The visitors produced an impressive performance displaying superior strength, sharpness and technical ability to out play the Irish for long periods.
After a tame first half hour with both goalkeepers seeing little action the French went ahead on 33 minutes when Mathieu Blasco cleverly flicked the ball past Matt Connor from close in for the opener following the Irish defence’s failure to clear a corner.
Jason Lyons had a couple of half chances grab an equaliser but he headed straight into the hands of the French ‘keeper Charles Cieslinsky with his first effort from an Anthony McAlavey corner and then saw another chance blocked by defender Valentin Sanson.
The visitors made wholesale changes at half time and were soon two ahead on 52 minutes with Romain Daniellou beating Connor with a high lob that went in off the far post after Paul Rooney had been dispossessed by Emmanuel Thibault inside his own half.
The Irish although still full of effort created little opportunities after that to get back on terms and apart from Dean Broaders under pressure from two defenders failing to test Brice Cognard the game ended with the French well in command.
Irish Colleges & Universities: M Connor; A Brilly, R Taheny, (S O’Mahony 57), P Rooney. G O'Boyle; J McKeown (C Barry 57); K McDaid, G Poynton (D O’Connell 73), A McAlavey, J McClelland (G Kearney 73); J Lyons (D Broaders 57).
French Universities: C Cieslinsky (B Cognard h-t); Q Bernugat (T Garcin h-t), V Sanson (D Diarra h-t), M Louchart (T Delplace h-t), Q Gregorio (E Thibault h-t); Y Tairi (C Minselebe h-t), M Pottier (R Daniellou h-t), G Denis, M Blasco (J Paillard h-t), O Vasseur; F Chavanon (E Hinsinger h-t).
Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).