E’CORTHYRUGBY

The Enniscorthy Under-13s travelled to Portlaoise to play Athy in the Leinster League Division 1 final, having beaten considerable opposition en route.

Athy were going to be difficult to overcome, with a very strong team which beat Enniscorthy well early in the season.

Enniscorthy had all the play for the first 20 minutes and were unlucky not to score on several occasions. The forwards had superb games, with stand-out performances by Rory Lynch, Cody Denton, Pádraig Waters and Jack Whelan-Kinsella, though it must be said that not one of the 15 was found wanting for the 50 minutes.

Athy scored first, however, against the run of play, when their powerful second row went over in the corner for a try five minutes before half-time.

Head coach Bruce Chapman was inspirational during the break and sent the chaps back out for the second-half with great self-belief.

Enniscorthy started the second-half very strongly with some great running movements from the backs, which culminated in a fine try when Jack Hennessy found Luke Wheelock on the ‘22 and the rocket-fuelled winger outpaced Athy in a fine display of athleticism to score Enniscorthy’s first try.

However, the rule is ‘result on the day’, the first score wins if the game is drawn, so more was needed to win.

Enniscorthy were unlucky to lose hooker Rory Lynch to injury around the same time. The next quarter was dominated by Enniscorthy who were unfortunate not to score when Cody Denton was held up over the line twice, and when Rhyan Whelan and Connell Kelly were caught after some good runs into the Athy ‘22.

With six minutes to go and Enniscorthy facing defeat under that first score wins rule, full-back Joe Doyle found outside centre Jack Hennessy on the halfway and he raced up the line, handing off four defenders in a great show of strength to crash over in the corner and win the Leinster League final for Enniscorthy.

It was a well-deserved victory for a great bunch of chaps, with much credit due to forwards coach Colin Cahill, head coach Bruce Chapman, and their coaching team.

Enniscorthy: Joe Doyle, Luke Wheelock, Jack Hennessy, Robert Chapman, Rhyan Whelan, Seán Guiney, Tommy Cahill, Eoin Sheridan-Pope, Rory Lynch, Cody Denton, Pádraig Waters, Cian Dobbs-Doyle, Dylan Purcell, Jack Whelan, Dylan Butler. Subs. - Brian Lett for Lynch, inj., Connell Kelly for Chapman, inj., also Cillian Hanrahan, Conor Hassey, Gavin O’Connor, Jack Kavanagh, Tomás Guiney, Adam Power, Paul Byrne, Jason Sheridan, Cormac Brophy, Lee Quigley, Dannan Long, T.J. Moran, Niall Warren.