Ulster pull away from Free Jacks in Cara Cup

A four-try second half propelled Ulster ‘A’ to a 43-15 win over the New England Free Jacks at Union Point Sports Complex on Sunday evening. The match closed out the first half of the Cara Cup Series that saw Connacht send a development side to Boston earlier in the week, with Munster and Leinster to follow.

Ulster tries from Zack McCall and Ben Power came on either side of a Tadhg Leader penalty goal to give the visitors a 12-3 lead through the first quarter. New England got a try from powerful No8 Pago Haini in the 25th minute, and a reply would come from Ulster center Stewart Moore just before halftime.

The second half began on an even keel with Graham Curtis scoring his third try in two games, with his opposite number Erik Thompson matching his efforts to make it 24-15. Ulster’s superior fitness levels became apparently as the game approached the hour mark with Jack Owens scoring first, followed by Charlie Clarke and Iwan Hughes.

Next up for the Free Jacks is a match against Munter ‘A’ at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton on April 6. Ulster’s account closes at 1-1 after being defeated by Connacht Eagles on Wednesday.

 

SCORING

NEW ENGLAND 15
Tries – P. Haini (25’), E. Thompson (51’)
Cons – T. Leader 1/2 (26’)
Pens – T. Leader 1/1 (16’)

ULSTER 43
Tries – Z. McCall (10’), B. Power (19’), S. Moore (39’), G. Curtis (48’), J. Owens (55’), C. Clarke (71’), I. Hughes (77’)
Cons – B. Houston 4/7 (20’, 49’, 56’, 72’)

 

TEAMS

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Tony Purpura, 2 Steven Hinshaw, 3 Dolph Botha, 4 Jackson Thiebes, 5 Conor Kindregan, 6 Owen Hundt, 7 Jon Kokinda, 8 Pago Haini, 9 Erik Thompson, 10 Tadhg Leader (capt.), 11 Stephen Dazzo, 12 Owen Collins, 13 Ahmad Harajly, 14 Christian Adams, 15 Danny Collins

Replacements: 16 Diego Maquieira, 17 Simon Courcoul, 18 Quentin Newcomer, 19 Aaron Cummings, 20 Ronan McCusker, 21 Oliver Engelhart, 22 Bryan Ptomey, 23 Peceli Rinakama

ULSTER ‘A’
1 Callum Reid, 2 Zack McCall, 3 Corrie Barrett, 4 JJ McKee, 5 Jack Regan, 6 Marcus Rea (capt.), 7 David McCann, 8 Joe Dunleavy, 9 Graham Curtis, 10 Bruce Houston, 11 Ben McCaughey, 12 Ben Power, 13 Stewart Moore, 14 Iwan Hughes, 15 Jack Owens

Replacements: 16 Claytan Milligan, 17 Caleb Montgomery, 18 Bradley Luney, 19 Lewis Finlay, 20 Charlie Clarke, 21 Michael Stronge

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Moe Chaudhry (RC)