Tullamore claim the cup with sweet win over Navan
TULLAMORE 23 NAVAN 13 The form book was upset in the AIB Junior Cup when Tullamore ousted holders Navan 23-13 in a lively tussle at Dubarry Park, Athlone. Tullamore had first use of the breeze but coughed up a soft 7th minute try to Alan Hickey. However, two Gearoid O"Grady penalties settled the challengers and Mark Whelan capitalised on out-half O"Grady"s sublime diagonal kick on the half hour to grab a try which O"Grady converted for a 13-5 lead. Skipper O"Grady tagged on a penalty to stretch the half-time lead to 16-5. The game was still very much in the melting pot but Navan sustained a huge setback when No. 8 Bernard Smyth was red-carded in the third quarter for an apparent head-butt that did not look malicious. O"Grady then set up a 62nd minute try with another top-class crossfield kick. Substitute Philip Gardiner dotted down and O"Grady added the conversion to ease Tullamore 23-8 ahead. Navan battled gamely to retain their crown with Karl Manning kicking a 65th minute penalty before replacement Shane Dawson charged over for a 76th minute try - but it proved too little too late as the Offaly club, for whom scrum-half Richie Hughes was named AIB Man of the match, savoured a rare victory over the Royals. TULLAMORE: N. Geraghty; M. Whelan, I. Scully, A. Deverell, C. Hughes; G. O"Grady (captain), R. Hughes; R. Glennon, C. Glennon, A. Bracken; D. Milne, B. Geraghty; C. Feighery, C. Finnerty and A. Melville. Replacements: P.Gardiner (for B. Geraghty, 39 mins), R. Scally (for Whelan, 50), M. Harte (for Gardiner, 63), C. O"Sullivan (for N. Geraghty, 77), D. Farrell (for Finnerty, 79), D. Lowry (for Bracken, 80). NAVAN: K. Manning; T. Geraghty, S. Donnelly (captain), S. Iro, S. Hogan; A. Hickey, K. Mattson; E. Dunne, C. Brady, D. King; S. Byrne, J. Duffy; P. Fennelly, T. Clarke and B. Smyth. Replacements: P. Regan (for Byrne, 49 mins), J. Baker (for Brady, 49), O. Hanratty (for Geraghty, 57), C. Joyce (for King, 66), S. Dawson (for Clarke, 66), M. McAuley (for Manning, 79), A. O"Keeffe (for Mattson, 79). REFEREE: Dudley Phillips (Leinster).