Enniscorthy bid for first success in Under-21 Gale Cup
THE 37th Gale Cup final takes place this coming Sunday in Carlow at 3 p.m. Enniscorthy, in their first year at Under-21, take on the holders, Tullow.
This Leinster competition was first won by Roscrea in 1978. Navan have won it most times with six victories and Tullow are appearing in their third final and defeated Wanderers in last year's decider.
Tullow will be favourites, having won all seven matches leading to the final and beating Enniscorthy 37-17 earlier in the competition.
Enniscorthy were short a number of key players that day though. They have first team players in prop forward Ciarán Murphy and wing forward Tony Ryan. John Bracken has also played with the first team this season.
Enniscorthy's success in recent years, especially at Under-18 and Under-19, has been instrumental in the formation of the Under-21 team.
They also have Tomás Stamp and Willie Dunne in the second row, two outstanding young men, and Ethan Dalton who played with Kilkenny College in the back row.
Pat Doyle, who has also played first team rugby this season, is propping and Peadar O'mahoney is hooking.
Lee Treacy will play scrum-half and the multitalented Jack Kelly will wear the number 10 shirt.
Brendan Doyle and Davy O'dwyer, who has also featured with the first team, are in the centre with Oisín Dunbar and Alan Masterson on the wings. Cathal Spratt will line out at full-back.
The coaches are Kent Ashmore, Bruce Chapman and Liam Spratt and team manager is Len Dalton.
'We are delighted to be in the final. We felt that there was a gap in the ages in the club and we thought that the formation of an Under-21 team would benefit both club and
player,' Chapman said. 'This group have been lucky as they have won cups all the way through their age groups so they know what it is like to win.
'We hope that might stand to us on Sunday although having said that Tullow are a very strong outfit. We are delighted that so many of the lads have pushed their way on to the first team. It is a massive boost for the club.
'We are also lucky that the first team has been free of matches in the past two weeks and it has given our lads a chance to work together. We are really looking forward to the match but it is going to be a tough test.'
