Enniscorthy grab five tries
Big win despite absentees
EVEN THOUGH Enniscorthy were short some key regular starters, they were still too strong for the bottom side Monkstown in their Leinster League Division 1A clash in Ross Road on Saturday, running in five tries in their 29-nil win.
They started without Tom Ryan and Tomás Stamp but they still by and large dominated up front. Second row Joe Carley produced another superb performance and helped himself to a brace of tries.
The first came after sustained pressure when Angelo Todisco barged over the line from close in, and the second was the first for Carley who picked from a ruck and drove over. Ivan Poole, who started in the centre, kicked the conversion for a 12-nil lead.
Enniscorthy, driven on by veteran player-coach Declan O’Brien, did not relent and kept the pressure on the visitors, but a number of scoring chances were squandered. And to be fair, the very young Monkstown team were not prepared to roll over and they should have had a try but with the line in sight Dillon Thomas knocked on the ball.
Declan O’Brien was yellow carded early in the second-half but that really did not hamper Enniscorthy’s efforts.
Joe Carley scored his second try on the 50th minute when he touched down from close in. Poole kicked the conversion.
Monkstown’s gallant defensive effort proved too much as they started to get tired and now, in spite of the tough weather conditions, the home team began to throw around the ball and it was Ivan Poole who scored the fourth and crucial bonus try.
The fifth try came five minutes from the end when Ivan Jacob came off his own wing to make space. Nick Doyle in support almost got to the line but the move was finished by David O’Dwyer. Poole kicked an excellent conversion from out on the touchline.
This win moves Enniscorthy onto 15 points with Ashbourne leading the league on 21 points.
Next week there is a break from league action when Enniscorthy travel to Newcastlewest to face the home team in the quarter-final of the Irish Junior Cup. The Limerick men were well beaten by Waterpark last weekend 49-3, and they are currently ninth in the league with two wins and two defeats.
Team: Paddy Waters, Davy Murphy, Angelo Todisco, John Daly (Declan O’Brien), Joe Carley, Jim White, Jamie Barron, Nick Doyle, Arthur Dunne, Killian Lett, David O’Dwyer, Ivan Poole (capt.), Daniel Pim, Ivan Jacob, Richard Dunne. Subs. used - Evan Lett, David Shore, Tom Farrar, Tony White.