Wolfhounds
Defeat England, Clontarf Bulls lose first game

Ireland Wolfhounds 28 Tries:Manuel, Brody, Clarke, Dowling, Purdue, Roche Goals:Treacy (2)

England Lionhearts 24 Tries:Cook, Barkworth, Yates, Lacey Goals: Brown (3) Lee

An Irish team consisting of a team made up completely from the domestic competiton for the first time defeated a strong England side agains for the first time. History was made!

A try from Carl Roche just three minutes from time clinched a famous victory for Ireland in yesterday's Four Nations clash against England at Clontarf. After getting of to a brilliant start after which tries from Simon Manuel and Mike Brody had Ireland 10-0 ahead, England forced Ireland on the back foot and three converted tries in a twelve minute spell put the visitors in front. Late call-up Jerry Clarke pulled one try back for Ireland to leave the Wolfhounds in touching distance at the interval.

Ireland started the second half as they finished the first and when Billy Treacy converted Ian Dowling's try eight minutes into the second half, the home side were ahead. Phil Pardue, playing on his home ground at Castle Avenue, put further distance between the sides midway through the second half. However Treacy's failure to convert meant that when Lee added the xtras to Kieran Lacey's try with a quarter of an hour remaining, the sides were level despite Ireland leading the try count. Both sides could have won it in the closing stages but it was Roche who grabbed the glory when he grounded the ball following a huge Irish push for the line

Ireland:

Billy Treacy (Treaty City Titans) John Sharpe (Dublin City Exiles) Mike Brody (Treaty City Titans) Kevin O'Riordan (Treaty City Titans) Paul Power (Waterford Vikings) Declan Foy (Kerry Kings) Ian Dowling (Kilkenny Wildcats) Bevan Cantrell (Treaty City Titans) Peter Cunningham (East Coast Eagles) Phil Purdue (Clontarf Bulls) Brian O'Leary (Kerry Kings) Carl Roche (Dublin City Exiles) Simon Manuel (c) (Kilkenny Wildcats)

Replacements: Liam Nevelling (East Coast Eagles) Vinny O'Shea (Kilkenny Wildcats) Declan Nash (Treaty City Titans) Jerry Clarke (Kilkenny Wildcats)

England:

Jon Wood (Gosport Vikings) Rob Brown (Nottingham Outlaws) Mark Yates (Liverpool Buccaneers) Karl Wesley (Leicester Phoenix) Chris Trenham (Rotherham Giants) Chris Storey (Rotherham Giants) Kevin Coward (Bolton le Moors) Scott Eccles (Bridlington Bulls) Craig Kay (Bolton le Moors) John Dudley (Rotherham Giants), Brendan Cook (c) (Ipswich Rhinos) Julian Barkworth (Hull Phoenix) Lee Craig (Hull Phoenix).

Replacements:

Olly Foster (Leeds Akademics) Hui Lee (North London) Chris Keld (Bridlington Bulls) Kieran Lacey (Liverpool Buccaneers).

*********************************************************** CLONTARF BULLS 20 DUBLIN BLUES 22 In a curtain raiser to the international, Dublin Blues went joint top of the Leinster Conference by inflicting the first defeat on leaders Clontarf Bulls. Two tries from hooker Cian Mc Conville and further tries from Killian Kennedy and Lance Bullen gave the Blues a commanding lead but had to survive a late rally from the Bulls. Mick Finglas touched down twice and when Conor Keegan coverted Gary Brady's try just before full time ther was only two points between the sides.