Under 18.5’s lose to Wicklow 31 - 3

Cill Dara lose to league leaders Wicklow in fantastic game

The score line does not reflect how close a game this was and was it not for a few mistakes and excellent Wicklow defence this game could have gone either way. Wicklow opened the scoring after 3 minutes with a try under the posts after a missed tackle in midfield left the centre a clear run to the line. Cill Dara struck next with a penalty from Ryan Curran after 14 minutes. Cill Dara thought they took the lead 3 minutes later when Michael-John Prendergast crossed the line in the corner from a line-out but the referee adjudged a crooked throw and the advantage was gone. A few minutes later the Wicklow pack turned a line-out maul into five points to give the home side a nine point advantage. Cill Dara were well in the game however and had chances of their own before two breakaway tries just before half-time made it 24-3, not a true reflection of how the half went.

Half Time: Wicklow 24 Cill Dara 3

Cill Dara owned the second half but could not add to the score line as chances for Taran Clifford-Broughal, Eoin O’Loughlin and David Vaughan were stopped agonisingly short of the line. A massive display from all the players pinned Wicklow back in their own half for long periods and they did not threaten the Cill Dara line until 7 minutes to go when they got the only score of the second half with a try against the run of play. Although the score difference looks big the lads can hold their heads high after this defence and look forward to the league semi-final against Skerries next Sunday

Full Time: Wicklow 31 Cill Dara 3

Team: Bryan Mulcahy, Eoin O’Loughlin, Adam Meehan, Ryan Curran, Christopher Walsh, Tadhg Murtagh, David Vaughan, Sam Downey, Padraig Howard, Rory Mahon, Matthew Conway, Cody O’Reilly, Ross Dooley, Reece Delaney, Michael John Prendergast. Replacements: Kyle Walsh, Taran Clifford-Broughal.

Scorers: Penalty: Ryan Curran .