result came through from Galway and the Ulster U19 team was declared Inter Provincial U19 Champions.
