Tullow emerge from Carlow cup derby
The Tullow players celebrate as the full-time whistle blows around the Black Gates, bringing an end to their Towns Cup quarter-final derby with Carlow. Photo: Michael O'Rourke.
County rivals Tullow and Carlow went head-to-head at the Black Gates on Saturday afternoon in the Bank of Ireland Leinster Towns Cup quarter-finals, with Tullow coming out on top of a dogged derby clash.
The first half never really got going; Carlow led 6-0 at the break and would have felt unlucky not to be slightly further ahead. But Tullow managed to go up a gear in the second half, with two fortuitous tries from Adam Johnson and Peter Burgess proving to be the difference between the teams on the day.
Tullow v Carlow is always a special occasion, but the fixture took on immeasurably more importance with a place in the Towns Cup semi-finals on the line.
This is a competition which holds huge significance for both clubs. Last year's beaten finalist, Carlow, have lifted the famous old trophy on 12 occasions, making them the most successful club in Towns Cup history, although their last triumph came 30 years ago in 1996.
Tullow's time in the winner’s circle is far more recent, however, getting their hands on the cup for the very first time in 2017 before going back-to-back in ‘23 and ‘24, only to have their long streak ended by eventual winners, Athy, in last year’s semi-finals.
Scrums and lineouts were the order of the day early on as the county rivals felt each other out, a pattern that would persist throughout a stop/start first half.
The visitors were dealt a huge blow when they lost the leadership of lock Wes Shirley to injury just seven minutes in. And things went from bad to worse after quarter of an hour when Carlow loosehead Paddy Rogers was shown a yellow card for an infringement just metres from the Tullow try-line.
Yet despite their early woes, it was Carlow who opened the scoring in the 18th minute when full back Ben Crotty landed a 40-metre penalty - the only points scored during Rogers' ten minutes in the sin bin.
The set-piece shadow boxing continued, with Carlow beginning to get on top midway through the half. They should have scored the first try of the game after half an hour from some impressive phase-play off an attacking lineout, only to throw the ball straight into touch when Dan Gray looked sure to score in the corner.
Tullow showed incredible defensive resolve to keep Carlow out, with the Oak Park club camped in the home 22 for well over five minutes.
The half ticked on, with Tullow penalised for not rolling away, giving Carlow another central kick at goal. Crotty was again 40 metres from the sticks, but still had ten metres to spare as a second phenomenal effort sailed between the uprights.
Carlow scrum half Dan Crotty went quick off the back of a scrum, with he and Jonathan Crossley breaking away down the wing. Another dominant scrum gave Ben Crotty his third kick at goal, but he pulled this one wide despite being just 25 metres out. That kept it at a one-score game at the interval, with Carlow leading 6-0.
The second half was barely a minute old when Carlow gifted Tullow a way back into the game, with a loose pass flying over the head of Dan Gray before bouncing up into the grateful hands of Adam Johnson, who raced away for the opening try of the afternoon, much to the delight of the Black Gates faithful.
Carlow remained on top in the set piece and went to the corner moments later off another scrum penalty. They mauled their way to the line before being stopped illegally and going back to the corner, but the hosts stole the throw and followed up with a clearance kick from Peter Burgess that found touch on halfway.
Carlow were back in the Tullow 22 moments later, but the home side's defensive set stood firm once more. Tullow upped the intensity with line breaks from Dara Cosgrave and Ryan Curran before winning a penalty and going to the corner. But it was Carlow’s turn to show their grit as they managed to disrupt the maul and repel the hosts back beyond the 22.
Just a point separated the sides heading into the final quarter, with Tullow back on the Carlow try-line yet again. Tom Crotty can be incredibly proud of how his team held Maurice Logue's Tullow at bay, forcing the hosts from wing to wing without ever giving an inch.
Then, out of nowhere, with Carlow in control in midfield, Peter Burgess pounced on a stray pass and wheeled away to score an unlikely try under the posts. Cosgrave added the extras to make it 12-6 with 15 minutes remaining.
Both sides lost their number 14s for the closing stages when Carlow's Jonathan Crossley and Tullow's Adam Johnson were yellow carded for shoving each other to the ground.
The visitors won a penalty late on and kicked to the corner with the clock very much against them. They drove forward with a maul before going wide and winning another penalty under the posts, with Tullow number eight Ezrah Vai sent to the sin bin for the final passage of play.
Carlow opted for the scrum and went straight to Dave McDermott. The back-row forward had a sensational game whilst being deployed in the unfamiliar inside centre jersey, but despite powering over the line, the Killeshin man was held up under the posts. Referee Robbie O'Flynn put the whistle to his lips and Tullow were through to the semi-finals.
Adam Johnson, Peter Burgess (1 try each), Dara Cosgrave (1 con).
Ben Crotty (2 pens).
Dara Cosgrave; Shane Duffy, Jack Hanlon, Ryan Curran, Adam Johnson; Peter Burgess, Cian Leonard; Scott Caldbeck, Corey Hughes, Tom Cashen; Martin Cole, Joe Waters; Fiach O'Byrne, James O'Brien, Ezrah Vai.
Brian Kehoe, Tom Hughes, Colm Gorry, Dan Culleton, Paul Canavan, Scott Sullivan, Ben Butler.
Ben Crotty; Johnny Crossley, Caomhan Brennan, Dave McDermott, Dan Gray; Matt Dempsey, Dan Crotty; Paddy Rogers, Evan Gordon, Tadhg Ronan; Wes Shirley, John Lyons; Johnny Murphy, Ryhs Edgehill, Cormac McElligott.
Scott Neale, Eoin Edgehil, Ross Bvrne, Conor Treacy, Noah Cope, Brian Broderick, Alan Owens.
Robbie O'Flynn.
