CLUB RUGBY
ASHBOURNE continue to set the pace atop Division 1A of the Leinster League after their bonus-point win away to Boyne on Saturday last, while second-placed Enniscorthy maintain the pressure on the leaders as they also garnered a maximum haul of points on their visit to Monkstown in what is now a two-horse race after third placed Dundalk fell out of contention by losing in Wicklow.
Ashbourne comprehensively won their local derby 35-8 in Shamrock Lodge to leave themselves within striking distance of their first ever Leinster League Division 1A title as they lead Enniscorthy by three points with two games remaining.
Centre Mark Rooney, No 8 Simon Deevy and centre Jack O’Brien scored first-half tries for the visitors as they went to the break leading 21-8 and the bonus point was secured on the hour mark when Deevy touched down off a five-metre pushover scrum before Rooney grabbed his second late on.
Enniscorthy won 33-18 in Sydney Parade but for long periods an upset looked on the cards as Monkstown headed into the final quarter leading by three points. The sides were level 12-12 at half-time as the hosts scored two tries sandwiched in between Enniscorthy winger Ivan Jacob’s early try and scrum-half Arthur Dunne’s five-pointer before the break.
The visitors waited until the final quarter to unload on the Division 1A bottom club as winger David O’Dwyer, Dunne with his second touchdown and out-half Ivan Poole scored the tries that closed out the game for the 2015-’16 champions.
Wicklow hammered Dundalk
57-17 at Ashtown Lane as they go about securing their Division
1A status for another season and in the process ended the Louth side’s title hopes.
No 8 Wes Wojnar quickly opened the scoring for the home side with a try and they led 22-7 at the break as winger Dean Leonard and scrum-half Billy Ngawini both crossed the whitewash.
Despite Dundalk opening the second-half scoring, the hosts quickly secured the bonus point when centre Ben Porter scored the first of his two tries, while Leonard touched down twice more to complete his hat-trick and replacement hooker Jay Byrne also got in on the act with a try.
The closest game of the day was the relegation play-off battle at Kirwan Park where the visitors Gorey scored a late converted try through hat-trick hero Stephen Horan to beat De La Salle Palmerston 27-20.