It’s been a while coming, but Kilkenny have a chance of bringing silverware back to Foulkstown this term following the narrowest of wins over Longford on Sunday.
Knowing they’ll be playing their rugby in Division 1B in 2017/18, where they’ll face Division 2A champions Longford, Kilkenny took the game to their opponents from the off, opening the scoring with an intercept try about fifteen minutes in, before doubling their lead to 14-0 on the 20 minute mark.
With a two-try lead at the break, Longford weren’t down and out yet.
A Longford penalty five minutes after the restart was matched by a second ten minutes later and the scoring really started to take off.
A Kilkenny try (not converted) was matched by a Longford try (not converted) to bring the game to 19-11 Kilkenny. Another Longford penalty, all within the first 20 minutes of the second half, and the 2A champions were within touching distance. Seven minutes later and momentum had swung the way of Longford for the go ahead try, 21-19.
Digging deep, Kilkenny managed to regain the lead inside the final ten minutes, 26-21 before shipping a late try approaching full time, 28-26.
With Longford leading by two and a place in the Provincial Towns Plate final on the table, there was one last roll of the dice for Kilkenny as the Foulkstown men were awarded an injury time penalty for Jake McDonald to send between the uprights and provide Kilkenny a win at the death.
With Dundalk having beaten Naas in the midweek game, Kilkenny will face the men from Louth in this year’s Provincial Towns Plate Final.
The sides met twice in Division 1A already this season, Kilkenny losing out on both occasions – 20-0 on the road in September followed by a 42-24 home defeat before Christmas.