Letterkenny U18’s unbeaten run came to an end in the cruellest of fashion on Saturday last when Armagh came away with a slender 11-8 victory in a very entertaining and exciting league cup final in Magherafelt.
Letterkenny played more rugby but Armagh managed the game much better and had more “big game” experienced players on the pitch and this was the difference in a match where a single penalty kick separated the teams at the final whistle.
The Armagh team on display was a much improved outfit from the last time these teams met in the league. The addition of the former Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin to the Armagh coaching entourage was also evident from the off.
Letterkenny started the game in a very tentative fashion and allowed Armagh on the front foot from the start. Within 10 minutes Armagh had registered the first score of the game with a well worked try from an attaching scrum on the Letterkeny 22. Barry Finn, the Armagh number 8 and captain, picked and went blind. The Letterkenny blind side was very slow to react and winger Oisin Toal had to commit to the tackle leaving Finn an easy off load to his winger to score in the corner. The conversion was missed by the usually reliable Cormac Fox at out half.
Letterkenny then got into the game from the restart with Joseph Dunleavy causing havoc in the Armagh defence and wining a penalty. From the resultant line out Letterkenny sent Daragh Taol on the attack and he was once again well supported by Dunleavy. Matthew Faulkner came in from outside centre to take quick ball and fix the Armagh defence before finding Daniel Faulkner on the loop.
The powerful first centre then beat the covering defence to put Kevin Grant away in the corner for a very well worked score. The conversion was missed by Peter Scott to leave the game level with 15 minutes on the clock.
Armagh then came thundering back at Letterkenny using their tight forwards to make inroads and draw two penalties in mid field for not rolling away. The referee then made the first of numerous strange decisions when he formally warned Letterkenny that the next penalty would draw a yellow card. Joeseph Dunleavy then made a thundering tackle on the Armagh prop, clearly released before going for the ball to be immediately blown for a penalty followed with gusto by a yellow card.
Armagh then went for the jugular from the resultant line out well aware that Letterkenny had lost their best forward for seven minutes. Letterkenny then produced the bravest of defences by holding Armagh out and finally getting a penalty to relieve the pressure. Team captain Daniel Faulkner, leading by example, produced a series of plays and caries to take his team back into the Armagh half.
He then chipped to the corner and followed up with a great tackle wining a penalty for not releasing. Peter Scott made no mistake with the boot to level the scores at 8 apiece. Dunleavy then re-joined the fray but was mindful of the fact that he could not take another yellow, leading to red. Letterkenny finished the half much stronger and were unlucky not to capitalise on line breaks by Matthew Faulkner and Daniel Faulkner when the ball was knocked on by the supporting player on both occasions.
Letterkenny were playing into the wind in the second half and were forced to keep the ball in hand. This suited their style of play and it wasn’t long until Louis Carson was causing real difficulty to the Armagh defence after his introduction at half time. He was well supported by Connon Cannon upon his introduction followed by James Roulston. The fresh legs to the Letterkeny pack were significant as Armagh began to tire.
Letterkenny were now dominating territory and possession but could not find a way through a very resolute Armagh defence. Numerous mistakes, some forced and some unforced, allowed the Armagh forwards turn over ball after ball and the boot of Fox was used to great effect to relieve the pressure.
In what was their only concerted play in the Letterkenny half Armagh were awarded a penalty at the breakdown and Fox scored an excellent 3 pointer from near the half way line. Letterkenny again upped their efforts thanks to a great outside break by Matthew Faulkner but he had no one in support when he looked for the off load on the inside. Dunleavy, Carson and Ward continued the charge with a series of memorable carries but the supporting forwards were a little slow in getting there and this resulted in poor ball protection allowing Armagh turn the ball over once again.
Then came the real turning point of the game when Armagh were eventually warned that a yellow card would be produced after six consecutive penalties near the 22. Three of these penalties were conceded by their best forward Barry Finn yet he escaped, unlike Dunleavy in the first half. The warning came only after three attempts by the Letterkenny captain to get the referee to take action.
In a remarkable show of game management Armagh immediately substituted one of their props who was tiring. His replacement immediately conceded a penalty and received the yellow card. (It was interesting to note that Armagh then tried to send back the original prop after the seven minute sin bin was over. This “oversight” had to be brought to the referees attention by the Letterkenny coach.) With the numerical advantage Letterkenny went to the line but a poor lift allowed a golden attacking opportunity to be lost. Armagh did defend very well and perhaps Letterkenny should have played the widen channels at this stage.
With the clock now the real enemy Letterkenny set up another great attack with the impressive Cannon on a ball run. He charged into the Armagh 22 and was eventual tackled. The tackler didn’t release and stole the ball which was not penalised by the referee. He maintained he was unsighted which was the only admission he made all day. The reliable boot of Fox put Letterkenny back on their own 5m line after a magnificent wind assisted clearance. With only two minutes remaining on the clock it looked like this was the match for Armagh but Letterkenny had other ideas.
They then produced one of the most impressive passages of play witnessed by the large crowd when they went from their own 5m line to the Armagh 5m line through a series of strong carries by Dunleavy, Cannon and Faulkner, great inter-passing by Scott, Matthew Faulkner and Daragh Taol, and then a potential match winning snipe from the base of a ruck 30m out by substitute scrum half Josh Smeaton. Smeaton made it to the 5m line before being tackled as the Letterkenny support arrived for what appeared to be a try scoring opportunity. The influential referee had other ideas as he surprised all present by awarding a penalty for off side by a Letterkenny player despite the fact that no ruck had formed and it appeared that the Armagh tackler should have been penalised for not rolling away. Armagh kicked to touch from the resulting penalty and that was the game.
Letterkenny were beaten by the more disciplined team on the day who carried out their Brian McLaughlin game plan to the letter. Armagh made much fewer mistakes and showed their experience of the big match occasions. Letterkenny will have learned a lot from this game and only time will tell if they can fulfil their potential and come back even stronger for the cup competition.
Letterkenny were well served by Joseph Dunleavy, Daragh Toal and Matthew Faulkner on the day. Armagh had match winners in their captain Barry Finn and out-half Cormac Fox but it was the Letterkenny captain, Daniel Faulkner, who was the standout player on display. He continually dragged his team back into the game and was at the heart of everything good that Letterkenny did on the day.
The saying is that you must “lose a final to win one” and this should be motivation for the Letterkenny team to regroup and focus on the cup competition which commences on Saturday next with a home game against Dungannon. The blue ribbon of youth rugby is the cup final in Ravenhill and this is now the clear target for a team that have done themselves and their club proud so far this season
Team: David Ward, Stephen Holmes, Christopher Green, Diarmiud Gallagher, Will Douglas, Martin Molloy, Daragh Toal, Joseph Dunleavy, Ben Khavia, Peter Scott, Oisin Toal, Daniel Faulkner (Captain), Matthew Faulkner, Adam Boal Quinn, Kevin Grant, James Roulston, Louis Carson, Connor Cannon, Stephen Gibson, Douglas Doyle, Josh Smeaton and Eunan Henry.
