Carrick Seniors entertained Corinthians 3rd XV in the semi final of the Connacht Junior 1c Cup on Sunday. In a typical cup match that swayed to and fro, the Carrick team will still be mulling over the loss of this cup tie having conceded a try in the very last play when it seemed the match would go to extra time.
Corinthians started the better and after seven minutes were on the scoreboard complements of a Lorcan Smyth try. Carrick responded on eleven minutes with a well taken Dean Flanagan try. Back came Lorcan Smyth again with Corinthians’ second try on twenty three minutes but this was cancelled out by a Shane McGuinness try on twenty six minutes.
Approaching half time Corinthians turned the screw again but some brilliant defensive work by Carrick kept them at bay to leave the half time score at 10 points apiece.
Carrick started the second half much the better with Shane McGuinness crossing the line for his second try converted by Senan Gleeson on ten minutes. Then five minutes later, Denis McCaffrey was yellow carded and Corinthians took full advantage with a Diarmuid Tierney try converted by Cian Duignan – 17 all and all to play for in the final quarter.
Then at the end of the third quarter Corinthians’ Owen Jordan was yellow carded. That was shortly followed by a second Carrick, Gareth Barry yellow card in a sequence that ended with a Corinthians try by Mark Kavanagh with Duignan hitting the crossbar with his conversion, 22-17 to Corinthians.
With four minutes remaining and after sustained forward pressure Ian Cullen barged over the line and with the conversion missed, it was now a draw match and extra time looked on the cards even with another yellow card, this time it was the visitor’s Colm Healy who had to walk.
However Carrick than conceded a penalty 40 metres out that was kickable but Corinthians backed themselves, going for the corner instead and from the ensuing line out play, Paul Shaughnessy scored the match winning try and cue massive celebrations from all of the Corinthians team and entourage.
Carrick now revert back to their League campaign and it is to be hoped they will learn from this defeat and climb up the league table, slowly but surely.
Carrick: Daniel Bosquette, Dean Flanagan, Patrick Charles, Senan Gleeson, Andrew Hewson, Ian McGhee, Brian King, Robert McCaffrey, Brendan Flannery, Shane McGuiness, Denis McCaffrey, Peter Lavin, Dermot Foley, Gareth Barry, Stephen Guckian, Alekzei Mzhachev, Dominico Adams, Nicodemus Adams and Ian Cullen.
