Letterkenny u18 v Armagh u18

In a top of the table clash Letterkenny u18s continued their quest for the Ulster Carpet League title with a win over a talented Armagh team. In a match where first played second the home team knew they could deal a major blow to the visitor’s title ambitions by completing the double over them. An early penalty miss by the normally reliable Peter Scott was not the start Letterkenny were hoping for but the early game
nerves were soon settled with a try by Matthew Faulkner who broke down the left wing after a good work from the home forwards.

Joseph Dunleavy was again leading the charge at a talented Armagh pack who were not going to lie down for the home team. Eventually from a line out Dunleavy would get his reward with the pack driving over with the Letterkeeny No.8 touching down. With Scott adding the conversion Letterkenny now had the cushion of a 12-0 lead but it was Armagh who stepped up their efforts and very nearly created a number of over laps with excellent covering tackles from Oisin Toal and Daniel Faulkner preventing scores. Continued pressure from the home pack worked the ball into the Armagh 22. Good line out work by David Ward, Will Douglas and Diarmuid Gallagher set up another rolling maul which allowed Dunleavy to rumble over for try number three. This was soon followed by the first of three tries by full back Kevin Grant who was on hand to take a nice inside pass from Daniel Faulkner. Scott adding both kicks to give the home team a 26-0 interval lead.

Letterkenny lost prop Chris Green to injury in that half but Conor Cannon was showing the strength of the overall squad by fitting in seamlessly. Will Douglas, David Ward and Martin Molloy also had strong performances in that opening period.
The first action of the second half confirmed that Armagh had now worked the bus journey out of their system with powerful carries by their impressive number five and eight. Letterkenny were defending well and won a scrum on their own 22m line. A well worked move saw Matthew Faulkner take the ball on an under line and he then surprised the Armagh defence by accelerating through midfield to set up the best score of the day by drawing the full back and putting Grant in for his second try. Armagh with several of the Ulster u18 squad in their ranks struck right back with their first score of the day with a try and conversion. Grant got his third of the
day before injury ended his game and with Scott again successful the feeling was that the game was won. Letterkenny began to use their squad as injuries and the intensity of the game took its toll with Adam Boal Quinn. Calum Reid, Joshua Smeaton and Jack McGarvey entering the fray. However Armagh, just as they had in the reverse fixture, would play to the very end and added two tries and a conversion to their total to finish the game very strongly.

This was a real test for the Letterkenny forwards against an excellent pack and they were up to the task with Dunleavy, Molloy and Daragh Toal leading by example. Stephen Holmes also had a good game where he did a lot of hard work in the tight well supported by Green and Ward. In the back line the mid field defence was again excellent with Matthew Faulkner getting the man of the match award for his attacking flair. The feeling in Dave Gallaher Park on Saturday was that these teams will probably meet again in the later stages of the cup where Letterkenny will once again pay Armagh the respect they deserve.