Letterkenny under 18’s faced Coleraine at Dave Gallaher Park on Saturday 11th, a bright and calm October morning. The home side were confident after their recent friendly successes against City of Derry, Randalstown and Finn Valley. However, they were aware that this league game could prove a big step up.
Two minutes into the game, Letterkenny were caught sleeping by Coleraine, who scored out wide to go five points ahead. Letterkenny regrouped under the posts to stress what they had been putting into practice at training and chased up the restart with fresh intensity. Continued pressure from the pack forced a penalty on the opposing twenty-two, and Ryan Mortimer slotted a penalty to bring the score to 5-3. Coleraine did not reply as well as the home side had. Letterkenny continued to play with promising territory and noticeable enthusiasm. The forwards continued their hard work both in open play and at the set piece and this well-earned possession brought them within five metres of the try line. Flanker Martin Molloy stepped the defence and crossed the line to put Letterkenny in front and the conversion brought it to 10-5. Seven minutes from half time, Mortimer capitalised on another penalty chance to go into the break leading 13-5.
Letterkenny came back out ready to continue how they left off without letting Coleraine get back into the game. The home side put moves from the training field into practice and broke the gain line consistently through outside centre Daniel Faulkner.
When the backs got the ball out wide, Sam MacGinty and Adam Boal-Quinn outstripped the opposition with their speed and the Letterkenny pack kept working hard to secure the ball at the breakdown. This was rewarded after only ten minutes, seeing Boal-Quinn score a well-worked try, which was converted to further the growing lead.
Poor discipline from the visitors cost them too many penalties and Letterkenny opted for territory, kicking to touch and securing the ball at the lineout, particularly contributed to by Dermot Dunleavy and Stephen Holmes. However, with yet another penalty conceded by Coleraine- this time within forty metres of the posts- Letterkenny chose to kick and a further three points from Mortimer brought the score to 23-5. With only twenty minutes left, the game looked sealed but both sides realised that games can change dramatically even in the dying moments.
Coleraine finally began to show their danger that had been absent since the opening five of the game. The last twenty minutes were spent mostly inside Letterkenny’s half and both backs and forwards worked hard to keep the visitors out. The tireless defence achieved this and Coleraine’s continuous efforts to make a comeback proved fruitless.
Letterkenny secured the 23-5 victory, a well-deserved win that can be further improved upon still for next week’s league game in Dromore.