Ross triumph in Arklow
NEW ROSS ARKLOW 17 6 THE NEW Ross first XV came away from Arklow with a hardfought 17-6 win which keeps them at the summit of the league at the halfway stage of the season.
New Ross dominated the early exchanges, keeping the ball well and playing in the Arklow half of the field. A driving run from James ‘Tank’ Ryan led to a penalty which Paddy Delaney converted to put Ross into a 3-0 lead after five minutes.
Arklow were then reduced to 14 men when the referee gave out the first of his five yellow cards. New Ross made use of the extra man and went 10-0 ahead on the 13th minute, when James Ryan scored under the posts after a well-worked line-out and two strong carries from the Roche brothers, Kyle and Shane.
Arklow came into the game after this score and enjoyed a pe- riod of sustained pressure in the New Ross ’22. This led to Paddy Delaney being yellow-carded for what was deemed a dangerous tackle.
Arklow were now playing all the rugby and some strong tackles from Bart Balserski and Foley Phillips prevented them from crossing for a try.
The pressure did finally yield a penalty which the Arklow 13 converted to make it 10-3 after 25 minutes. Arklow then added another penalty just before halftime to leave it 10-6 at the break.
The second-half was a scrappy affair with Arklow dominating both possession and territory. The whistle-happy referee yellow-carded Shane ‘Turk’ Roche and two Arklow players early in the second-half, leaving the game 14 versus 13 at one stage.
Although New Ross were now a number up, they were finding it difficult to get possession of the ball, as Arklow battered away at the line.
New Ross showed their defen- sive capability as their line was bombarded, with Kyle Roche, Brian Harte, Chris Dimond and Barty making some great tackles during this period.
The second-half continued in this vein, with Arklow still dominating the possession stakes, and New Ross relying on their defence to hold out for the win.
The game was in the balance throughout the second-half and New Ross only secured the win late on when Eanna Burke scored a length of the field intercept try following a massive tackle from Dean Prendergast on the opposition 13.
New Ross have six wins from seven and still top the league.
New Ross: Foley Phillips, Bart Balserski, Shane Roche, Chris Dimond, Kyle Roche, Bryan Harte, Steve Roche (capt.), James Ryan, Paddy Delaney, Kevin Burke, Jamie Cullen, Dean Prendergast, Seán Crowdle, Éanna Burke, Matt Crowdle. Subs. (all used) - Breen Howlin, Tim Coughlan, Michael Malone, Niall Coughlan, Barry Walsh.