Cave leads way as Irish flatten Tonga
Saturday November 14 2009
It was the Ulster and Connacht show in Belfast last night as Ireland's shadow team overpowered Tonga by seven tries to three.
Ulster centre Darren Cave helped himself to two tries, Andrew Trimble had one and Gavin Duffy grabbed another, with Neil Best and Brett Wilkinson also getting in on the act, and replacement Ian Keatley closing the account with a try and conversion.
Three minutes in, Ireland out-half, Ian Humphreys popped over a crossfield kick for late call-up hooker Denis Fogarty to catch and feed debutant prop Brett Wilkinson to drop over the line for an unconverted try.
The Irish absorbed the big Tongan drives well and when the visitors were finally penalised for going offside at a ruck, Humphreys increased the lead to 8-0 with a penalty just inside halfway.
The Irish should have gone further ahead when winger Trimble set the home crowd alight with a burst and side-step, putting Humphreys away.
poor
The out-half chose not go for the line and his pass inside was poor. But the Irish kept possession and a penalty for offside was duly converted by Humphreys after 16 minutes.
Ireland were guilty of ball watching minutes later, which saw a backline movement from the visitors result in full-back Vungakoto Lilo racing in unopposed for a try, converted by Morath.
A reverse-pass move between Cave and Fergus McFadden saw the inside-centre make ground and feed Trimble, who slid in at the corner for the try. Humphreys missed the conversion.
Then, from a poor kick by Fatafehi, Ireland's Sean O'Brien gathered on his own '22' and took off down the right flank and popped a pass inside to Cave on the Tonga '22'. The Ulster centre slithered in at the corner for another unconverted try to make it 21-7.
A dreadful mix-up between Humhreys and Horgan saw Fatafehi race away and feed Sukanaivalu Hufanga who went in for a try, which was converted by Morath to cut the Irish lead to 21-14 at the break.
Best increased the lead when he stole line-out ball and fell at full stretch over the line to for the try. Humphreys again missed the conversion.
A sweeping backline move on the hour saw Duffy go over in the corner, Humphreys this time grazing the far upright with the touchline effort which left Ireland ahead 34-14.
Ulster duo, replacement hooker, Andy Kyriacou and Cave, combined for the sixth try of the evening, Cave spinning out of the tackle to go over, this time Humphreys finally getting his first conversion of the evening.
Three minutes from the end, Ireland had the final say when replacement Ian Keatley broke a tackle and soared in from near halfway to grab a try, and duly added the extras.
Ireland 'A' -- G Duffy (Murphy 64); S Horgan, D Cave, F McFadden, A Trimble; I Humphreys (I Keatley 69), P Stringer (I Boss 62); B Wilkinson (B Young 69), D Fogarty (A Kyriacou 40), M Ross D Ryan, D Toner (D Tuohy 69), N Best, S O'Brien, C Henry (K McLaughlin 60).
TONGA -- V Lilo; A Fatafehi (R Hola 57), S Hufanga (M 'Ahota'e'iloa 49), J Vaka, M Vakaloa; K Morath, K Fangupo (M Fangupo 71); T Toke (P Taula 22), S Telefoni (W Hafu 40), M Moala, P Hehea, E Kauhenga, S Filo (L Faaoso 61), U Fono (R Mahe 69), S Vahafolau.
Ref -- B Lawrence (New Zealand).
- Peter Dunbar
Irish Independent
