Happy days for Balreask Old boys as promotion is secured

It was celebration time at Balreask Old today as Navan defeated Sligo 15-5 to win the AIL Div 2C title. 

Before a big crowd the Navan side dug deep to get the better of a team who clung onto the coat-tails of the Balreask Old side throughout the season. 

Alan Kingsley's side certainly had to work hard for this one. For much of the opening half they struggled against the Sligo pack but the home side made changes in their forward division and they paid rich dividends. 

A consequence of the changes was that Navan were utterly dominant in the scrums although they did struggle to secure ball from their own line-outs. 

Navan made the breakthrough in the 40th minute when after a spell of pressure Ray Moloney went over in the corner to finish off a swashbuckling move.  

The conversion attempt was missed by Colm O'Reilly and earlier in the half the Navan out-half was disappointed to miss from a penalty on the Sligo 22. When the half-time whistle blew the score was 5-0. 

After the break Sligo came storming back and with 57 minutes on the clock they scored a try of their own. They moved the ball through the phases and prop Jakub Wojtkowicz went over for the touchdown which was not converted. 

Building on their dominance up-front Navan laid siege to the Sligo line and were awarded with a penalty try after the visitors collapsed a scrum late in the game.  

Sligo worked hard to try and retrieve the situation but in injury time Navan secured the win when Simon Hogan went over for a touchdown that was loudly cheered by the delighted home supporters. 

This was a memorable win for Navan who demonstrated here that they are very much a club moving in the right direction.