Letterkenny still suffering from a depleted squad, - two non-rugby related fractures, - thank you cold snap!- and a couple of ‘flu victims – saw them three players short of a full team. Donegal Town kindly offered the services of three of their finest, and Michael, Tomas, and Alec were welcomed into the squad.

From the kick off it was a vigorous match, with both sides keen to get on the scoreboard. Letterkenny were first to put the pressure on, with Donegal Town keeping them at bay under the posts for a full five minutes. Six minutes in though, the Letterkenny boys changed tactics and fed it out to the wing. Oisín Rafferty obligingly crashed over in the corner for the first score of the game. Practically from the touch line the conversion drifted left of the posts.

Oisín puts Letterkenny on the scoreboard

Donegal Town were not letting that go lightly and replied four minutes later with a convincing try from Jack Sweeney. Almost under the posts, there was no mistake with the conversion and Donegal Town took the lead.
Nine minutes later, Hughie led a charge that brought the Letterkenny pack up to and
finally over the Donegal Town line. Letterkenny were back in front, and the game was seriously on!
With three minutes to go to half time, the Donegal Town boys moved up a gear, and scored two tries in quick succession. Half-time score Donegal Town 19, Letterkenny 10.

The second half started with the same energy as the first. From the kick off Donegal Town never surrendered possession and sent Conal Loughney on a searing run that saw him score after only sixty seconds. A bit rattled but in no mood for giving up Letterkenny built back up steadily, narrowly missing a try when boot went to ball with two men over in the Donegal Town twenty-two. We’ve talked about this before so no more here!
Fifteen minutes into the half, and Dermot decided enough was enough, it was time to score again, and did just that with a tremendous solo effort carrying half the Donegal Town pack across the line with him.

Unfortunately it proved to be Letterkenny’s last score of the game, and with tired legs starting to tell, with five minutes to go, Donegal Town’s impressive duo Jarleth and Conal ran in three tries, to finish with a final score that didn’t really reflect what was a really good game by all concerned. Well played!

Letterkenny had two new signings on the pitch in Nathan and Luke, who both played like old hands, and we are delighted to welcome them to the squad.

Letterkenny man of the match - Andrew West - for sheer work rate in the pack, busy around the breakdown, and generally disrupting anything the opposistion tried to do!

FR