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Charlie Molony grabs hat-trick in Ireland U20s win over Scotland

Updated / Saturday, 8 Feb 2025 22:02
Charlie Molony was the star of the show
Charlie Molony was the star of the show

SCOTLAND U20 15-33 IRELAND U20

A Charlie Molony hat-trick was the catalyst as Ireland beat Scotland at Hive Stadium to earn their first win of the Under-20s Six Nations.

Beaten 19-3 by England in Cork last weekend, Neil Doak's side were much improved as they continued a championship winning streak over the Scots that goes back to 2015.

Ireland scored further tries through forwards Billy Corrigan and Oisin Minogue, while full-back Daniel Green kicked four conversions.

"I'm very proud of the lads," said captain Éanna McCarthy.

"It was a big week's training that went in and a few fix-ups from last week.

"It was a fierce physical battle against Scotland, they are always a tough team, you don't want to take them for granted."

Ireland got off to the perfect start with Molony taking a fine line off Green's inside pass on the 22 and running in for a converted try after just 95 seconds.

A second followed soon after when Scotland failed to clear their lines with Sam Wisniewski finding the UCD wing with a perfect cross-kick.

The forwards soon got in on the act with lock Corrigan powering over from close range for the visitors' third as Scotland struggled to keep pace.

Player of the match Molony had his hat-trick within 21 minutes after Ireland kept the ball alive for a number of phases inside the 22.

Scotland wing Fergus Watson got the hosts on the board as he finished off a fine backline move in the 25th minute.

Hooker Henry Walker thought he had a fifth, however, a TMO intervention saw the scored disallowed for obstruction but Ireland went in with a healthy 26-5 half-time lead.

Scotland boss Kenny Murray made a number of replacements at the break and early pressure was rewarded when hooker Joe Roberts scored from a lineout maul, while replacement scrum-half Hector Patterson had another effort ruled out for a knock on in the build-up.

Oisin Minogue, son of former Ireland international Rosie Foley, was on just a matter of seconds before he darted over following a pre-planned lineout move to extend the advantage.

But it was the Scots who scored next with Patterson hacking the ball on three times from his own 22 before dotting down.

Ireland did finish the game off in the Scottish 22 but couldn't breach the line for a sixth try.

"A bonus-point win is hard to get wherever you go," added McCarthy.

"There's a lot to work on from here so we'll just go back and train hard for Wales away, which will be another tough game."

Champions England remain top of the table after last night's 27-10 win over France in Bath, while Wales scraped past Italy, 20-18, in Treviso.

Ireland are fourth, level on five points with France and Italy.

SCORERS

Scotland: Tries - Watson, Roberts, Patterson

Ireland: Tries - Molony (3), Corrigan, Minogue

Cons: Green (4)

Scotland U20: Jack Brown; Nairn Moncrieff, Johnny Ventisei (capt), Kerr Yule, Fergus Watson; Matthew Urwin, Noah Cowan; Oliver McKenna, Joe Roberts, Ollie Blyth-Lafferty; Charlie Moss, Dan Halkon; Christian Lindsay, Billy Allen, Reuben Logan.

Replacements: Seb Stephen, Jake Shearer, Jamie Stewart, Bart Godsell, Oliver Duncan, Hector Patterson, Ross Wolfenden, Campbell Waugh.

Ireland U20: Daniel Green; Charlie Molony, Gene O'Leary Kareem, Connor Fahy, Ciarán Mangan; Sam Wisniewski, Clark Logan; Billy Bohan, Henry Walker, Alex Mullan; Mahon Ronan, Billy Corrigan; Michael Foy, Bobby Power, Éanna McCarthy (capt).

Replacements: Connor Magee, Paddy Moore, Tom McAllister, David Walsh, Oisin Minogue, Will Wootton, Dylan Hicks, Eoghan Smyth.

Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Arg)

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