posted: February 8th, 2010

Ms.Georgina Kenny (ESB) presesnts the 'ESB Man of the Match' award to Ireland's Darren Hudson (Photo - Padraig Devaney)

IRELAND made a winning start to this season’s U-20 Six Nations Championship campaign when they comprehensively defeated Italy 39-0 on a perfect night for rugby at well attended Dubarry Park, Athlone. It took the home nation some time to reflect their superiority on the scoreboard but, in reality, the result was never in doubt once the homesters opened the scoring with a James McKinney penalty after just 8 minutes.

Darren Hudson was to emerge the star of this showing and he demonstrated why at the end of the opening quarter. David O’Callaghan started a good home raid that was carried on very well by Dominic Ryan who was stopped short but Hudson popped up on the left flank to swoop on the ball for a striker’s try on 20 minutes. This ignited Ireland for their best spell of the half and Nevin Spence finished off good all-round work with a 33rd minute try. Their 13-0 lead, however, could have been greater at the break as they twice knocked on close to the visitors’ try line and McKinney landed just one successful kick from four.

But they promptly killed off the game with two quickfire tries on the restart, Simon Zebo doing well to apply the touchdown on the left on 42 minutes while Hudson finished some impressive interplay to dot down at the posts after 52 minutes. McKinney found the range with both conversions to stretch the lead to 27-0. Such was Ireland’s superiority that coach Allen Clarke could steadily unload his full bench as he strives to achieve the most potent XV.

Only once Italy came close to breaching the home cover when substitute Filippo Cazzola’s attempt to ground the ball was not allowed by the TMO. Meanwhile, Hudson capped his ‘ESB Man of the Match’ display when completing his hat-trick of tries on 78 minutes while, deep in added time, strong running by centre Brendan Macken yielded a super sixth try which Brian Kingston converted to complete the 39-0 rout.

IRELAND:- A. Conway; D. Hudson, B. Macken, N. Spence, S. Zebo; J. McKinney, J. Cooney; B. Cagney, N.Annett, J. O’Connell; D. O’Callaghan, B. Marshall; R. Ruddock (captain), D. Ryan and P. Butler. Replacements:- R. O’Sullivan (for Ryan, inj. 43mins), E. Griffin (for Zebo, 57 mins), B. Kingston (for McKinney, 59 mins), D. Doyle (for Annett, 61 mins), S. Maguire (for O’Connell, 63 mins), B. Hayes (for O’Callaghan, 66 mins) and M. Heaney (for Cooney, 70 mins).

ITALY:- R. Trevisan; G. Alberghini, T. Benvuti, S. Rodwell, G. Venditi; T. Iannone, E. Gori (captain); C. Fazzari, N. Corbanese, F. Pepoli; E. Targa, L. Santelli; N. Belardo, F. Ferrarini and G. Cicchinelli. Replacements:- F. Menon (for Benvenuti, h/t), A. Chillon (for Gori, h/t), A. Denti (for Pepoli, h/t), F. Cazzola (for Santelli, 57 mins) and E. Lubian (for Targa, 76 mins).

REFEREE:- L. Hodges. (Wales).