Johnson leads way to decider
ASHBOURNE.................32 DUNDALK.....................20
ASHBOURNE 2nds secured a Jenkinson Cup final date next year against Balbriggan 1sts after overcoming a strong Dundalk challenge on Friday night.
The Jenkinson Cup is the Junior 2 North East Area Cup and is a great opportunity for the local sides to play against one another in competition.
On a bitterly cold night the game was played out with free flowing rugby and some good hard physical contact. Led by captain Ciaran Boylan, the Ashbourne pack was to become dominant with second rows Ciaran Roche and Joe McNally, giving that extra power in the scrum.
Keith Kennedy, just returned from a long lay-off, tackled hard and Shane Rock was everywhere. Prop Paul Johnson had one of his best games in an Ashbourne jersey and was the stand out player on the pitch.
The backline tried to move the ball but cold hands did not help and the tries were equally split between the backs and forwards.
No.8 David McManus powered over for the first, and Roche added the second. Dundalk did not look like crossing the line in the first half but had two converted penalties and Ashbourne led 10-6 at the break.
In the second half Dundalk came with a bigger effort and scored 14 points, but Ashbourne, through two tries from Sean Casey and Stephen O'Neill, and a drop goal and a few penalties from out-half O'Neill, stretched away to comfortably run out winners.
A notable feature was that three brothers, Barry, Stephen and Paul O'Neill all took the field together.
ASHBOURNE: Barry O'Neill, Sean Casey, Allan Gallagher, Dermot Colreavy, Lorenzo Laurentiu, Stephen O'Neill, Paul O'Neill, Ciaran Boylan (Capt), Alan Wall, Paul Johnson, Joe McNally, Ciaran Roche, Shane Rock, Keith Kennedy, David McManus. Subs used., Stephen Magee, Stephen Brennan, Darragh Donnelly.
