RUGBY: On a beautiful spring day, Letterkenny faced a Tir Chonaill team, fresh from giving a Northern Ireland school team a hammering, last week. Evan Duddy kicked off, allowing Tir Chonaill, first touch of the ball. Tir Chonaill moved through three phases before Letterkenny over-turned and ran the ball close to our line.
Conor Aitken moved in and was tackled. Evan picked up the ball and went over for the first try.
A great start. Evan converted his own try. This was followed up, seven minutes later, by a pick-and-drive move near our try line.
Dean Callan went over, for his first try of the match. Tir Chonaill were not going to lie-down to Letterkenny and an interception resulted in clawing back, the score to Letterkenny 12, Tir Chonaill 7.
This game resulted in the best backline plays of the season. What the team has practiced on a Wednesday evening, seemed to finally be working. A backline move near our try line, resulted in Peter Sparks, scoring his first competitive try, this season. A further backline try was scored by Alex McDermott, who ran around most of the Tir Chonaill team.
Tir Chonaill retaliated, with a breakaway try and it was halftime.
Letterkenny 26 – Tir Chonaill 12
The second half carried on in a similar vein to the first. Good rucking, good game plays, most things seemed to be working. Dean Callan went over, for his second try of the match. ( Dean Callan has scored tries, in the last three games, for Letterkenny. )
Attacking moves, and more forward work, lead to Rory O’Connell off loading to Bryan McGettigan and Bryan scoring.
From another pick-and-drive, the captain, Ben McGarvey, finally got the reward for all his hard-work this season and scored.
More sustained pressure and drive resulted in a last gasp try, from Eoin Parkinson.
Letterkenny ruled victorious.
Final Score : Letterkenny 48 – Tir Chonaill 12
The Letterkenny under14s team :
1. Levi Lapsley
2. Eoin Parkinson
3. Rory O’Connell
4. Dean Callan
5. Bryan McGettigan
6. Ben McGarvey
7. Jack Speer
8. Andrew Mason
9. Ben Hopkins
10. Evan Duddy
11. Alex McDermott
12. Peter Sparks
13. Niall Murray
14. Zak Murphy
15. Conor Aitken
Reserves:
Joe Bond, Emmett Gillespie, Matthew Duffy, Alex Wylde, Jack Doherty, David Sparks.
Thanks to the players, coaches, parents and the Tir Chonaill team.
Letterkenny Rugby club in association with main sponsor Kelly’s Toyota, Port Rd., Letterkenny.
