Kilkenny did it the hard way and they’ll have to do it the hard way again this weekend if they want to stay in Division 1A of the Leinster League.
The Foulkstown men took on the mighty Dundalk at the weekend away, and even lead them at halftime in the game 10-7.
However, the second half became a battle as expected and Kilkenny got a penalty in the 80th minute and up stepped Hugh Corkery for the kick, one that would decide their season if he missed it, but he caught it lovely and put the ball between the sticks to draw the game 17-17.
It means Kilkenny takes on Ashbourne at home on Saturday (3 pm) and depending on the result, could get them into a playoff to stay in the Division.
Check out Hugh’s penalty kick below.
Kilkenny Women
The Kilkenny women had an important win over Navan on the road at the weekend.
10-20 was the final score in the division 5 game, which puts the team into outright first place, ahead of Navan.
It also tees them up nicely for the league run-in, but need some other results to go their way.
Tries in the game came from Emer Kelly, Lieke Hoban, Sorcha Barcoe Keogh & Ciara Harte.
Carlow
Carlow 45 Clondalkin 20 (report by John Shirley)
In their final Leinster League game of the 2021-22 season, a seven-try fest by Carlow at Oakpark on Saturday consolidated their third place in the Division 1B Table.
However, even with a 45 points to 20 win scoreline over the bottom of the table Clondalkin on Saturday, Carlow was still 18 to 20 table points adrift of table-toppers Wicklow and Boyne.
In all Carlow scored seven tries against Clondalkin, five of them in the first half. Clondalkin who only had a 3 point penalty goal at the interval, actually outscored the home side in the wind-assisted second half.
More importantly with the Provincial Towns Cup starting next weekend, the manner of Saturday’s win helped excise some of the problems Carlow experienced in last week’s game against Tullow.
“This was the bounce-back that we wanted this week,” said Carlow coach Corey Carty.
“After last week’s loss I asked for a response and we got one. We played with accuracy making good decisions with the ball which stretched the opposition defense.”
The upshot of the approach was that six of the seven Carlow backs scored tries including Sam Cullen, Dave McDermott, Dan Crotty, Caomhan Brennan, Johnny Crossley, and Alan Owens. Conal Slater chipped in with another try from his role at hooker.
The strong wind made lineout throwing hazardous but Wes Shirley still managed to secure a few of his hallmark steals. In the absence of the first-choice props, Carlow did well in the scrums.
On the open side, Owen Edgehill has come up from playing in the second and back row. On the crucial tighthead side, Cian Clarke has emerged as an important cog for Carlow this season both on the firsts and seconds.
In between the two props, Conal Slater had a good game making a number of charges up the middle. At number 10 the youthful Alan Owens is growing into the position with each week.
Against Clondalkin in the absence of Richard Whyte, Alan Owens took the place kicks and only missed one conversion.
All the attention in Carlow has now turned to the start of the Towns Cup next weekend. On Saturday, March 5, Carlow’s J2 side hosts Birr’s first side at Oakpark in the Seconds Cup.
On the following day Sunday 6 March, Carlow’s J1 side hosts close rivals Longford in Oakpark.
Carlow J1
Caomhan Brennan, Calum Murphy David McDermott, Dan Crotty, Sam Cullen, Alan Owens, Jeff McDermott, Owen Edgehill, Conal Slater, Cian Clarke, John Lyons, Wes Shirley,Capt, Evan Gordon, Paddy Mackey, Conor Treacy.
Subs: John Farrell, Alan Byrne, Rhys Edgehill, Cormac Murray, Johnny Crossley.
Tullow
The men’s teams had a weekend of rest before they start their Towns Cup campaign away to New Ross on Sunday
The Tullow women’s team was due to take on CYM in Division one however CYM conceded the game.
However, the U16 Rhino girls (Carlow/Tullow) had a great win over Wolves in North Kildare, a final score of 17-33.
We cover Carlow, Kilkenny, and Tullow rugby every week on our podcast The Knock On.
Check out last week’s episode below.