Letterkenny U15’s victors in local derby

Donegal Town RFC 17 Letterkenny RFC 47

The picture postcard backdrop at Donegal Town provided the inspiration for the visitors from Letterkenny to put on their best performance of the season.

With a number of changes to the Letterkenny line up, due to injury, the strength in depth of the squad enabled a strong team to face the home side who fielded a team with a high level of individual skill. The home side opened up the scoring after 10 minutes as continued forward pressure led to an unconverted try.

Letterkenny soon had Donegal on the back foot and a well worked try with the backs getting the ball wide to right wing, and man of the match, Sean Henry to score his first of a hat trick of tries. His next two tries saw the powerful runner breaking through the Donegal defence to score beneath the posts after bullocking runs from forwards Eoin Ferry and Eoin McDaid set the platform.

Donegal rallied before the break and scored a converted try to leave the half time tally at 19 points to twelve to the visitors.

Jim Chambers and Shane Gallagher had both put in solid performances for Letterkenny but gallantly agreed to play the second half for Donegal, due to their lack of numbers, switching with Olan Noonan and Greg Doran who had done likewise in the first half.

Within minutes of the break Letterkenny’s Andrew Devenney, in his first game for months, scored the first of his two tries, coupled with some awesome tackling the centre had a fine game.

Immediately the home team responded with their last try of the game as the visitor’s defence was found wanting.

Letterkenny’s half back pairing of Adam Khavia and Ryan Mortimer relished in the extra time provided by the solid forward play and were able to provide a fulcrum for the supporting runners to gain ground.

Mel Harkin, Letterkenny’s hooker, rounded off another tremendous performance finishing off an opportunist try before Devenney scored his second, selflessly handed to him by Henry.

Letterkenny’s back row of Gareth McGill, Captain James Fogarty and Daryl Tsang were all over the Town’s attackers like a rash at every opportunity and secured the 50/50 ball.

Playing at inside centre Daniel O’Driscoll, who had been distributing and running well all day, capped off an excellent day for the ‘kenny boys with a try, converted by Cillian McConingley who amassed a personal tally of 6 conversions in the 17 points to 47 final score.

Letterkenny’s best team performance of the season leaves them in second place in the pool stage of the Under 15 cup.

Letterkenny Team; Jim Chambers, Andrew Devenney, Gregory Doran, Eoin Ferry, James Fogarty (Capt), Shane Gallagher, Mel Harkin, Sean Henry, Adam Khavia, Cillian McConingley, Eoin McDaid, Gareth McGill, Ryan Mortimer, Olan Noonan, Daniel O’Driscoll, Daryl Tsang.