Leinster Rugby- Carlow wins by two points against near neighbours Kilkenny

Carlow wins in Division 1B of the Leinster League against near neighbours Co Kilkenny at Foulkstown on Sunday afternoon.

It was late agony for the Kilkenny hosts as Carlow struck with a game winning try in the final few minutes, seeing Kilkenny lose by two points. 

Kilkenny were slow out of the blocks as Carlow opened the scoring with the first try of the game in the 6th minute.

The Carlow score arrived on the back of a few mistakes in the Kilkenny defence but it wasn’t long till Hugh Corkery hit back with a perfectly placed penalty between the posts.

The home side then moved into the lead for the first time when Corkery himself pounced to touch down in the 27th minute.

The Kilkenny fly-half was benefitted from a Carlow knock-on as he raced into the corner from 40 metres.

Corkery duly added on the extra two points from the conversion and Kilkenny led 10-8.

Carlow hit back with two penalties before the break but it was still Kilkenny who looked in control when they scored a driving maul try which saw Ben Devlin get the ball down over the line on the back of Wes Carter excellently claiming the lineout.

Corkery added on the extras and it was Kilkenny who had a six point buffer at the break as they led 17-11.

After a barren scoreless opening 15 minutes to the second half, it was Carlow who struck first with a converted try helping them retake the lead.

Kilkenny had a chance before the try to increase their lead but a knock-on let them down and when Carlow soon added on a drop-goal, the hosts looked to be in a bit of a hole.

That left the door slightly ajar for the Carlow men and it was one they were able to sprint through as they converted the match winning score that now pushes them up the table with Kilkenny now left to lick their wounds on the latest setback.

Carlow: Patrick Rogers, Evan Gordon, Tadhg Ronan, Conor Tracey, Wesley Shirley, Patrick Mackey, Joel Brown, John Murphy, Noah Cope, Daniel Crotty, Jonathan Crossley, Ian Atkinson, David McDermott, Ben Crotty, Richard Whyte.

Replacements: Larry McGrath, Owen Edghill, Scott Neale, Tomas Whitney.

Kilkenny: Brian Howe, Ben Devlin, Conan Dunne, Tadhg Butler, Jake Caldbeck, Joe Manuel, Wes Carter, Garry Dunne, Steve Atkinson, Hugh Corkery, Lyndon Brannigan, Jake McDonald, Tristan Leffers, Ned Devlin, Geoff Power.

Replacements: Donal Kealy, Rob Kelly, Liam McWey, David O’Connor, Ian Buckley.