Third straight defeat for Dundalk RFC against Wanderers

Ultan Murphy charges through the visitors defence against Wanderers on Saturday

Dundalk RFC couldn’t prevent already crowned league champions Wanderers from inflicting a third straight defeat on them as they went down 16-11 to the Dublin outfit at the Mill Road on Saturday.

Playing with the breeze early on, the home side started brighter and took the lead when quick thinking by Ultan Murphy saw him take a quick penalty before darting over the line for the game’s opening try.

He missed the conversion and that spurred Wanderers into their best spell of the game. Despite good pressure, they struggled to breach the Dundalk rearguard before they eventually tapped over a penalty to leave it 5-3.

They looked like they would add another penalty soon after but opted to kick or the corner. From the line-out, they set up a maul and drove their way over the line for a converted try that left it 10-5 in their favour.

Dundalk did manage to reply with a penalty from Murphy before the break to leave it 10-8 at half-time.

Indiscipline proved costly for the home side on the restart, however, as two penalties inside the opening ten minutes saw Wanderers stretch their advantage.

Dundalk dug deep in the close stages and close the gap with a penalty from Murphy but unfortunately they never looked like getting a try that they so badly needed at that point to turn things around.

There was also bad news for the 2nds, who went down 28-0 to Wanderers in their tie – putting a huge dent in their title ambitions as they are now five points off Coolmine with just two matches to go.

Dundalk are in action away to Athy in the Towns’ Cup this Sunday.

Dundalk: J Shields, S Murphy, I Petelo, MJ McKevitt, O McNally, U Murphy, T Campbell, E Faatau, S Martin, J McConnon, C O’Hanlon, M Bentley, J Smith, J Gray, R Farrell Subs: C Williams, G Whately, S McGee

Double blow for Dundalk as Clondalkin dent title hopes on the double

Dundalk’s Leinster League Division 1A title hopes look to be over after they went down to their second successive defeat away to Clondalkin on Saturday on a 38-13 scoreline

The Mill Road men started the year 10 points behind pacesetters Wanderers but this defeat, coupled with one the previous week against Cill Dara, have proven hugely costly.

Dundalk started brightly with Thomas Campbell getting over for an unconverted try.

However, their good work was undone moments later when the Clondalkin scrum-half intercepted a pass before running half the field to score a try, which was converted.

They did respond well to this setback with James Shields getting over for his first try of the season.

Despite the conversion being missed by Ultan Murphy, Dundalk continued to dominate but another interception saw the Clondalkin scrum-half break again for his and the home side’s second try of the game.

That left it 12-10 at the break and things only went downhill in the second half with Dundalk giving away silly penalties and making unforced errors.

Clondalkin had tagged on two further converted tries by the time Murphy added a penalty – Dundalk’s only score of the half – to leave it 26-13 with 20 minutes to play.

At that stage an Owen McNally try was disallowed after he was adjudged to be in front of the kicker.

With Dundalk throwing caution to the wind in the closing stages, Clondalkin took advantage with two further tries to end a five game losing streak.

Next up for Dundalk is a home clash with Wanderers this Saturday before they begin their Towns Cup campaign a week later away to Athy.

There was also heartbreak for the seconds on Saturday when they lost to Clondalkin 2nds on a 19-18 scoreline after conceding a drop goal with the last kick of the game.

Dundalk had led 18-3 but the defeat means they drop to second in the table, with the result proving hugely costly as scrum half Simon Byrne received a red card and out half Donal Clare going off injured.

The Mill Road men were immense in the first half with two tries from winger Rory O’Hagan, both assisted by Stephen McGee, and a conversion and penalty from Robert Williams and another penalty rom Donal Clare, leaving the score 18-6 at half-time.

Clondalkin fought back in the second half before stealing the game in the end to leave just three points separating the top four of Coolmine, Dundalk, Clondalkin and Wanderers, who are visitors to the Mill Road this weekend at 1pm.

Dundalk: J Shields, S Murphy, I Petelo, MJ McKevitt, O McNally, U Murphy, T Campbell, E Faatau, S Martin, J McConnon, M Bentley, C O’Hanlon, J Smith, J Gray, C Brannigan. Subs: C Williams, L Steen, B Hadden, R O’Hagan, S McGee.

Dundalk 2nds: Will Luaki; Sean Arrowsmith; Dermot Laide; Conor Kane; Gavin Mullen; Vincent Perez; John McGahon; Greg Whately; Simon Byrne (Capt); Donal Clare; Rory O’Hagan; David McGuinness; Robert Williams; Pearce Campbell; Stephen McGee. Subs: Darren McGuinness; Laurence Steen; Enda Murphy; Daniel McGuinness.

Dundalk’s title hopes hit by defeat to Wanderers

Dundalk RFC’s league title hopes suffered a blow on Saturday when they lost out 19-10 to Wanderers in a top-of-the-table clash at Lansdowne Road.

The Mill Road men went into the game just two points behind the Dublin side, who were the only other team in Division 1A with a 100% record.

However, despite getting off to a good start with a penalty from Ultan Murphy, the home side hit back with two converted tries after sustained periods of pressure to lead by 14-3 at the break.

Playing against a stiff breeze in the second half, Dundalk’s hopes of a turnaround were essentially ended by a third try shortly after the restart that left it 19-3.

However, as Wanderers went in search of a bonus point it was the visitors who finished strongly with Jonathan Williams getting over for a try, which Murphy converted, to leave it 19-10 with 15 minutes to go.

Dundalk put serious pressure on their opponents in the closing stages but Isaia Petelo was deemed to have been held up short before scrum-half Thomas Campbell was judged to have lost the ball forward after appearing to get over as Wanderers clung on for the victory.

There was better news for the club’s seconds, however, as they ran out 29-20 winners with two tries from Donal Clare, one apiece from Stephen Soraghan and Laurence Steen and a couple of conversions from James Shields and one from Robert Williams, who also completed the scoring with a late penalty.

Dundalk will face Tullow at home next Saturday.

Dundalk 1sts: Murphy, McNally, Petelo, McKevitt, O’Hagan, J Williams, Campbell, Fa’atau, Hadden, McConnon, Bentley, O’Hanlon, Farrell, Gray, Brannigan. Subs: C Williams, McGuinness, Steen, Murphy, Shields.

Dundalk 2nds: J Shields, R Shields, R Williams, Lenehan, Olaoye, Clare, Byrne, Lauaki, Arrowsmith, Laide, Sloane, Martin, Brady, Steen. Subs: Duffy, Soraghan, Crawley, McGuinness.

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