Kanturk’s All Ireland Dream Ends

Kanturk’s hopes of reaching the All Ireland Junior Cup Final were shattered at Knocknacolan, when holders Tullamore deservingly advanced to the final.

Kanturk 0, Tullamore 24.
Tullamore took a major step towards retaining their All Ireland Junior Cup title with a convincing display at Kanturk.

The home side never got going and despite playing with the advantage of the elements (strong wind and rain) in the opening half, they found it very difficult to deal with a more physical Leinster side that had just won the Leinster Junior League for the first time.

Great credit to the Kanturk club for a well organised event that attracted at least over 1500 to the venue including, IRFU President Billy Glynn.

Tullamore took the game to Kanturk from the off and had them camped in their own half for the opening thirty minutes with Ivor Deverell dominating the line outs and their back row of Adrian Hanley, Rob Connor and Cathal Feighery kept the home defence busy with some telling runs.

Full back Paul Cotter and winger Peter Earlie made some fine runs out of defence for Kanturk but the home side could not build on any possession gained.

Kanturk had a chance of opening the scoring on twenty minutes when they were awarded a penalty on the visitors 22 in front of the posts, but the referee changed his decision and Tullamore cleared.

After constant pressure on the Kanturk line Tullamore broke the dead lock on thirty minutes when Hanley got in at the corner for a try and Aaron Deverell converted.

The visitors were back on the score sheet on the stroke of half time when again a break by the back row saw Hanley cross for his second try and Aaron Deverell converted for a 14-0 interval lead.

Seven minutes into the second half the holders were in for their third try when a break by David Calvin sent winger Tom Gilligan in at the corner.

This score only galvanised Kanturk and they spent the next twenty minutes camped in the Tullamore 22, but despite the best efforts of Dan McCabe, Gary Piggott, Carlton O’Leary and Bryan O’Neill, they could not find a gap to get the score they so richly deserved.

Nine minutes from time Tullamore lifted the siege and a drive by the pack at the Kanturk line saw Cathal Feighery touchdown for their fourth try.

Kanturk: Paul Cotter; Peter Earlie, Luke McCabe, Philippe Trippier, Kealan Buckley; Dara Meade, Michael Twohig; Matthew Daly, Conor O’Sullivan, Bryan O’Neill; Barro Buckley, Calvin Noonan; Carlton O’Leary, Gary Pigott, Dan McCabe. Replacements: Brendan Kelleher, Edward English, Conor Breen, Mark Healy, Aaron Jones, John Duggan, David Fitzpatrick.

Tullamore: Brian Geraghty; Conor Molly, David Calvin, Ivor Scully, Tom Gilligan; Aaron Deverell, Richie Hughes; Tomas Bennett, Cian Glennon, Ger Molloy; Anthony Hughes, Ivor Deverell; Cathal Feighery, Rob Connor, Adrian Hanley. Replacements: John Brophy, Kevin Browne, Rory Deverell, Darragh Lowery, Cyril Cornally, Adrian Hughes, Dan Cronin.

Referee: Stuart Douglas (IRFU).