Rathdrum stand strong to win against Tullamore

the forwards led by great carries from Steve Fennell and Philip Snell, Rathdrum worked a try from a rolling maul, dotted down by hooker Noel Cross to leave the score 8-3 at half time.

Rathdrum started the second half as they finished the first, on the front foot and a blind side move off an attacking scrum saw winger Liam de Hora race in to score in the corner. This was followed soon afterwards by a second Parson’s penalty and Rathdrum seemed to be cruising with the score 16 -3 after 50 minutes.

Prematurely relaxing and the mucky pitch taking it’s toll Rathdrum let Tullamore back into the game with two tries, one converted from under the posts, the other unconverted from the corner. With five minutes remaining the score was 16-15 with Tullamore very much in control. A wonderful try saving tackle from Brian “Hanky” Hanlon playing at full back epit- omized the Rathdrum defence in the dying minutes. Defence stood strong and Rathdrum ended victorious.

Calvin Swords playing his first full match in the back row following two years of injuries was one of the highlights of this Rathdrum performance.

Rathdrum now advance to the second round where they play Edenderry at the Ivy Leaf Grounds on Sunday, February 26 with a 3pm kick off. This weekend Rathdrum play UCD in the penultimate match of the Metro Division 4 campaign again in Rathdrum on Sunday at 3pm.

Squad: Brain Hanlon, Sean Kinsella, Romain Gigon, Shane O’Neill, Liam de Hora, Conor Parsons, Ronan Phelan, Stephen Fennell, Noel Cross, Danny Tuke, Diarmuid o’Briain, Matt Binnions, Shane Burch, Calvin Swords, Dan Dowling, John Devitt, Cameron O’Neill, Philip Snell, Ciaran O’Neill, Dylan Kenny.