Fermoy do rivals Charleville a big favour
THE Munster Junior Rugby season is still in full swing but one of the leagues (division 3) has all but concluded after last Sunday’s final round of games.
The J3 has been the most unpredictable of divisions since this season began with the lead changing hand s on more than one occasion.
Heading into last weekend’s Division 3 action Fethard & District were the side that looked most likely to gain automatic promotion as they led the grade by three points, requiring just a win in their last fixture to gain automatic elevation to the middle tier.
In their way was Fermoy, a side that has struggled through the year in many ways but have also managed to record some pretty impressive results along the way. Fermoy were out of the race for an automatic promotion place however in the lower league the teams from second to fifth get to play a mini tournament with the winners going up.
So plenty on offer for the winners then and while Fethard would have been the favourites to win this one Fermoy put in a brilliant shift, sealing the deal and ultimately doing their north Cork neighbours Charleville the best of favours.
Tries from Peter Skuse and Eddie O’Connell in either half did the main damage for Fermoy with the remaining 11 points coming from the boot of Dylan Lacey, 21-20.
Fethard had a serious spell where they dominated for 20 minutes of the second half however Fermoy held their nerve, sealing the deal late on to secure their space in the promotion playoff competition – while Fethard lost out on what looked like their promotion place.
Fermoy’s heroics meant that Charleville’s game away to Killorglin became the most important game in Charleville’s recent history and credit to the men in red and white they lived up to their end of the bargain, beating the Kerry side by 21-12.
Charleville didn’t know what was going on in any of the other games, all they knew was that a win was imperative and that is exactly what was secured thanks in the main to the efforts of the Charleville pack.
On many big days the out half, scrum half or winger gets the plaudits but last weekend it was the Charleville pack that deserved the credit with PJ O’Connor, Bertie Cagney, Fames Flynn and Cathal Carroll all impressing. Eoin McMahon went in for Charleville’s first try which was converted by Carroll.
Another try, this time from Killian O’Connell followed, with a pushover try also added in the second period. The win was all the more impressive when one considers that Charleville came into this one without five of their starting line-up, but the display given by all concerned showed that Charleville are a club with plenty of strength in depth, and hopefully they will be able to hold their own in the J2 next season.
The final game involving a local side was in the J1 as Kanturk tried to secure their place in the J1 with a young and to this point relatively inexperienced side. Kanturk have battled hard all season after coming back from senior rugby and credit to the Knocknacolon side they are right in the middle of what has been a serious transitional period.
Young players coming up from underage sides have shown great promise this year which all bodes well for the future of the club however points on the board are what counts at this level and Kanturk hadn’t enough of them going into last weekend’s game with Galbally.
A dour, hard fought, pure winter rugby game is the best way to describe last week’s fare as Kanturk slogged their way to a 12-8 away win.
The home side took this one by the scruff of the neck early pushing out 8-0 in front with a penalty and an unconverted try. Kanturk’s oversees player Raymond Alesana hit back with a try on the end of a slick training ground move to cut the gap to a more manageable three points.
Conor Cremin did what he does best adding the extras to put this one back in the mix.
Next up, Kealan Buckley went on a solo effort touching down after a kick ahead which proved to be the vital score here as Kanturk secured what was a well deserved four points.
Kanturk had to withstand huge pressure late on but the youngsters showed plenty of guile to keep out what became an ever desperate Galbally attack.
With three games left Kanturk are all but safe but one more win would do just nicely before a busy period of cup action unfolds.
FIXTURES
FRIDAY, MARCH 16
7.30
Munster J-League Division 2
St Mary’s v Mitchelstown Grove Island
SUNDAY, MARCH 18
2.30
Munster Junior Plate
Mallow v Thurles in St Joseph’s Road
Munster J-League Division 1
Kanturk v Skibbereen in Knocknacolon
Munster J-League Division 2
Muskerry v Waterford City in Ballyanly