Co. Carlow win Gorey 7s tourney
CO. CARLOW experienced early rugby season celebration after they had won the Gorey 7s on Friday; a promising start to their first season among the juniors for 13 years. The defeated a strong Kilkenny Exiles 7-5 in the final after the Exiles had gone 5-0 after just two minutes. Just on half time the winners' Stephen Smith scored under the posts and goaled the score, and amazingly the second half was scoreless with Co. Carlow defending magnificently against very athletic opposition.
Smith and Ian Pearson were the winners' outstanding players of the evening during which they defeated Gorey 2, Gorey 19s and Wicklow to qualify for the semifinal in which they dismissed Gorey 1 by 4-1 (tries) with Smith accounting for two and John Joe Waddock and Tommy Ratahi the others.
Also of note in the semi-final were former Kilkenny player Nevin Kelly and Aussie Tom Bailey.
The Exiles defeated Carlow 2 by ten tried to nil giving some indication of their worth.
The winning Co. Carlow panel was: Clayton Pratt Tommy Ratahi John Joe Waddock (capt) Ian Pearson Stephen Smith Nevin Kelly Stuart Holland Stafford Vikers Tom Bailey John Corrigan Dave Munnelly and Anthony Sharpe.
Crusaders defeated
Carlow Crusaders, comprising mainly of Co. Carlow club players were defeated 24-26 by Dublin Exiles in the inaugural Leinster Rugby League final in Tullow on Saturday.
Winners of the national championship a few years ago, Crusaders were 10-0 ahead after 12 minutes through David Barron and Tommy Ratahi and were 20-10 in front at the interval.
Crusaders scorers were Ratahi (2) Barron (2) and Stephen Gibbons (2 cons) while Stuart O'Malley and Ratahi were the outstanding Crusaders players.
