Navan 45 Enniscorthy 5 McAuley Cup -Leinster Youths U15's Final. Monday 7th May Donnybrook
The Navan U15's took to the field in Donnybrook on Monday aiming to add to their recentely acquired Leinster league title with the McAuley Cup ( Leinster Youths Cup ) as their reward.
Navan were to strike first in the 6th minute with Ian Rickard going over in the left corner following a few phases across the back line. Enniscorthy came straight back into the game and had a long period of sustained pressure they got over for a try following a missed tackle.
When Enniscorthy fumbled the ball in a lineout on the Navan ten metre line, Jack Love reacted quickly to gather the ball and feed Dylan Curley, who took off through a gap and outran the covering defenders for a fine individual score under the posts. Enniscorthy once again tried to come back into the game but excellent tackling from the Navan midfield with Ben McEntaggart leading the defensive line, kept Enniscorthy out.
Just before half time Navan were awarded a penalty just inside their opponents twenty two and the always lively Conor Farrell ran an excellent line from the tapped penalty to give Navan a 19-5. Farrell struck again a few minutes later intercepting a pass from the base of a maul and running in under the posts, with Navan out-half Christian Byrne adding a third conversion to give Navan a 26-5 Half Time lead.
Navan continued to attack in the second half and when Shane Walshe gathered a clearance kick close to the half way line, he set off on a run right through the heart of the Enniscorthy defence which saw him finish touching down in the corner for a fine individual try. As soon the Wexford team tried to get a foothold in the game and set up a platform for their backs the superb tackling and work at the breakdown of McEntaggart and Conlon would invariably result in a turnover for Navan. Alex McGoey in the Navan front row also made a try saving tackle as Enniscorthy tried to find a response.
The introduction of Conor Nash in the second half also paid dividends with him going down on a clearance kick and popping the ball to Jake Love, who shrugged off a couple of tackles and appeared to have scored a try which was disallowed for an incorrect grounding. Love had another charge at the line from the next Navan attack but was just held up. There was to be no let up as McEntaggart broke the defensive line and Conlon made the space for Walshe to get over again. Walshe completed the scoring with his third try following good inter play down the left wing with Conor Nash. Navan out-Half Christian Byrne enjoyed an excellent day with the boot converting five of Navan's seven tries.
Navan's final game of the season is to be in the North East final v Skerries on Friday at 7.30.
Navan Team & Substitutions.
1. J Love (T Reidy 58) , 2. O Lavin Kelly ( C Moore ), 3. A McGoey, 4. A McGrath ( S Owens 65 ), 5. K Lynch, 6. D Curley ( JJ O'Dea 58 ), 7. C Farrell ( Capt ) 8. C Hand, 9. N McGrane ( E Reid 62) 10. C Byrne, 11. M Dunne, 12. B McEntaggart, 13. B Conlon, 14. I Rickard ( C Nash 45 ), 15. S Walshe.
Culliton Cup Final - U 17s Leinster Youths' Cup
A third big game in eight days was to prove a step too far for a gutsy Navan team in Donnybrook on Bank Holiday Monday. Following Navan's hard fought victory over Bruff
in the All Ireland final last Sunday, and their semi-final victory in this competition over Ashbourne on Thursday, Mullingar proved to be an obstacle that could not be overcome
in the Culliton Cup Final/ U17's Leinster Youths' Cup.
The fixture pile-up does not any way diminish Mullingar's victory, as over the 70 minutes they were deserved winners in an enthralling game that was Navan's for the taking. The match was played on a cloying sandy pitch in very changable conditions. Both sides like to move the ball and the conditions were not a help to either side.
With Navan having beaten Mullingar narrowly in the Leinster League final a few weeks ago, Mullingar were hungry for revenge and they got stuck into Navan straight from the off. Mullingar moved the ball wide at the very first opportunity to their left winger and just as the Navan Full-Back came out to tackle the Mullingar attacker, he kicked ahead. When the Navan Full Back made contact with the winger, he was binned following a consultation between the referee and linesman. Mullingar opted to go for the line and kicked their penalty into touch five metres out but following a strong defensive effort Navan held their lines. Mullingar kept the pressure on and were rewarded with a penalty which their out-half duly slotted. Navan continued to be on the back foot and, with Navan unable to get a foothold outside their own twenty two, Mullingar increased their lead when their out-half had plenty of time to drop a goal to double their lead to 6-0.
Navan were perhaps guilty of being a little over ambitous in try to run ball from deep rather than trying to play territory given the pressure Mullingar were exerting. In the 25th minute
the Mullingar out-half created a fine individual score for himself when he broke from the base of a maul down the blindside and showed inside and then outside to step the Navan cover and touch down under the posts. Mullingar were well in the ascendency and 13-0 ahead.
A score before half time was just what Navan needed and when the Navan forwards made a series of drives towards the Mullingar line the ball was moved wide for Mark O'Meara to go over in the corner for a try to narrow the deficit to 13-5 (HT).
In the first play of the second half Mullingar recycled from the kick-off but a fierce up-front tackle by Fergal Cleary on the ball carrier saw Navan steal the ball and maul all the way to the Mullingar line. Navan Captain Sean Healy got over the line for Navan's second try following a pick and drive movement. With the score back to 13-10 and most of the second half to play, it looked as if Navan would take control of the game with much of the play in the Mullingar half. in the 50th minute Navan had an excellent platform to attack the Mullingar line with a line-out seven metres out, but when Shane Faulkner found his jumper the referee adjudged the ball to be crooked-in and the chance was lost.
Mullingar cleared their lines and worked the ball down the pitch, when they were awarded a penalty in the Navan half, their impressive out-half surprisingly decided to kick to touch rather than go for the posts when the kick appeared to be within his range. This brave decision was rewarded as Mullingar obtained a foothold in the Navan twenty two and following a few phases the Mullingar out-half found himself in space once again to dart over the Navan line beside the posts, making the conversion straightforward and the lead 20-10.
Navan dominated the rest of the match and when Mullingar were caught in possession on their own line, Robert Bourke was held up just short from the resultant five metre scrum. A penalty under the posts was also passed up as Navan went in search of a try to close the gap and when Fergal Cleary went over with a trademark surging break through the middle it was too late as the referee blew the final whistle following the missed conversion to leave Mullingar the winners. Disappointment for Navan who nevertheless, following last week's excellent victory against Bruff RFC, finish the season as U17 All Ireland Club Champions !
NAVAN TEAM: 1.C Stafford, 2. S Healy, 3 S Faulkner, 4. P Rickard, 5. A Keating, 6. H Keane 7. C Carpenter ( P Rickard 50), 8.D Ryan, 9. C Farrell, 10. F Cleary, 11. M O'Meara ( D Greene 60) 12. R Bourke, 13. H Hester, 14. T Pretorious, 15. E Sheridan.
Navan RFC U17's followed up their Leinster Crown by becoming Champions of All Ireland with a hard fought
17-7 victory over Munster champions Bruff RFC last Saturday in Naas RFC grounds.
Team Photo from Saturday:
Back Row – BEN GORE, DARRAGH GREENE, EAMONN SHERIDAN, GRAHAM GARTLAND, ROBERT BOURKE, FERGAL CLEARY, JOHN HAND, ADAM BRENNAN, AIDAN WALL, ADAM KEATING, STUART BRIDGETT, TYRON PRETORIUS, MARK O’MEARA, CIARAN STAFFORD.
Front Row – CILLIAN FARRELL, ANDREW BEGGY, SEAN HEALY, SHANE FAULKNER, DONAL RYAN, HARRY KEANE, COLM CARPENTER, PAUL RICKARD.
Lying on ground at front – HARRY HESTER
Team with a proud Club President, Mr Brendan Farrell... I am sure The Sloop John B followed !
The next generation get to hold the Trophy - You have a big act to follow lads!
Three Presidents .. but whos that fellow in the Ulster Jersey.. They think they can walk anywhere !!!
U15s Leinster Rugby Premier League Final 2011-12 - The Ciaran Conlon Cup
Navan 19 - 5 Kilkenny
The playing fields at NUI Maynooth were the neutral setting for the Final of the Under 15 Leinster Premier League 2011-2012 - Ciaran Conlon Cup between Navan and Kilkenny. The prize - The Ciaran Conlon Cup!
If ever a team were motivated, this was the day. Navan 15’s had been working towards this final all season and were determined to bring the inaugural Ciaran Conlon Cup back to Navan as a fitting accolade and tribute to their dedicated coach and mentor who sadly passed away less than a year ago.
It took a few minutes for both teams to settle into the game with unforced errors coming from both sides but after Kilkenny put into the scrum on their own 10 metre line, a great tackle from Navan 2nd row, JJ O’Dea, forced a knock on which was deftly picked up by Navan and fed out the back line to full back, Shane Walshe, who ran along the touch line and stepped in to score the opening try of the game. This was converted by out-half, Christian Byrne. Walshe was instrumental in the ensuing try opportunity by Byrne which was disallowed, deemed by the Referee to be a knock on.
With the score standing at just 7-0 to Navan, Kilkenny were a constant menace and both teams defended vigorously when their respective territories were threatened. A Kilkenny scrum on the half-way line, saw a ball spill in Navan’s direction, this was scooped up by centre Ben McEnteggart who brilliantly ran in the try under the posts, for a straightforward conversion. This gave Navan a 14-0 lead going into the break.
Kilkenny kicked-off the second half of the game with great determination and exerted terrific pressure in the ruck but Navan resisted well. However, Kilkenny took advantage of having the wind behind them and kicked into Navan territory whenever possible, this tactic eventually paid off with an unconverted try by the Kilkenny Second Row in the corner. Navan needed to up the ante to create a comfortable score difference. A break by flanker Conor Farrell brought play into Kilkenny territory. After working through many phases, a switch in play, and a great line from Conor Hand that led him to touch down near the corner. Unconverted, 19-5 was the final score of the match.
Leinster Youth’s Co-Ordinator, Scott Ennis spoke after the match and welcomed members of the Conlon Family to this special event. Ciaran’s wife Josephine and son Sean presented medals to the Kilkenny and Navan squads culminating in the presentation of the Ciaran Conlon Cup to Navan’s number 13, Briain Conlon. Team captain, Conor Farrell thanked the opposition and the coaches and spoke eloquently of Ciaran and his contribution to the game of Rugby on behalf of the squad and coaches.
Navan U15s go on now to play against Enniscorthy in the final of the McAuley Cup in Donnybrook on Monday 7th May at 12noon.
Photo attached shows Navan Team and Coaches: Back L-R John Bermingham(coach); John Mc Enteggart (coach), Ben McEnteggart; : Kevin Lynch; Alex McGoey; Conor Hand; Aidan McGrath; Simon Owens; Ian Rickard; Dylan Curley; Shane Walshe; Shane Gallagher; Brian O’Connell; JJ O’Dea; William Bellew; Conor Farrell (Captain); Keith Moore (Coach)
Front L-R Eoin Reid; Mikey Dunne; Oisin Lavin-Kelly; Jake Love; Briain Conlon; Niall McGrane; Craig Moore; Christian Byrne; Fiachra Finnegan; Ruairi Keogh; Tirnoch Reidy; Barry Lynch (coach)
Josephine Conlon presents the Tropy to her son Briain Conlon
The Leinster Under 15 - Ciaran Conlon Cup
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