Ireland U19 lost to France U19 at the FFR Headquarters in Marcoussis yesterday, with the young Frenchmen securing a 32-10 victory.
The game was the second of a double header between the two sides, and having won the first game on Wednesday, Ireland were looking to secure a clean sweep on their tour.
All thoughts of that were banished by half time though, with France 27-3 up at the break, it was therefore quite a turnaround from Ireland to win the second half 7-5.
France had run in two tries in the opening five minutes, and were to score a further three before the break, only three points from Ireland full back David O’Mahony could stem the tide.
A raft of changes for the second half made a difference though, with the game becoming a little reckless, Ireland conceding two yellow cards, while France received a red.
O’Mahony, sensational on this tour, scored his second try of the week midway through the half to briefly reduce the gap to 27-10 but France hit back despite their numerical disadvantage to score their sixth of the game.
Full Time: Ireland U19 10-32 France U19
France U19:
Maëlan Rabut (RC Massy); Robin Aulas (Lyon OU, Pôle France), Damian Penaud (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Atila Septar (CA Brive, Pôle France), Martin Laveau (Aviron Bayonnais, Pôle France); Franck Pourteau (Stade Toulousain, Pôle France), Antoine Dupont (Castres, Pôle France); Quentin Walcker (USA Perpignan, Pôle France), Yann de Fauverge (USA Perpignan, Pôle France), Emerick Setiano (RC Toulon), Guillaume Ducat (Tarbes P, Pôle France), Jean-Baptiste Grenod (RC Toulon, Pôle France), Boris Palu (Racing Métro 92, Pôle France), Judicaël Cancoriet (RC Massy, Pôle France) (capt), Anthony Jelonch (Castres, Pôle France).
Replacements: Hugo Pirlet (Stade Toulousain, Pôle France), Mickael Simutoga (ASM Clermont Auvergne, Pôle France), Théo Hannoyer (Castres, Pôle France), Pierre Reynaud (USA Perpignan, Pôle France), Matthieu Voisin (Racing Métro 92, Pôle France), Makatuki Polutele (Aviron Bayonnais), Christopher Kaiser (RC Narbonne), Romuald Seguy (USA Perpignan), Louis Fajfrowski (Montpellier HRC), Karim Qadiri (RC Massy, Pôle France).
Ireland U19:
David O’Mahony (Young Munster RFC); Joseph White (Cork Constitution FC), Jacob Stockdale (Queen’s University RFC), Paul Kiernan (UCC RFC) (capt), Jonathan Rossborough (Ballymena RFC); Andrew Magrath (Ballymena Academy), John Poland (PBC Cork); Vakhtang Abdaladze (Clontarf FC), John Molony (Clongowes Wood College), Conor Kenny (Garbally College), Michael Melia (Terenure College RFC), Hugh Sloan (Queen’s University RFC), Greg Jones (UCD RFC), Neil Reilly (Clontarf FC), Dan Trayers (Cistercian College Roscrea).
Replacements: Conor O’Brien (Clontarf FC), Ben Betts (Young Munster RFC), Max Deegan (St. Michael’s College), Matthew Byrne (Terenure College RFC), Vincent O’Brien (Cork Constitution FC), Jimmy O’Brien (Newbridge College), Sean O’Connor (Rockwell College), Peter Claffey (NUIG RFC), Andrew Porter (UCD RFC), Liam Free (Glamorgan Wanderers RFC, Wales), Abdaladze, Conall Boomer (Cottelsoe RFC, Australia).