Navan claim McAuley Cup in emphatic fashion

The Navan u-15s put the finishing touches to a memorable double when they won the Leinster Youths final in their age group at Donnybrook on Bank Holiday Monday with Brian Walshe getting a hat-trick of tries. Having already claimed the Leinster League title the Navan side went into this game with confidence and they went about claiming the McAuley Cup with determination. The Balreask Old outfit didn't waste any time putting their imprint on the game with Ian Rickard going over in the corner following a number of moves along the wing. It was game on. Enniscorthy enjoyed long periods of sustained pressure and they got over for a try following a missed tackle. Navan's adventuorous approach bore fruit once more when an Enniscorthy player fumbled and Jack Love reacted quickly, gained possession, passed to Dylan Curley who ran through the cover for a fine score. Enniscorthy once again tried to come back into the game, but excellent tackling from the Navan players with Ben McEntaggart leading the defensive line, kept Enniscorthy at bay. Just before half-time Navan were awarded a penalty inside their opponents '22' and the always lively Conor Farrell ran an excellent line from the tapped penalty to get a try. Farrell struck again a few minutes later intercepting a pass from the base of a maul and running in under the posts, with Navan out-half Christian Byrne adding a third conversion to give his side a 26-5 interval lead. Navan continued to attack in the second-half and were rewarded when Walshe ran through for an excellent individual try. As soon as the Wexford team tried to get a foothold in the game and set up a platform for their backs the superb tackling and work at the breakdown of McEntaggart and Brian Conlon resulted in a number of turnovers. Alex McGoey in the Navan front row also made a try-saving tackle as Enniscorthy attempted to find a response. The introduction of Conor Nash in the second half added an extra zest to the Navan effort. Love, who had a 'try' disallowed had another charge at the line from the next Navan attack, but was just held up. There was to be no let up as McEntaggart broke the defensive line and Conlon made the space for Walshe to again get over the try-line. Walshe completed the scoring with his third try following lively inter-play down the left wing with Nash. Navan out-half Byrne enjoyed an excellent day with the boot converting five of Navan's seven tries. Navan - Shane Walshe, Ian Rickard, Brian Conlon, Ben McEntaggart, Mickey Dunne, Christian Byrne, Niall McGrane; Jack Love, Oisin Lavin-Kelly, Alex McGoey, Aidan McGrath, Kevin Lynch, Dylan Curley, Conor Farrell, Conor Hand. Subs - Tiernach Reidy for Love, Craig Moore for Lavin-Kelly, Simon Owens for McGrath, JJ O'Dea for Curley, Eoin Reid for McGrane, Conor Nash for Rickard.