All Ireland Junior Cup Final Preview: Tullamore gain revenge with stunning All Ireland win in 2009
Tullamore celebrate with the trophy after defeating Navan in the AIB All-Ireland Junior Cup Final in Dubarry Park, Athlone. Picture: www.JeffHarvey.ie
TULLAMORE won the AIB All Ireland Junior Cup for the first time in 2009 in Dubarry Park with a tremendous 23-13 victory over NavanThe Spollenstown outfit were the better side throughout and they richly deserved the victory.
2009 All Ireland Junior Cup Final
Tullamore 23
Navan 13
Led by an inspired performance from the half-back pairing of man of the match Richie Hughes and captain Gearoid O’Grady, Tullamore dominated for large periods of the game.
Navan started brightly into the strong wind and a try from out-half Alan Hickey after a number of missed tackles gave the Meath side a 5-0 lead after seven minutes.
However they would not add to their total for the next 58 minutes as a disciplined and hard tackling Tullamore defence held very firm.
A brace of penalties from Gearoid O’Grady had Tullamore ahead after 26 minutes and they also had a man advantage after the sin binning of impressive Navan full-back Karl manning.
Tullamore took full advantage and following a barn-storming run from Andy Melville that sucked the Navan defence into the left corner, a cross field kick from Gearoid O’Grady exposed the Navan defence and Ivor Scully passed to Mark Whelan who touched down in the corner.
O Grady converted and soon after added a penalty to leave Tullamore 16-6 clear at half-time.
Early in the second-half, with Tullamore now facing into the wind, Navan were permanently reduced to 14 men when number eight Bernard Smyth was perhaps harshly red carded for what the touch judge deemed to be a head-butt on Tullamore’s Colin Finnerty.
Navan continued to press to get back into the but the Tullamore defence, both close to the ruck and out wide was excellent on the day with on the dangerous Manning ever looking like making a breakthrough.
With 18 minute remaining, Tullamore scored their second try when another astute cross-field kick from O’Grady was fielded by Philip Gardiner and the substitute winger ran over untouched to score. Again O’Grady added the two points to leave Tullamore 23-5 clear.
Navan did manage a mini-comeback in the closing stages with a penalty from Manning and a try from Shane Dawson but it was all too little to late as Tullamore avenged their 2008 defeat to be crowned All Ireland Junior Champions for 2009.
Tullamore: Niall Geraghty; Mark Whelan, Ivor Scully, Aaron Deverell, Colin Hughes; Gearoid O’Grady (capt), Richie Hughes; Ronan Glennon, Cian Glennon, Alvin Bracken, Donal Milne, Brian Geraghty, Cathal Feighery, Colin Finnerty, Andy Melville. Replacements used: Philip Gardiner for B Geraghty (39mins), Ronan Scally for Whelan (50mins), Mick Harte for Gardiner (63mins), Cian O’Sullivan for N Geraghty (77mins), Derek Farrell for Finnerty (78mins), Darragh Lowry for Bracken (80mins).
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Weather for Tullamore
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
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