USA's Nic Johnson (Dobson Images)
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The Eagles did themselves proud though in front of 10,075 excited fans at Buck Shaw Stadium.
The game took a little while to warm up as both teams felt each other out in the early stages, a trend that is fairly typical of a test match.
Ireland was forst to score when big lock Mick O’Driscoll finished off a rolling maul that started from a lineout deep in the USA’s territory. Flyhalf Ian Keatley extended the lead to 8-0 with a penalty shot at around the quarter mark of the match, before center Ian Whitten went in for Ireland’s second unconverted try to make it 13-0 by halftime.
US flyhalf Mike Hercus didn’t have his kicking boots on and missed three first half penalty goal attempts and another in the second frame.
Ireland went further in front when awarded a penalty try for the US constantly pulling down the ruck on their goal line. Keatley converted for a 20-0 scoreline.
That’s when new head coach Eddie O’Sullivan started to make some personnel changes subbing Ata Malifa for Hercus and Alipate Tuilevuka for Junior Sifa. Those changes paid almost instant dividends when first Malifa potted a drop goal, and then Tuilevuka crashed in for the Americans’ only try.
Malifa converted and suddenly the Eagles were in it trailing 20-10, but just as they were starting to build more momentum, Irish skipper and hooker Rory Best scored a soft try when his side had a four men to two overload. Another Keatley conversion closed out the scoring at 27-10.
“Overall I was happy,” said coach O’Sullivan afterwards. “I think at times we made it difficult for ourselves, particularly in the first half – our lineout misfired. It wasn’t that the system was wrong, we just didn’t execute well and that put us under pressure.
“In the second half we functioned a bit better. I think Ireland got off their defensive line probably a bit earlier than they should have been able to get off but they got away with it and that kind of made it hard for us to get a go-forward.”
Flanker Peter Dahl had a standout performance on debut and was named Player of the Match.
“I was pretty excited in my first run out for the Eagles and was excited to get out there and put on my best performance for the boys and everyone watching,” Dahl told ARN.
“Unfortunately we weren’t able to come away with a win but we’re very proud of our first run out and we know what we’ve got to work on.”
Scrumhalf Mike Petri was another player who stood out for the Eagles on debut as captain.
“I’m proud of the way we played,” said Petri. “We knew it was going to be a fight for 80 minutes and we wanted to stay in it and do the best we could, out in our best effort for 80 minutes and you know what I was real proud of the way the boys dug in at the end.
“We went the full 80. That was our goal and that’s what we stuck to.”
The US now regroups as it prepares for the next test against Wales next Saturday, June 6, in Chicago.
ARN's coverage of the Setanta Challenge Cup was presented by the ReacTore line of scrum training products - now with the Power Pack for energized scrummaging.
To see all the ScrumMaster products go to www.scrummaster.com
