Ireland 23-22 Italy U20 team recap, edge thriller held in Cork

You won’t see many better rugby matches than that one. Ireland are persistent and demand a late try. Italy were really good and they were going to lick their wounds and they really should have won.

Italy kicks down the line, but it’s the 22-meter line. Ireland take a lineout but Italy recover it. Italy is currently in a central position. They go through stages and make small profits.

I’m sure they’ll aim for a drop goal soon. No, they take it out of play and Ireland wins!!! They take it out of play. Drama! Irish victory.What a game

Italy gets a penalty from the scrum!

Italy thought they would be penalized from the scrum, but the referee said no and reset. He also has 3 minutes.

Italy just wants to use it and get into drop-goal territory. Ireland do a good job and the ball spills forward and is cleared. Italy must do it.

If the visitor makes any mistake, the game is over. They go back halfway but Ireland push back. If Ireland buckle them up and Ireland get a penalty then that should be it.

Good time for Ireland to earn a restart. Italy came again and lined up in the middle of the park. She also has 4 minutes.

The referee then announced that it was a free kick, and Italy formed a scrum in the center of the park.

This conversion is called wide, but it was very close

This is just a great game. Ireland defended against serious pressure and were then forced to apply pressure themselves. There’s still plenty of time and they definitely exploded on the field. The Italian defense had nothing more to give and we see super-sub Sean Edogbo play the ball wide and get tackled over the line.

Ben O’Connor is on a one-man movement to keep Ireland this way. He defends a truly testing kick and backs it up with a brilliant deep kick of his own. With 10 minutes remaining, Italy lined out, but Ireland forced a turnover.

If Ireland win this game, they can thank their lineout defense and wreaking havoc on Italy’s set-pieces. But these Italians are something else. Italy took to the field fearlessly, kicking under pressure and their star man Scalabrine kicked perfectly to Piero Gritti and over the line, giving Italy back into the lead.

A tough conversion from a corner went wide.

Ireland make another mistake and are forced to defend a kick that goes over the try line. Ireland have to drop out deep and it’s a kicking battle here and Ireland have good territory now.

Ben O’Connor scored a great up-and-under and Ireland won a penalty. Jack Murphy kicks towards goal.

And he makes no mistakes. Ireland takes the lead.

A pivotal moment in the match when Italy stepped into the scrum but Ireland won the scrum and conceded a penalty. Feel that if it had been a try it could have been game over.

Ireland look to attack but are thwarted in the middle of the park. Italy is currently about 10 meters from the try line. They are struggling with slow balls, but if they can stay disciplined here, a famous victory is within sight. Ireland are stubborn here as Italy fail to land but win the scrum.

oh! Ireland crossed the try line but could not finish the job and were knocked on. Italy lives to fight again someday.

Italy wins the scrum but is fixed and clears the line

Ireland will now apply the pressure and you can hear the crowd getting even more excited for this match. Another defender could be huge for Italy, but Ireland are in very good form and seem to have the advantage. With the loss of a forward, the hosts now face a decision.

They will take a corner kick…

Italy has seized the line and is pressing deep into Irish territory. It will be interesting to see what they do with the slow ball, but Hugo McLaughlin takes the ball away! He ran all over the field and his tackles were just short, giving Italy a penalty right at the try line. This game has it all.

The Irish defense plays badly, opening holes but forcing mauls and turnovers.this is a really good game

After the kick-off, Ireland won the ball back and we were back here.

It’s almost time for the second half in Cork and the big half of rugby for Ireland.

Ireland steal the ball near the try line, Italy steal the ball and run 35 meters. O’Connor scores a superb Garyowen, but Italy hang on at the breakdown and earn a penalty. With one minute left, he takes a deep kick but can’t find the touch.

When you come back, the next time the ball is dead, it’s halftime.It was a great corner kick, but it was half time and Italy took the lead at the break.

Cesare Zucconi received a yellow card, but it was due to Italy’s defensive discipline. Ireland take a corner kick just before the half.

Italy came again and had the advantage. Looks dangerous with the ball in his hands, but will likely come back with a penalty.

The kick is taken and Italy takes the lead in the 35th minute.

Marco Scalabrine is a really talented player. Ireland were too poor from the restart, Scalabrine reacting straight to the loose ball and once on the ball there was no stopping him.

The score is decided and Virgin Media Park falls silent.

We had a good game here after 25 minutes. Ireland took a good position from the restart and then completed a successful cross. They’re back and this is the first time the Irish have put any real pressure on Italy and they could be in here. They had the advantage and Ben O’Connor converted it for a try.

Great stuff from Italy. Ireland knocked the ball on from the restart and Marco Scalabrine found the hole and got all the way to the try line.

The points after that are also good.

Ireland made a tap-and-go from in front of the post and this time it crossed the line for Evan O’Connell to score. It’s a wonderful moment.

Subsequent points will also be kicked.

This is a little troublesome. Italy panic a bit in possession and let Ireland come back and attack. Both teams made mistakes, but Ireland had a scrum inside Italy’s 22.

The hosts will want to play quickly against the Italian side, but that is easier said than done. However, Ireland have steadily moved up the table and are a few meters away. They are moving forward and getting very close.They also have the advantage and go wide, but Hugo McLaughlin takes a touch.

Italy won a penalty, which was the result of some excellent defending by the visiting team.

A perfect moment when Italy forced a turnover from the lineout and formed a scrum.

Great patience from Ireland, with 5 meters to go from the try line. They also have a penalty advantage and Italy are really in trouble. There’s a knock-on and it comes back for a penalty. They take a corner kick.

Ireland got a little too eager in their defense and gave away a penalty near half-time, with the ball going into touch near the 22-metre line.

Italy tries a dink kick in the air, but it is deflected as Ireland clears the line.

An early testing moment for the visitors as Finn Treacy takes a great kick down the line, but it falls short of a touch. Ireland take lineouts and have great territory.

The tackling from the visiting team was good, but Luke Murphy left a big hole in the defence, and after a few phases Ireland won a penalty.

Jack Murphy takes easy points

We’re here in Cork as Italy kicks off

The team leaves and it’s time for the national anthem.

The seats in Cork’s stadium are starting to fill up, with only 10 minutes left until kick-off.

Virgin Media Two will be live broadcasting the game, which can be streamed through Virgin Media Player.

Hello. Welcome to live coverage of Ireland Under-20s’ Six Nations match against Italy.

Today’s match will be played at Musgrave Park in Cork, with kick-off at 7.15pm.

The match will be broadcast live on Virgin Media Two, with TV coverage starting at 6:15pm. The Irish Mirror will have all the pre-match build-up and post-match reaction, as well as live score updates, so keep an eye on all the action here.