Town start league off with win at Mill Road

OCTOBER 1998

DUNDALK begin a new Leinster League campaign with a 25-6 win over Navan at Mill Road. The hosts carve out three late tries to prevail with plenty to spare in the end.

There is a lot of tentative play from both teams in the first half, with a fussy referee giving Navan three kickable penalty opportunities before they eventually take the lead with a fourth.

Almost immediately Conor Poole levels with a penalty from between the halfway and 10m lines.

It is 6-6 at the break as Poole, with another penalty, cancels out a dropped goal.

In the final quarter outhalf Rory McArdle sparks off a demolition of Navan with a break out of his own half, wing-forward Ciarán Gallagher is there to carry it on and he just manages to outpace the defence for an excellent try converted by Poole.

From the restart Dundalk punch a hole up the middle of the pitch and the ball is passed through several hands to create the space for Poole to go over on the left. He also converts.

Now there is only one team in it. After taking a scrum against the head, scrum-half John McCabe makes a break. Again, Ciarán Gallagher keeps it going and he finds McArdle who crosses the line.

Dundalk: Conor Poole, Paul Gallagher, Noel Woods, Eugene McEntegart, Donough McDonough, Rory McArdle, John McCabe, Pat Hughes, Shane O’Reilly, Ciarán O’Molloy, Robert Shekleton, Brendan Cunningham, Dominic Marmion, Ciarán Gallagher, Brian Maher. Subs., Jack Voester for Shekleton, Ultan Herr for Maher.

Next is a trip to play Boyne in Drogheda.