The game played under lights, with the impressive University of Ulster,Jordanstown campus as the venue, and the recently completed High Performance Centre as a backdrop to the game.

Irish Colleges approached the game knowing that nothing less than a win was expected.They had demolished the Combined Services Under 23's by 40points to nil at the London Irish Club on February 1st of this year, but the crunch and final game against England Students,who like the Irish are undefeated, was very much in their thoughts.

The physical attributes,intensity and power of the Scottish forward line looked particularly menacing from the start and the Scots aggressive display was counteracted fairly and squarely by the Irish when in the 18 and 22 minutes the Scots were awarded penalties for Irish infringements one of which was converted by Scottish outhalf David O Hagan. The power and physical pressure of the Scottish forwards soon lost its momentum with the Irish gradually finding form with Dan Kenny going over for his first of three tries,in the 30 th minute converted by Phil De Barra.This try came about as a result of a flat ball taken from the ruck through the hands of De Barra.

The Irish Colleges' well honed backline started playing as a cohesive unit when in the 39 th minute Brendan O Brien scored after surging to the line for a try, leaving the score at half time 12 points to 3.

In the second half, the Scottish forwards furrowed away endlessly but there was a realisation that there was a lack of conviction in their backs with many passes going astray.

College's dominance began to come increasingly into vogue and in particular, the colleges' forwards who were motoring effortlessly. Then in the 52nd minute Dan Kenny received a well- placed pass from Brian Collins who broke the centre to pass to Kenny who went over for his second try ,leaving the score 17 points to 3. This try was a template for the avalanche of tries to come, as it was the result of an interception of a misplaced pass by Scots' centre Marcus Mc Allister in which the Irish received gracefully and they then proceeded to put into operation a series of well executed cross field passes. The end product of the well- tuned passing was a wide ball from Brian Collins to Kenny who barged over for the try. The tries continued apace with tries in the  57th, 65th, 70th and the 72nd minutes by Ben Reilly, Mick O Shea, James Taggart and Dan Kenny with conversions by Phil De Barra and Brian Collins who came on as a replacement.

The Scots had their only reply to the now rampant Irish in the 79 th minute with a try by Andrew Thomson .

Overall, a good evening's work by the Irish Colleges, in particular Dan Kenny who was awarded the Man of the Match accolade. No doubt the Colleges' side are keenly awaiting their final and deciding game in the Four Nations Tournament against the England Students on Friday 14 thMarch in London.

Scores from the game:

Irish Colleges

Tries: Dan Kenny (3); Brendan O Brien, Ben Reilly, Mick O Shea and James Taggart (1each).

Conversions: Brian Collins (3), Phil De Barra(2)

Scottish Colleges

Tries: Andrew Thomson (1)

Penalties: David O Hagan

Irish Colleges Team:

John Nichol (Stranmillis College and Ballymena), David Rowan (Inst Design Tech Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock), Craig Morrin (IT Tallagh and St.Marys), Mick O'Shea (Garda Coll and Suttonians), Phil Howard (Inst Art & Design Dun Laoghaire and St. Mary's), Phil DeBarra (IT Carlow and DLSP), Brendan O’Brien (Blackhall Place,Dublin and Wanderers), Shane Cahill (Dun Laoghaire VEC and Blackrock College), Alex O'Sullivan (Inst Art Design Dun Laoghaire and Greystones), Stephen Snell (NCI and Greystones), Barry Holmes (DIT and Greystones), Chris Napier (Belfast Metropolitan College and Ballynahinch), Brian Moroney (IT Tallagh and Terenure), Dan Kenny (Dun Laoghaire VEC and Greystones) and John Downey (Sallynoggin).

Replacements:
Jason East (Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology) James Taggert (University of Ulster, Jordanstown and Ballymena), Ben Reilly (DCU and Suttonians), Al Birch (University of Ulster, Jordanstown), Gary Collins (National University Ireland, Galway), Brian Collins (IT Blanchardstown and Old Belvedere), Dermott Sherridan(LIT and Shannon).

All substitutes used.

Manager Moss Dineen

Assistant Manager Mick Poole

Head Coach Eamonn Molloy

Assistant Coaches Chris Galway :Eoin Hogan

Scottish Universities Team:

Jonathan Manning (Glasgow Caledonian ), Tim Bergin (Aberdeen), Peter Saunders (Heriot Watt), Marcus Mc Callister (Heriot Watt), Kelechi Esenou (Edinburgh) David O Hagan (Queen Margaret), Gordon Mc Rorie (Sterling), Gabriel Holmes (Aberdeen), Greig Ramsay (Aberdeen), Gavin Hulme (Hariot Watt), Mark Jenkinson (Dundee), Fraser Galbraith (Aberdeen), Andrew Thompson (Glasgow), TBA (Dundee), Murray Wylie (Aberdeen).

Replacements:

Tom Dunnett (Aberdeen), Craig Samuel (Stirling), Nick Mc Auley (Strathclyde), David Mc Kenna (Glasgow Caledonian), Jerry Tsang (Edinburgh), James Mc Kinnel (St Andrews), Fergus Knight (St Andrews).

Referee- Paul Haycock

Touch Judges- Jonathan Peake, Peter Ferguson

Above l-r: Chris Napier (Belfast Metropolitian College and Ballynahinch), Ali Birch (UUJ and Armagh), James Taggart (UUJ and Ballymena) and John Nichol (Stranmillis College and Ballymena)