Following a similar script to the Markham game two weeks ago, Irish Canadians used a four try second half to topple Balmy Beach 41-23 in Marshall Division play on Saturday at Fletchers Fields.

The Irish scored on halftime to lead 15-13 into the break on another scorching Saturday, then ran in four scores in the second half despite playing short a man for 16 minutes due to sin bins.

The game started with almost an instant Irish try from a five meter throw, but Beach came back with two Haydn Gage penalties and a Drew Vaughan try.  Ed Gardner brought the Irish to within three with a penalty before George Azar took a short pop from Dale Burleigh to score for the halftime lead.

 Just after the break, centre Jason Verstraten stretched Beach cover before unloading to Oren Smith, Gardner converted, 22-13 Irish.  Beach scored virtually from the ensuing kick-off, 22-18; a Kyler Petrie 70 meter intercept gave the Irish a 29-18 lead; Verstraten again ripped through to score; Azar took an unlikely pass from Jon Ashley to make it 41-18 before Vaughn's second try of the match, in injury time, closed the scoring.

 The Irish are 6-2 for 31 points and the division lead; Beach are 4-3-1 for 20 points and fifth in the Marshall.

 "The Beach had many skilled players who have competed at or near the Canada level" (Tomlinson, Miller, Nichols etc.) said Irish coach Mark Winokur, "so our plan was to attack the set piece and the rucks hard to keep them on the back foot.  For the most part, it worked and the Beach did not have many great platforms to counter from."

 The Development team went down 12-3 in a cracking match that was high-standard throughout; and the Thirds fell by 52-5 as some last minute organizational problems plagued their effort (Canadian U21 Tournament commitments).

The Development and Thirds host Brantford next Saturday at Fletchers, (noon and 1:30 KO's) while the first team hosts Irish club champion Cork Constitution at 4:30 at the Stadium.  The Brantford first team match will be played Wednesday August 28 at 6:45 at Fletchers.