While Carlow were narrowly pipped by Cill Dara on Sunday, there was good fortune for the other side of the county as Tullow picked up a win over last season’s Provincial Towns Cup winners, Wicklow, at Black Gates.
Tullow opened the scoring with a try inside the first ten minutes before Dennis Higgins pulled things level for Wicklow almost instantly. Two penalties either side of the half hour mark had Tullow with a 13-7 lead before closing out the first half 16-7 to put a little breathing room between the sides.
The scoring would stop there for Tullow, Wicklow coming out after the restart the stronger of the two sides and applying the pressure early. A try for Wicklow about the midway stage of the second half, with a successful conversion narrowd the gap to two points but with Wicklow’s Fergal Walsh in the bin, the home side couldn’t capitalise on the numbers and the game closed out at 16-14.
Wicklow, to their credit, gracious in defeat.
@TullowRFC finish the game on the attack and win the game 16-14. Better team on the day in fairness.
— Wicklow RFC (@WicklowRFC) September 25, 2016
Around Division 1B there were also wins for Coolmine over Mullingar (16-5) and Clondalkin over Suttonians (32-10) while recently promoted Portlaoise picked up a losing bonus point against North Kildare (22-18). Tullow are away to Portlaoise in Togher on Sunday coming.
Division 1B Table
[table]
#,Team,P,W,D,L,PTS
1,Clondalkin,1,1,0,0,5
2,Tullow,1,1,0,0,4
3,Coolmine,1,1,0,0,4
4,North Kildare,1,1,0,0,4
5,Wicklow,1,0,0,1,1
6,Portlaoise,1,0,0,1,1
7,Mulling,1,0,0,1,0
8,Suttonians,1,0,0,1,0
[/table]
Meanwhile in wet conditions at Mill Road on Saturday, Kilkenny failed to make the most of their winning start to the season as they went down 20-0 to Dundalk, the 2015 1A champions who are back in junior rugby’s top tier after a year’s spell in the AIL.
With the J2 fixture due for 1.30pm called off, the J1 clash went ahead in tough weather conditions in the 3pm kick off, the home side going into the break 6-0 up with two first half penalties.
Kilkenny failed to convert scoring opportunities and found themselves restricted in a second half that saw Dundalk run in two tries in the second half to seal a 20-0 victory. No bonus points for either side, but the result jumps Dundalk to fifth in the table, one place above Kilkenny by virtue of scoring difference.
Elsewhere in A, early leaders Malahide nicked a two point win away to DLSP at Kirwan Park (25-23), Monkstown bounced back from their opening day loss to Kilkenny with a 22-15 win over Gorey while last season’s 1A winners Enniscorthy chalked up 40 points in a 40-32 win over Ashbourne.
Kilkenny are back on home soil for their next two games, their first meeting with Enniscorthy set for this Saturday at 3pm in Foulkstown.
