Warriors finished tenth in the Premiership Rugby Under-18 Academy League after they were beaten in a fast, flowing but ultimately frustrating play-off on Finals Day at Sixways.
Warriors contributed fully to an entertaining contest which got Finals Day off to a flying start in perfect weather and in front of a large crowd.
Three second-half tries kept Warriors in the game but Irish edged the forward battle and two tries from lineout drives in the space of three minutes late in the game settled the game.
Warriors had the satisfaction of scoring the try of the match to wrap up the scoring when replacement fly-half Jack Condliffe tapped a penalty near the right touchline and then kicked Crossfield where left wing Oli Smith got to the ball first, palmed it back and centre Archie Jones collected and darted over.
Hooker Ethan Allen went over for a first-half try but Warriors turned around 23 points down which did not reflect the balance of play.
After Oscar Daniel had given Irish an early lead, Allen was driven over from a lineout and Warriors had a long period of forward pressure that went unrewarded.
Instead Irish extended their lead with a brace of tries from number eight Oliver Stirling and struck a decisive blow on the stroke of half-time when Daniel got his second, intercepting close to his own line when Warriors appeared certain to score, then going the length of the pitch to touch down at the opposite end.
Warriors played with more control and patience in the second-half and pulled an early try back when replacement wing Jacob Clarke clattered his way over for another unconverted try.
Replacement hooker Loic Keasey then burrowed over from another driving maul to put Warriors within two converted tries of talking the lead.
But it was Irish who nailed down victory with flanker Louie Kirkham and replacement hooker Oban Baird scoring in similar fashion before Jones ended Warriors’ season with a memorable try.
Bristol Bears were crowned champions after they beat Northampton Saints 13-5 in a tense final which concluded a busy day of rugby at Sixways with seven matches played on two pitches and all 14 Academy sides – the 13 Gallagher Premiership clubs plus Yorkshire Rugby Academy – involved in Finals Day for the first time.
Warriors Under-18s| 15 Billy Emerick (Stourport HS and Upton on Severn), 14 Jack Kinder (Solihull School and Silhillians), 13 Will Pugh (Stourport HS and Luctonians), 12 Archie Jones (Stourport HS and Bridgnorth), 11 Oli Smith (Hartpury College and Abergavenny), 10 Dan Chambers (Stourport HS and Wolverhampton), 9 Alex Terry (King’s School and Worcester), 1 Lewys Walsh (Hartpury College and Aberdare), 2 Ethan Allen (Stourport HS and Telford Hornets), 3 Aaron Hackett (Stourport HS and Stourbridge), 4 Will Chater (King’s School and Worcester), 5 Harvey Cuckson (Ellesmere College and Mold), 6 Will Owen (Ellesmere College and Whitchurch), 7 Owen Boxall (Bishop Vesey’s GS and Lichfield), 8 Theo Mayell (Monmouth School and Monmouth) (C).
Replacements | 16 Emmanuel Olaleye (Old Swinford Hospital School), 17 Loïc Keasy (RGS Worcester and Worcester), 18 Sam Hawes (King’s School and Ledbury), 19 Sammie Erskine (KES Stratford and Claverdon), 20 Billy McDonough (Bromsgrove School), 21 Jack Condliffe (Stourport HS and Luctonians), 22 Jacob Clarke (Bishop Vesey’s GS and Lichfield).
Timeline
5m | Daniel try 0-5
6m | Taylor con 0-7
23m | Allen try 5-7
26m | Stirling try 5-12
27m | Taylor con 5-14
32m | Stirling try 5-19
33m | Taylor con 5-21
35m | Daniel try 5-26
35m | Taylor con 5-28
37m | Clarke try 10-28
48m | Keasey try 15-28
57m | Kirkham try 15-33
60m | Baird try 15-38
68m | Jones try 20-38