Unbeaten run is maintained in Division 2B
19 26
THEY DID it for Joe. Sligo Rugby Club’s sixth successive win in this season’s Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B, a 26-19 away defeat of Wanderers, was a fitting tribute to the late Joe Coulter, a Sligo Rugby Club legend who passed on March 16.
Last Saturday’s victory at Merrion Road saw Sligo score four tries, achieve a bonus point and maintain a winning run that goes back to January 20. When you include the recent Connacht Senior Cup triumph against Buccaneers at Hamilton Park, Sligo, who are already in the Division 2B play-offs, are on a seven-game winning streak.
Sligo had to dig deep against Wanderers – there was a swirling wind to contend with as well as refereeing decisions that saw Hubert Gilvarry sent to the sin bin and Ethan Faitaua sent off.
Faitaua was one of Sligo’s try scorers as was Rob Tiernan, Brian West and Philip Carter – Euan Brown kicked three out of four conversions.
The visitors’ class told in the end and so did their resilience as they rebounded from going seven points down, 12-5, after 20 minutes.
At this stage Wanderers had a penalty try and an unconverted try on the board compared to the first of Sligo’s four tries – Rob Tiernan’s score that followed good work by Ambrose Bamber.
Euan Brown was off target with a conversion attempt – the breeze was the culprit – and later on in the first-half another Sligo kicker, Julian Leszczynski, saw his penalty attempt come off the upright.
By the 33rd minute Sligo were level following an Ethan Faitaua try and Euan Brown’s conversion. Faitaua’s try originated with a sniping run from Hubert Gilvarry, later on good carries from Aidan Healy, Tom Gormley, Rob Tiernan and James O’Hehir and then Gilvarry setting up Julian Leszczynski, who provided the telling pass for Faitaua.
Sligo were seven points clear at half-time, 19-12. Brian West scored the visitors’ third try just before the break and Euan Brown added the extras.
There was still a bit of kick left in Wanderers – who are one place above fourth-placed Sligo in the table – and the home side hauled themselves level via a converted try within minutes of the restart.
Sligo, however, had the aces.
The likes of Kuba Wojtkowicz and Ben Healy were impressing, so too Brendan Cunningham, and with 45 minutes played a fourth try from Sligo sealed the result.
It came from an intercept try as Philip Carter read what Wanderers were plotting, regained possession and sped for home. Euan
Brown’s third conversion
The number of wins recorded by Sligo so far in this season’s Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B.
TRY SCORER: Philip Carter, bagged a five-pointer for Sligo away to Malahide. of the day had Sligo seven points in front, 26-19, and Joe Coulter, fondly remembered before, during and after this game, was smiling broadly.
Next up for Sligo is their final away game of the regular season – this Saturday’s trip to Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, where they’ll face the hosts at Stevenson Park (2.30pm).
Dungannon are currently seventh in the standings, just seven points above the bottom two, Belfast Harlequins and Dolphin.
Sligo were 45-20 winners against the Ulster club when they met earlier in the campaign, a round two fixture at Hamilton Park on October 14.
Sligo Rugby Club senior men’s team (v Wanderers, Energia AIL Division
2B): Euan Brown (3 cons), Finn Bamber, Ethan Faitaua (1 try), Ryan Feehily, Philip Carter (1 try), Julian Leszczynski, Brendan Cunningham, Aidan Healy, Matthew
Earley, Tom Gormley, Archie Maclean, Gary Duffy, Rob Tiernan (1 try), James O’Hehir, Ambrose Bamber
Replacements: Ben Hynes, Kuba Wojtkowicz, Daire Byrne, Brian West (1 try), Hubert Gilvarry
STANDINGS
D F A Diff BP Pts Instonians 0 711 308 403 16 76 Corinthians 0 478 241 237 14 66 Wanderers 0 553 329 224 15 63 Sligo 1 396 321 75 13 55 Rainey 0 367 461 -84 12 32 Skerries 3 317 476 -159 5 31 Dungannon 2 317 380 -63 10 30 Malahide 0 310 467 -157 6 26 Harlequins 2 328 506 -178 7 23 Dolphin 0 282 570 -288 7 23 SLIGO’S REMAINING GAMES: Saturday, March 30 – Dungannon (a); Saturday, April 6 – Rainey (h).