Tipperary Rugby: Heavy defeat for Clonmel away to Enniscorthy in AIL Division 2C

ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE DIVISION 2C

ENNISCORTHY 45 CLONMEL 21

Clonmel’s 1st XV got 2024 and the second half of the All-Ireland League underway on Saturday last when they travelled to Alcast Park in Enniscorthy for round 10 of the league. Unfortunately, the New Year did not start as well as was hoped for by the boys in black and green and the Clonmel side came away from the fixture point-less after a 45-21 loss to the county Wexford side.

Having played all nine teams in the first leg of the ties pre-Christmas, it was onto the reciprocal visits to all the clubs in division 2C as the league moved into the business side of the campaign. Having met Enniscorthy on home turf just before the break and securing a valuable 32-26 bonus point win against a fancied side, this return fixture was always going to have a bit of a spark to it.

Playing conditions were excellent in Enniscorthy with a crisp dry feel to the mid-January afternoon as both teams went through their final warm-up routines.

When the whistle blew at 2.30pm, it was a full-on assault by the Slaneysiders, so much so that the home side’s No. 3 was penalised and shown a yellow card within the first minute of the game. It was to be one of three yellow cards they received over the course of 80 minutes.

Notwithstanding the numerical deficit, it was Enniscorthy who was first to register a score with a converted try to go 7-0 up on the nine-minute mark. Clonmel settled into the game and began to play the ball well but couldn’t quite get to grips with the Enniscorthy defence. A second converted try by Enniscorthy extended their lead to 14-0 after 17 minutes, before another try in the Clonmel corner moved Enniscorthy to 19-0 within the first quarter of the game.

Not what was hoped for by the visitors and Clonmel was now firmly on the back foot and under pressure.

It was end-to-end stuff as the game evolved and Clonmel continued to go through the phases and the confidence levels seemed to build. Just reward came on 25 minutes when Juan Miodovsky crossed the Enniscorthy line after a great driving maul to register Clonmel’s first score. Josef O’Connor added the two-point conversion to make it 19-7.

Four minutes later Enniscorthy countered with their fourth and bonus- point try to bring the score to 24-7 before Josef O’Connor broke through the Enniscorthy defences once again to score a great try which he duly converted. It was 24-14 on 35 minutes.
This would have been a motivating score to take to the half time break, but Enniscorthy added seven more points as the clock approached 40 minutes and at half-time it was 31-14 to Enniscorthy.

The second half started as the first ended, with Enniscorthy in the ascendancy and in a four-minute spell between the 44th and 48th minutes, they ran in two tries, both of which were converted. Any hopes of a miracle Clonmel comeback were dashed at that stage as the scoreboard read 45-14 to the home side.

On a very positive note, the Clonmel lads played on hard and battled for possession and territory and it did pay off with a late try by Luke Hogan after a blistering run. Josef O’Connor, on-form from the tee, added the conversion.

Ben Everard and Brandon Delicato discuss lineout strategy during last Saturday's AIL game away to Enniscorthy.

With ten minutes to go Clonmel trailed 45-21 and despite attempts to reduce the deficit further and ideally secure a fourth try bonus point, it was not to be, and the game ended 45-21 to Enniscorthy.

Enniscorthy took the maximum five points from the encounter and Clonmel had to settle for lots of learnings and takeaways which can be worked on back at base.

The setpieces, especially the lineouts were good, but a few handling errors and very solid competition made for a tough day at the office for the Clonmel side.

Well done to Enniscorthy on the win, and good for us to share the spoils over the two games!

MIDLETON COME TO CLONMEL ON SATURDAY
We drop down two places to seventh on the table after Saturday’s result and now must get ready for Midleton at home this coming Saturday. KO in Ard Gaoithe at 2.30pm with all support welcome on top of the hill.

CLONMEL PANEL
Forwards: Ben Everard, Brandon Delicato, Juan Miodovsky, Tony Cantwell, Diarmuid Brannock, Tom O’Dea, Tim Nugent, Brian O’Dea.
Backs: Ben O’Dwyer, Josef O’Connor, Zac O’Loughlin, Henry Buttimer, Luke Hogan, Dean Slattery, Conor Hogan.
Replacements: Mattie O’Toole, Lar Houlihan, Tom Noonan, Seamus Keating, Aiden Hickey, Harry Lane, Conor Bowen, Billy Coffey.