Kanturk Lose To Wanderers

In a thrilling encounter at Kanturk, Leinster Junior League champions Wanderers defeated Kanturk to go top of the Ulster Bank All Ireland Provincial League.

Kanturk 29, Wanderers 30.
The two bonus points Kanturk picked up, gives them the edge ahead of their final game at home to Clogher Valley next Saturday which will see the winners away to Instonians in the playoff game a week later, assuming Wanderers win their final game at home to Our Ladys Boys Club Galway.

The first score of this pulsating game came in the 27th minute when Kanturk skipper Johnny O’Sullivan was yellow carded for persistent fouling by his side and Ciaran Wade kicked the resulting penalty to put Wanderers ahead.

Despite being down a man Kanturk struck with a try five minutes later when Full back Peter Earlie made the extra man in a sweeping back line move to score and Mark Healy converted.

Six minutes before the break Wanderers center Cailbhe Doherty found a gap to score and Wade converted.

On forty minutes Healy levelled with a penalty but from the restart Wade restored Wanderers advantage with an injury time penalty to leave the visitors 13-10 ahead at the break.

Three minutes into the second half the Dublin side scored their second try when hooker Adam Duhig scored and Wade again converted.

Kanturk hit back in a five minute spell with two tries to lead 24-20 after fifty minutes. Skipper Johnny O’Sullivan chipped ahead and won the race to touch down.

Quick ball out the wing to Kealan Buckley saw the winger score and Healy converted both.

Back came Wanderers and full back Nick McNamara scored on sixty two minutes and Wade again converted.

Eight minutes from time Wade kicked a penalty to make it 30-24for the visitors.

In a thrilling finish Mark Healy got in for a try in the corner with two minutes remaining but missed the difficult conversion attempt from the side line.

Wanderers held out until the final whistle to claim a vital win that should see them back in the All Ireland League next season.

Kanturk: Peter Earlie; John Duggan, Sean Cremin, Luke McCabe, Kealan Buckley; Mark Healy, Paul Cotter; Brendan Kelleher, Conor O’Sullivan, Thady Sweeney; Barra Buckley, Michael O’Neill; Kalvin Nunan, Johnny O’Sullivan, Dan McCabe.
Replacements: Denis O’Donoghue, Bryan O’Neill, Bernie Daly, Stephen McAulliffe, Michael Twohig.
Wanderers: Nick McNamara; Bryan Buckley, Cailbhe Doherty, Peter O’Sullivan, Dominic Boyd; Ciaran Wade, Thomas Ellard; Fionan Sheehan, Adam Duhig, Buhle Mxunyelwa; Michael Keaveny, Peter Murphy; Harley Murray, Barry Sweeney, Damian Hall.
Replacements: Eddie Doyle, David Halliday, Kelvin Leahy, Peter Brougham, Michael McLoughlin.
Referee: David Connolly (IRFU).