Wexford Firsts – 6
Kilkenny Firsts –27
Kilkenny Firsts travelled to Wexford on Sunday to play a double-header South East League and Leinster League tie against the “Wanderers” in Park Lane. Kilkenny were without a doubt the better team and ended the game deserved winners.
Kilkenny opened the scoring ten minutes into the game when winger Alan Pembroke touched down for the visitors. This seemed to break the Wexford spirit but not for long. Kilkenny seemed to have brought some of the ghosts of last weeks encounter against Longford with them as they were caught continuously going in over the top and also failed to finish some superbly worked manoeuvres. Wexford capitalised on Kilkenny‘s mistakes and their kicker was spot on target narrowing the Kilkenny lead on two occasions. Kilkenny kept up the pressure and David O’Connor drove over the Wexford line, aided by his fellow forwards to touch down five minutes before the break.
Indiscipline again cost Kilkenny three further points two minutes before the half-time whistle as Wexford again narrowed the gap through the boot of their outhalf. The first-half ended 10 – 6 in favour of the visitors. This was unfortunately the final score for Wexford as the second half started and the game quickly turned into a one-sided affair. Unlike their Seconds team, Wexford Firsts did try to hold out and defended extremely well. However the relentless pressure thrown at them by players such as Wayne Kavanagh and David O’Connor, to mention but a few, was simply too much for the home-side and they finally folded under this pressure.
The Kilkenny front-row of Kavanagh, Brian Hanrahan and Nigel Daly were simply magnificent and played to their utmost with each of them adding a try each to the score line. The Kilkenny backline also performed magnificently, and with fabulous individual performances from Joe Manuel, Killian Everard, Alan Pembroke and Mark Coughlan, they demonstrated why they are probably the best back-line in this competition. Kilkenny ended the contest, deservedly 27 – 6 winners.
Kilkenny now find themselves fifth on the Leinster League table with the gap between them and the top narrowing ever so slightly. There is absolutely no reason, whatsoever, going on recent performances, why Kilkenny should not win their remaining fixtures and end up in the play-offs. They now play Edenderry this Saturday; kick off in Edenderry at 3pm.
