SCHOOLS RUGBY
CAPTAIN Jack O’Brien scored his second try of the game deep into injury-time to give Ashbourne CS a 17-12 victory over Tullow CS in a keenly contested Leinster Junior League final at Naas RFC.
Ashbourne opened the scoring through wing Andrew Amstrong on four minutes. He touched down in the corner following good approach play from out-half Scott Crowley – who was unable to add the extras – and it stayed at 5-0 until the break.
Tullow made a blistering start to the second period, as a breathtaking try from pacy centre Colin Byrne from the opening attack drew the sides level.
Out-half Kieran Cooper burst over for his Tullow’s second try on 46 minutes, with flanker Fionn Murphy converting.
Ashbourne were under severe pressure, but they drew level with 10 minutes to go when O’Brien ran through for a breakaway try that Crowley converted.
And centre O’Brien snatched victory when he drove over six minutes into stoppage-time.
ASHBOURNE CS – L Lehane; A Armstrong, C Marrow, J O’Brien, E Mulvihill; S Crowley, C Keogh; D McDermott, N Stewart, C Mahon (C Coates 45), C Meighan, D Skelly, K Mathews, S Kenna, M Duff.
TULLOW CS – J Ansboro; K Shiel, C Bailey, C Byrne, G McNabb; K Cooper, R O’Neill; O Teehan, D O’Toole, J Doyle, C Orbinski, M Cole (A Joyce 42), F Murphy, J O’Brien, A Broughan.
REF – T Keating (Leinster Branch).