PROVINCIAL TOWNS CUP Enniscorthy pip keen rivals
RUGBY Repeat of last year’s final versus Wicklow next on list
THESE TWO Division 1A teams went at it hammer and tongs right from the kick-off of Sunday’s Provincial Towns Cup third round tie, and the home side - out of contention for league honourswanted to win this encounter to save their season.
They went the right way about doing so, galloping into a 10-3 lead even though Enniscorthy scored first with a sweetly-struck penalty from 30 metres from the boot of Ivan Poole..
There was a swift response from the home team, with centre Gearóid McDonnell converting a Dundalk goal kick from the sideline. They on the pressure and were rewarded with a try.
Sustained Dundalk pressure resulted in scrum-half Michael Walls breaking free from a rolling maul to touch down for the five-pointer. McDonald missed the conversion.
Enniscorthy, to be fair, did respond with purpose and they scored two quick tries in the space of five minutes. It was a double strike from left winger Hughie O’Neill who came off his wing to split the Dundalk defence. Killian Lett’s excellent pass put him into space and he crossed the line after a 30-yard sprint to score the first. Ivan Poole just missed the conversion.
O’Neill was on hand again for a second try, and this time right wing Ivan Jacob came off his line and was put clear from Poole’s pass. Hughie O’Neill was on his shoulder to sprint in behind the Dundalk defence to score.
This time out-half Poole added the conversion and now Enniscorthy were 15-10 to the good at the half-time break.
It was a real cup dogfight in the second 40 minutes with Enniscorthy playing into a stiff wind. They did dominate at line-out time and in the scrums but just could not breach the stubborn Dundalk defence.
Enniscorthy conceded two soft penalties and with ten minutes remaining McDonald gave the home team a 16-15 lead with two excellent goal kicks.
Enniscorthy did not lie down and their forwards put serious pressure on the Dundalk line and eventually they won a penalty.
Because of the strong wind it was expected that Ivan Poole would go to the corner with the kick, but he decided to have a go at goal and he absolutely nailed it to put the visitors in front with five minutes remaining.
There was to be a few more twists before the final whistle. Dundalk won a penalty in the 79th minute and when the reliable McDonald stood over it Enniscorthy feared the worst, but he pushed it wide.
The visitors breathed a sigh of relief but there was to be a further twist as the clock wound down. Dundalk put themselves into a winning position after several mauls and McDonald dropped into the pocket for a drop goal attempt, but Ivan Poole read the kicker’s mind and he superbly blocked the kick.
In doing so Ivan Jacob almost sprinted clear but the bounce of the ball let him down.
When the final whistle went Enniscorthy celebrated in style. Their manager David Wrafter said: ‘We escaped at the end but we did not take our chances and we gave away far too many penalties. Having said that the team showed tremendous courage in securing the win and now we have a chance to gain revenge for our defeat in last year’s final as we have been drawn against Wicklow in the quarter-finals.
‘We play Monkstown in our penultimate league match next weekend and we need to win that to keep the pressure on Malahide for our final match with still a chance to secure league honours. We will be hoping that Ross Barbour and Joe Carley, who were missing today, recover from injury.’
There were outstanding perforDmances in particular from Paddy Waters, Tomás Stamp, Tom Ryan, Ivan Jacob, Ivan Poole and double try scorer Hughie O’Neill.
Team: Angelo Todisco (Tony White), Davy Murphy (James Doyle), Paddy Waters, Joe Bulmer (John Daly), Tomás Stamp, Tom Ryan, Greg Jacob, Nick Doyle, Arthur Dunne (Evan Lett), Ivan Poole, David O’Dwyer, Daniel Pim (capt.), Killian Lett, Ivan Jacob, Shane Dalton.