Tullamore too strong for Tullow but three late tries salvage double bonus-point
Tullow’s Stephen Smith witha sublime pass out the back.
The scoreline makes the game look closer than it actually was. For 70 minutes, Tullamore dominated and were by far the better side and easily secured a bonus-point win over Tullow.
But three tries in the last ten minutes rather flattered the Slaneysiders who weren’t afforded many chances against the side newly relegated from the AIL. Tullow struggled and couldn’t find a route in behind for large periods, albeit they were unlucky at times.
Tullamore had an early chance to take the lead as they won a penalty after four minutes but Conor Dunne steered his effort wide on the left. Four minutes later, Ezrah Vai made good ground and got in behind the Tullamore defence and earned a penalty for his side. They kicked into the corner and won the ensuing lineout and Tullamore cleared.
The Offaly side opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Liam Farrell sent a pass over to the left and found Cathal Farrell down the left wing and he went over in space. Dunne missed the conversion from a tricky angle on the left.
Seven minutes later, they should have had another try when Liam Farrell made good ground and tried a kick through to the right wing but miskicked it and Tullow cleared. Midway through the half though they did get another try as Sam Burns went over to the right of the posts. Dunne raised two blue flags as he scored his first points of the afternoon.
A few minutes later, Tullow got themselves on the scoreboard. Dara Cosgrave did well to push up towards the line and got into space but he was taken down before the line. Tullow were awarded a penalty and took it quickly, recycling the ball to Stephen Smith to the right of the posts and the Tullow number eight powered through with Adam Johnson adding the extras from the tee.
With 12 minutes to go until half-time, Dunne added a penalty to give Tullamore an eight-point advantage. Six minutes later, Sean McCabe kicked to the right wing where Steven Joyce was waiting and duly scooped the ball up before scoring in the corner with Dunne adding the conversion.
On the verge of half-time, Ryan O’Neill made great ground and inches from the try line was tackled, leading him to knock on, giving Tullamore a scrum allowing them to clear into the end zone for half-time.
Tullamore struck first in the second half, Martin Cummins going over in the left hand corner after 12 minutes to secure the bonus point for his side.
The Offaly side added a fifth try four minutes later as Cathal Farrell ran half the length of the pitch to go over in the left hand corner.
With ten minutes to go, Corey Leigh Hughes went over in the right hand corner with Johnson converting. Five minutes later, the ball was recycled to Vai who weaved in behind the Tullamore defence to touch down for their third try. Johnson added the extras from the kicking tee.
With a minute to go, a lineout on the left was recycled into Vai and he touched down to rescue a bonus point for Tullow with Johnson continuing his 100% record from the kicking tee as Tullow reduced the deficit to just four points and give themselves hope of a miraculous comeback.
With the last action of the game, Tullamore were awarded a penalty and Dunne made no mistake in bisecting the posts.
Ezrah Vai (2 tries), Stephen Smith and Corey Leigh Hughes (1 try each), Adam Johnson (4 cons).
Cathal Farrell (2tries ), Sam Burns, Steven Joyce and Martin Cummins (1 try each), Sam Dunne (2 pens, 2 cons).
Adam Johnson; Scott O’Sullivan Magne, Dara Cosgrave, Ryan Curran, Jack Hanlon; Peter Burgess, Ryan O’Neill; Scott Caldbeck, Corey Leigh Hughes, Tom Cashen; Joe Waters, Tom Hughes; Ezrah Vai, James O’Brien, Stephen Smith.
Colm Gorry, Brian Keogh, Jack McDonald, Martin Cole, Paul Canavan.
Liam Farrell; Cathal Farrell, Sean McCabe, Conor Dunne, Steven Joyce; Carl Dunne, Sam Burns; Matthew Murphy, Shane Minnock, Mark Kennedy; Kalvin Mahon, Martin Cummins; Ciaran Ellis, Colm Heffernan, Barry Bracken.
Adam John Carthy, John Dunican, Ben McManus, Ryan Sleoup.
