Brave effort from Arklow

Co. Wicklow side bow out

TOWNS PLATE S/F at the Oval ARKLOW 18 TULLOW 35

ARKLOW RFC’S Senior men wrapped up their season with a rousing game against a highly fancied Tullow side at home on Sunday.

Arklow started the game strong and dominated the earlier exchanges by applying pressure on Tullow which eventually led to a penalty being awarded after seven minutes. Cian Cooney split the posts to open the score at 3-0.

Arklow gathered from the restart and again began to build momentum, however on the ninth minute, Tullow intercepted a pass on the 22-metre line and ran in a converted try under the posts to make it 3-7.

The game then settled into a real physical battle with both sides attempting to break each other’s defence. It was another 10 minutes of solid play until the next score arrived. Tullow probed Arklow left and right across the field until a gap finally appeared wide on the wing and they touched down for their second of the day on 19 minutes to lead 3-14.

Arklow refused to lie down against this well polished side that had trained all year alongside their Towns Cup winning first team.

Oran Kelly – who had his game of the season – ran strong attacking lines that continued to break through the Tullow defence. This gave rise to Tullow conceding a penalty on 21 minutes from which Cooney again scored, making it 6-14.

This again lifted Arklow and following a great run by Shane Haarar and quick ball from Finn Scott, Sean McCarthy jinked his way over the line for the home side to score their first try of the day on 21 minutes, the score now 11-14.

With the home crowd now getting behind the team, Arklow were beginning to take control of the game, aided by a solid line-out lead by replacement hooker Pete Lynch and often finding Roan Frehill.

Indeed, it was from a line-out that Arklow launched their next attack, through the hands of Shane Kenny and Billy Slater to eventually find Eamon Quirke who crossed for Arklow’s second try, the conversion by Cooney brought Arklow into the lead for the first time at 18-14 with just five minutes to half-time.

Tullow were not to be out done and, after conceding a penalty, Arklow were forced to defend a lineout as the clock hit the red for half-time. After a number of phases Tullow again crossed the try line under the posts to nose ahead to leave the score at 18-21.

The second half began with both sides exchanging possession, but it was Arklow who were largely on the back foot. The home side defended stoutly and held out for the opening 13 minutes of the second half until Tullow again scored a try and pushed the score out to 18-28.

Arklow were tired now and rarely got relief. On 56 minutes Arklow got a rare opportunity to exit their half and had a line out just 10 metres out from the Tullow try-line, spreading the ball through the hands, Tullow again intercepted, ran the length of the field and scored for the final time to leave the score at 18-35.

Arklow have developed well this season and have brought in a significant number of young players, the aim now will be to add to his progress next season and expand the squad.