Dunne delivers at the death as Tullamore down Boyne in classic

CONOR Dunne’s ice-cold drop goal at the death sealed a dramatic 9–8 victory for Tullamore over league leaders Boyne in Spollanstown, in a contest that will live long in the memory and one where the scoreline scarcely reflected the quality of rugby on display.

Leinster Rugby League Division 1A

Tullamore 9, Boyne 8

Both sides went hammer and tongs from the opening whistle, producing one of the most intense and enthralling games seen in Spollanstown in recent seasons. Tullamore came into the fixture sitting second in the table, six points behind Boyne, knowing that defeat with only three games remaining would leave them facing a mountain to climb.

Tullamore started the stronger of the two, dominating territory and possession for the opening 20 minutes and pinning Boyne inside their own half. A penalty attempt drifted narrowly wide of the posts, and despite sustained pressure, the home side were disappointed not to come away with a try during that opening spell.

Boyne responded with a purple patch of their own, probing patiently and testing Tullamore’s defensive resolve. Outstanding defensive efforts from Colm Heffernan, Adam Carthy, and John Dunican repeatedly shut the door, keeping the visitors scoreless during a tense period where every ruck, kick, carry, and collision was fiercely contested. The match developed into a tactical chess battle, with neither side willing to blink. Tullamore had another long-range penalty opportunity on the stroke of half-time, but in difficult underfoot conditions, the effort fell just short.

The second half followed the same uncompromising pattern. Boyne eventually broke the deadlock on 50 minutes with a penalty, before adding a try five minutes later through a clever trick play that stretched their lead to eight points, a scoreline that felt harsh on a Tullamore side still very much in the contest. That would prove to be Boyne’s final score of the afternoon.

Spurred on by a huge crowd,  including members of Tullamore’s victorious 1976 Towns Cup-winning team, who had defeated the same opposition on that day, the home side wrestled control of the game. Pressure finally turned into points when Dunne slotted a penalty from close range, and five minutes later he added another to reduce the deficit to just two points following a Boyne infringement at the ruck.

Momentum was now firmly with Tullamore. They built phase after phase, carrying with real intent into the Boyne 22. Mark Kennedy, Matthew Murphy, and Barry Bracken all made powerful, telling carries, bringing the home side agonisingly close to the line in the dying moments.

With time almost up, Sam Burns recycled possession quickly and whipped the ball back to Dunne. With defenders rushing towards him, Dunne calmly drop-kicked the ball over the line to snatch victory in utterly dramatic fashion, sparking scenes of jubilation around Spollanstown.

It was a magnificent win for Tullamore, their fifth in succession and a performance that showcased grit, belief, and composure under extreme pressure. The victory closes the gap on Boyne to just three points, setting up a thrilling run-in with three games remaining.

In the pack, Ciaran Ennis, Colm Heffernan, and Matthew Murphy were excellent throughout, while Sam Burns and Scott Bradley impressed in the backs. Adam Carthy was deservedly named man of the match for his outstanding defensive work and growing influence in attack, continuing his impressive development at this level.

Tullamore now turn their attention to another must-win encounter as they travel to Seapoint this Saturday, with momentum firmly on their side and belief growing that this team is peaking at exactly the right time.

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1. Matthew Murphy
2. Shane Minnock
3. Adam Carthy
4. Kalvin Mahon
5. Marty Cummins
6. Ciaran Ennis
7. Colm Heffernan
8. Barry Bracken
9. Sam Burns
10. Karl Dunne (C)
11. Steven Joyce
12. Conor Dunne
13. Sean McCabe
14. Cathal Farrell
15. Liam Farrell

Bench:
16. Mark Kennedy
17. Steven Pyke
18. John Dunican
19. Ryan Strong
20. Scott Bradley