Ireland finished the World Rugby U20 Championship on a high note when they secured seventh place with a battling 17-9 win over Scotland at Stadio Zaffanella.
It was the third time these sides met this season and with a win each under their belt, it was no surprise that this was another close contest throughout.
But Nigel Carolan’s men always had an edge and ended the tournament with three wins from their five games.
The lunchtime kick-off in warm sunshine ensured another searching test for both teams, but the game opened at a good pace.
Early Irish pressure failed to yield a score and it was Scotland who hit the front after seven minutes with a penalty in front of the posts from full-back Blair Kinghorn.
A good Irish onslaught was initially repelled before Joey Carbery chipped over the cover and the bounce fell kindly for winger Stephen Fitzgerald to score. Carbery added the difficult conversion from the left touchline to make it 7-3 after nine minutes.
Scotland hit back and reduced the margin in the second quarter when Kinghorn converted a penalty from 25 metres on the left.
Kinghorn was wide with another penalty, while at the other end Carbery also missed the target from 45 metres.
Scotland pressed hard before the break but Ireland defended superbly and held their 7-6 lead at half-time.
Garry Ringrose took over the kicking duties when Carbery went off injured and the centre increased Ireland’s lead after 50 minutes with a penalty from 30 metres.
Good Scottish pressure saw them reduce the gap to a point ten minutes from time. But then Fitzgerald wrapped it up for Ireland after a sustained drive created the opportunity and Ringrose’s conversion put them nine points in front with as many minutes remaining.
Ireland: B Dardis; S Fitzgerald, G Ringrose, S Arnold (C Gaffney 66), J Stcokdale; J Carbery (F Cleary 39), C Rock (J Cullen 69); A Porter (L O’Connor 40), Z McCall (A McBurney 42), C O’Donnell (O Heffernan 60); D O’Connor, A Thompson (C Romaine 66); J Murphy, R Moloney (N Timoney 42), L Dow.
Scotland: B Kinghorn; R Nairn, A Coombes, P Kelly, R Galloway; R Hutchinson, B Vellacott (G Horne 57); M McCallum (D Elkington 50), S James (R Graham 64), Z Fagerson (J Owlett 75); S Cummings (L Wynne 60), A Miller (R Knott 68); N Irvine-Hess, J Ritchie, M Bradbury.
Referee: S Kubo (Japan).
