Carlow RFC begin new season with a bang
The victorious Carlow team
Carlow Rugby Club got a great start to their 2024-25 season last Saturday when they secured the Leinster South East Cup with a 35 to 12 point victory in the final against New Ross. Both sides had chalked up two wins to reach the final in this knock-out competition. However the final in New Ross was a much tighter game than is suggested by the 35 – 12 scoreline.
The game was barely three minutes in when New Ross’s 19 year old centre Jack Brennan intercepted a Carlow pass in his own half and jinked all the way to score under the posts. Outhalf Ciaran Prendergast added the conversion to put the home side into an early 7- 0 lead.
New Ross continued to attack but after the original lapse Carlow got their defence hat back on and it remained so for the rest of the game.
After 10 minutes of defending Carlow kicked a penalty to the corner and them mauled their way over the Ross line with number 2 Scott Neale getting the touch down. Centre Dan Crotty added the points to tie the game at 7 points each.
Carlow’s next score was a much more watchable affair. Outhalf Liam Slater sold a nifty dummy and then found centre Dan Crotty running an excellent line to score under the posts.
From the kickoff Carlow’s Conor Tracey was yellow carded for a high tackle but New Ross missed the simple penalty. Instead it was the 14 man visiting side that swept up field. Carlow stole a lineout about 30 metres out and following some moves by the backs with Slater again prominent, right winger Ruari Dunbar squeezed in at the corner. An excellent Crotty sideline conversion put the visitorsi into a 21 – 7 lead.
This was followed by a period of home team pressure with Carlow shipping another yellow card when Wes Shirley was adjudged to have deliberately slapped down the ball. Being down to 14 men seemed to spur the visitors. The ball was carried to the Ross 22 and after a series of charges at the line John Lyons, Carlow’s popular captain this season, scored his team’s third try on the stroke of half time.
With Carlow leading 28 – 7 at the interval this game needed New Ross to get the next score. But whilst the home side dominated second half territory and hammered away at the Carlow line the visiting defence held firm until five minutes from full time. New Ross’s second try came after Carlow shipped a sequence of penalties in their 22. Eventually the home side picked and ran two successive penalties. The Carlow defence dam broke with Ross’s number 4 Rory Browne crossing the line for an unconverted try.
This score seemed to “poke the bear” as the Oak Park side instantly went into attack mode. Now it was the home side making tackle after tackle on their line.
In recent seasons when Carlow needed someone to break opposition defence centre David McDermott has been the go-to person. Again in New Ross on Saturday David obliged again with a try in the final minute. Dan Crotty converted to give him a 100% record with the boot and Carlow their 35 – 8 victory.
Speaking after the game Carlow coach David Barron was happy with the early season momentum for Carlow rugby and with winning the Leinster South East Cup for the second year running. In the four games already played this season Carlow have rotated 37 players and secured four victories over New Ross, Kilkenny, Wexford and Newcastle West.
The attention now moves to the Leinster League which begins for Carlow in Seapoint on 21 September.
Carlow: Ned Williams, Sean Quinlan, Dave McDermott, Dan Crotty, Ruari Dunbar, Liam Slater, Noah Cope, Paddy Rogers, Scott Neale, Tadgh Ronan, Wes Shirley, John Lyons(capt), Cormac McElligot, Joel Browne, Conor Tracey. Replacements: John Farrell, Daragh Brennan, Martin Mullins, Anthony Kelly. Andrew Hanbidge, Josh Cope, Thomas Whitney.
