RUGBY: You don't expect games like this on a wet night in May. Brightened by the adventure of DLSP and the commitment and overall strength of Carlow, the spectacle was finally landed by the Carlow club.
In winning the trophy for the first time Carlow created their piece of history by becoming the only club to win both the Leinster Senior Cup and The Towns Cup.
From the beginning Carlow looked stronger in the set pieces, second row and captain Rory Sherrif cleaning up in the lineouts and the pack dutifully mauling in behind as he hit the ground.
South African international Dan Van Zyl kicked Carlow to a three-point lead after the opening exchanges suggested that DLSP were going to come under increasing pressure at the break down as penalties mounted.
But once up to the pace the Division Two side settled into a confident running game, which shaped a refreshing first half.
As well as dominating at the set pieces, adventurous running by Carlow soon paid off when captain Declan O'Brien gathered from the first DLSP lineout inside the Carlow 22.
Quickly shifted right to second row Paul McDonnell, who gained some hard yards and sucked in more than his fair share of defenders, DLSP whipped it right again for fullback Eddie Devitt to hit the line at pace and gallop in for 3-5.
That lead lasted two minutes as Van Zyl, who landed five from five kicking attempts, booted his second for Carlow to lead again with 6-5 on 11 minutes. From then on Carlow simply stretched their margin, their first try punishing DLSP for enterprise and ultimately condemning them to a night of chasing the game.
The pivotal score arrived as left wing Maurice Logue dashed between the DLSP centres for an intercept try on 17 minutes as the Dublin side swept forward from deep in their own half and into the Carlow 22. Logue's outstretched arm and unmatchable pace set him off for the 70-yard run with Van Zyle easily converting for 13-5, a score Carlow took into the break.
Carlow's second try had little of the rub and a lot of imagination and could well have been one of their scores of the season. Outhalf Greg Jacob drifted towards the gain line on 49 minutes and appeared to be swallowed up. A deft chip over the cover into his own hands sent Carlow on a knifing run, Jacob releasing to the right wing where fullback Mick Swetman gathered at pace and touched down under the posts. Van Zyl's conversion for 20-8 probably pushed DLSP too far out of the match at that stage to make a credible return. But they tried despite the South African stretching that to 23-8 on 52 minutes.
But DLSP's kicking came on stream a little too late to swing the balance with right wing Conor Hickey landing his second attempt from four for 23-11. Overall, while DLSP fearlessly played hand to hand, they were too light. The Carlow tackling in the centre as well as in the pack was sure and with their First Division savvy also giving them a harder edge, the win ends their season with an upward swing and not the nervous scrap they went through to hold their Division One status.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6 mins: D Van Zyl pen 3-0; 9: E Devitt try 3-5; 11: Van Zyl pen 6-5; 17: M logue try, Van Zyl con 13-5. Halftime. C Hickey pen 13-8; 49: M Swetman try, Van Zyl con 20-8; 52: Van Zyl pen 23-8; C Hickey pen 23-11.
CO CARLOW: M Swetman; M Logue, I Dwyer, R Armstrong, M Buckley; G Jacobs, D Van Zyl; K Corrigan, A Galavan, L O'Byrne, R Sherrif (capt), L McGowan, D Cox, D Hyland, A Melville. Replacements: K Ashmore and P Holden for O'Byrne and McGowan (40 mins); L Hannon for Holden (64); L Peavoy for Jacob (79); R Barbour for Buckley (82).
DLSP: E Devitt; C Hickey, D Foran, D McCabe, M Vioreanu; S Broughton, B Hogan; K Condren, S Sarsfield, K Taite, P McDonnell, S Kavanagh, J Jones, K Sharkey, D O'Brien (capt). Replacements: K Jackson for Condron (71); K Lillis for D Foran (79).
Referee: D Woods (ARLB).
