Oak Park was the setting for the second round of the Provincial Towns Plate, serving up a local derby with Tullow making the short hop from Black Gates to take on their county rivals.
The result, when compared to how their overall league season fixtures went, was certainly an upset to Carlow with Tullow serving up a 34-6 thumping.
Granted, on paper it looks like a thumping but it turned out to be a game very much of two different halves as both sides had gone into the break 6-6 thanks to Tullow’s William Canavan and Carlow’s Peter Hennessey.
@kclr96fm half time in Oakpark all square 6 all
— Tullow RFC (@TullowRFC) March 19, 2016
A five minute spell midway through the second half put the game to rest as a content, Carlow losing Ratahi to a yellow card before Stevie Smith, Paul Stephenson and Scott Caldeck crossed the line for three converted tries.
Despite Tullow losing two of their own to yellow cards late on in the sceond half Carlow couldn’t put anything else on the board, the game capped off with a super try from Tullow’s Richard Nicholls who picked up a loose ball on his own line to run the full length of the pitch for Carlow’s fourth and final try.
@kclr96fm try Richie Nicholls @TullowRFC 34 @carlowrugby 6
— Tullow RFC (@TullowRFC) March 19, 2016
Tullow advance to play Ashbourne in the quarter-final.
Carlow J1 team
Peter Hennessey, Jeff McDermott, Harry Hennessey, Simon Walshe, Clive Atkinson, Fionnan Burke, John Whyte, Ross Byrne, Conal Slater, Alan Byrne, Mark Furey, Wes Shirley capt, Niall Bermingham, James Nolan, Chris Challe.
Subs used: Larry McGrath, John Farrell, John Lyons, Ross Elmes, Mark Elmes,
Tullow J1 team
William Cas O Brien, Paul Stephenson, Jed Pratt, Ato Bloomfield Capt, Ryan O Neill, William Canavan, Ross Hynes, Scott Caldbeck, Sam Corrigan, Tom Cashin, Frank Murphy, Joe Watersd, William Hollow O Brien, Kyle Handbidge, Stephen Smyth.
Subs used: Louis Kilcoyne, John Fitzgerald, John Roche, John Handbidge, Richard Nicholls
H/T John Shirley, County Carlow Football Club.
