Arklow in second after big victory
ARKLOW RFC’s under-16 team travelled to Kilkenny last Saturday afternoon with a depleted squad and knowing that since both teams last played the Kilkenny team have been boosted by returning numbers.
Things were even more stacked against the Arklow boys when they learned that due to a communications error, the kick-off time had been brought forward by 30 minutes.
In true fashion the Arklow boys immediately got to work and after a hastened warm up and knuckled down to the job in hand.
Arklow kept the ball in hand in the early stages and worked the hard yards slowing into the Kilkenny half, carries by Daire Furlong and Scott Kavanagh progressed Arklow closer to the try line, while scrum half Chris O’Brien marshalled the breakdown.
The hard work payed off with nine minutes gone when second row Roan Fehil seized the ball with two meters out and touched down under the posts. A conversion by out half Padraig Birmingham saw Arklow take the score to 0-7.
Arklow now settling into the game gathered the re-start and counter attacked into the Kilkenny side once more, Josh Tunney, Ross Burke and Zander Davis again making the hard yards. A quick kick through the Kilkenny line defence saw Josh Brennan seize the bouncing ball and touch down for Arklow’s second try of the day.
With the clock edging closer towards half time, Arklow captain Oran Kelly put boot to ball and kick a neat grubber kick deep into the Kilkenny half. The resultant pressure from Arklow saw Kelly take possession again after a few phases and he touched down for Arklow’s third of the day.
A bit of complacency saw Kilkenny quickly enter the Arklow half with only three minutes left on the clock for the first half, the local boys capitalised on some lacklustre tackling to open their account. A missed conversion left the score 5-14 to Arklow at the break.
Acknowledging the hard work done by the forwards in the first half, Arklow changed tack after the break and played a more open passing game.
It was now time for the Back’s to show their worth and indeed within five minutes of the restart, substitute Calvin Kirya intercepted a cross field kick and raced over the try line for Arklow’s fourth try.
Centres Luke Doyle and Harry Stevens worked in prefect tandem as they spread the ball across the field in what became a joy to watch.
It was from such a move that scrum half Chris O’Brien launched an attack of his own. O’Brien sold a perfect dummy pass to the Kilkenny Full back allowing him to score Arklow’s fifth.
Again, Kilkenny refused to roll over and they got a well worked try halfway through the second half. The home side now feeling the heat had a player sent off after 45 mins for poor use of the English language.
Arklow now turned the final screws and with pressure mounting the ball found its way to prop Billy Molloy, and with a turn of foot that any back would envy he scored under the posts for Arklow’s sixth.
With time drawing to a close under an Autumn evening sky, Arklow again used the cross-field kick to release Calvin Kirya for his second and Arklow’s last try of the day.
A really good win for the Arklow boys with a reduced squad sees this team remain in second place in the league with a lot of rugby to be played still.