Towns Cup

[silly punt]

Semi Finalists
Navan - Very close game and hard to call
Tullow - Close game. Hard to call.
Cill Dara - Kildare men to win by 15
Enniscorthy - Wicklow decimated by injuries and will struggle.

You have gone out on a limb there Dublinner, only predicting 1 game out of the 4

[groundhog]

You have gone out on a limb there Dublinner, only predicting 1 game out of the 4

SP, has D not just predicted Navan, Tullow, E'Corthy and Cill Dara

[silly punt]

You have gone out on a limb there Dublinner, only predicting 1 game out of the 4

SP, has D not just predicted Navan, Tullow, E'Corthy and Cill Dara

Who asked you anyway

[groundhog]

Who asked you anyway

That's why you pay me the big bucks!!!!!

[jaybyrne]

wicklow beat enniscorthy 18-17

wicklow were losing 17-3 for most of the match but scored two lates tries

enniscorthy missed a penalty at the end from the halfway line

the game really changed when shaun mcarthy came on

[Muriel]

Tullow beat Portlaoise 20-16

[remoh]

Navan 27 v 10 Tullamore
Cill Dara 35 v 3 Mullingar
Tullow 20 v 16 Portlaoise
Wicklow 18 v 17 Enniscorthy



Really starting to heat up now, Well done to Tullow, bit of shock there. other results to be expected

[Sundy]

wicklow beat enniscorthy 18-17

wicklow were losing 17-3 for most of the match but scored two lates tries

enniscorthy missed a penalty at the end from the halfway line

the game really changed when shaun mcarthy came on

Damn i had to leave when it was 17-8 looks like i missed a great ending. Well done wicklow for pulling that out of the bag Shaun really got the other wise static backline moving. In fairness Enniscorthy should have done the business by the 50th minute.. the wicklow pack were in all sorts of trouble in the first half loosing scrums and lineouts all over the place. For a make shift pack they deserve a big pat on the back for this win.

[silly punt]

The draw for the Semi Finals takes place in Donnybrook on Friday evening before the Ireland/Scotland clubs international.

Great result for Tullow, I would say they would like to draw Wicklow & avoid the big 2.

[Dublinner]

Towns Cup Semi Final - Dates and Venues
The draw for the RE/MAX Provincial Towns Cup took place in Old Wesley FC on Friday evening last. The venues, along with the dates have now been decided and are as follows

Tullow v Cill Dara in Portlaoise RFC on Sunday 9th March.

Navan v Wicklow in Cill Dara RFC on Sunday 23rd March.

Cill Dara will probably have too much for a savagely game Tullow side. Navan should have too much for Wicklow who have been hit and miss this season.

[silly punt]

The first Towns cup semi Final takes place in Portlaoise this Sunday between Cill Dara & Tullow. On paper CD should win but Tullow will be hoping that they over celebrated their League win last week & can catch them on the hop. Tullow are expected to bring a massive support & believe they can cause an upset.
I think Cill Dara will win after a huge physical battle, but if they are not totally committed Tullow will take advantage of any slip ups.

[Dublinner]

I think everyone in Leinster will be rooting for Tullow. Would be great to see a division two side in the final again.

[limecat]

I think everyone in Leinster will be rooting for Tullow. Would be great to see a division two side in the final again.

and thus it came to be. 11 - 5 to Tullow according to LL.

[groundhog]

Bloody New Moon.

Threw everything into chaos this weekend.

Tullow were by far the hungrier side and deserved their win. The long wait till the final will be hard for them but they have every chance in a one off.

[Dave Cahill]

Tullows set piece and resolute defence helped them to victory over a Cill Dara side that came looking to add the Provincial Towns Cup to their Leinster League title after a hard fought encounter in difficult conditions at Portlaoise RFC.

Cill Dara struck first, when a missed penalty attempt was touched down by the chasing Cill Dara winger after Tullow failed to do so. Tullow came back strongly and a well struck penalty from out half Canavan from wide on the left bisected the posts and reduced the arrears. As conditions worsened, with a strong wind and hailstones, Tullows strong scrum, lineout and maul put Cill Dara under constant pressure. A series of driving mauls were held up short by excellent defense from the kildaremen, but at the cost of yellow card for their tighthead prop. This did not, however, lead to much advantage to the Tullow scrum, as a previous Cill Dara substitution after aninjury to their loosehead meant that scrums were declared uncontested by the referee. A further successful Tullow penalty, along with one off the posts, took the teams into halftime with the score at 6-5.

The second half began in fairer conditions, and unfortunately for Cill Dara a much calmer wind in their favour. With 10 minutes gone in the half, Tullow again utilised their strong set piece, when, after a penalty was dispatched for touch, they drove the resulting lineout win fully 25 yards to touch down for a try. The missed conversion left the score 11-5.

Cill Dara were not going to go down without a fight however, and the remainder of the half was a tale of stout Tullow defense holding out against surge after surge of Cill Dara attacks. Cill Dara were unlucky to knock the ball on over the line on one occasion, and were barely stopped short on a couple of others. A bad injury to a Cill Dara player, requiring him to be stretchered off the pitch with 5 minutes remaining, meant that the large crowd was kept on tenterhooks during the extended period of injury time. With time almost up, Cill Dara's pack launched one last surge for the Tullow line. They were however held up in goal, and the ref brought the match to end.

[silly punt]

Well done to Tullow, they deserved their victory, it was a great day for them & their huge support. They played to their strengths & forced Cill Dara into making errors, through strong aggresive defence.

Best of luck to them in the final.

I see that Navan & Tullamore reached the AIB Junior Cup final, Leinster junior rugby seems to be on a high, well done to all concerned.

[jimmy the bone]

I was lucky enough to work as assistant to Berch when he coached Tullow a couple of years back to promotion from Div 3. Never have I met group of guys who thrive to the extent they do on being the under dog. If they are under estimated in the final they will have a real chance Everybody loves an under dog so here's hoping Tullow can win the final and finish off the fairy tale.

[Muriel]

Anyone know the result yesterday?

[Dave Cahill]

Navan advance into Towns Cup Final...

Provincial Towns Cup holders Navan advanced to this year's decider with a comprehensive 39-14 win over Wicklow in Cill Dara RFC on Sunday.

Playing with the aid of a strong diagonal breeze in the first half they led 27-3 at the break and despite a spirited fight-back by Wicklow in the second period Navan were always in control.

They will face Tullow in the final on 20th April at a venue to be announced later this week; Tullow were 11-5 victors over Cill Dara in the first semi final a fortnight ago.

It promises to be an exciting time for the Co Meath club as they will appear in two high-profile finals in the space of eight days; on 12th April they will take on Tullamore in the final of the AIB Junior Cup in Dubarry Park, Athlone, home of Buccaneers.

[groundhog]

That was a woeful Wicklow performance, terrible game plan that played into Navan's hands.

Final will be interesting but Navan will be heavy favourites...