PICTURED ABOVE ARE:
Lurgan 1st XV out half Stephen Nolan lines up a penalty goal against Letterkenny
Lurgan flanker Jamie Pedlow claims a lineout against Letterkenny Sat 29 Jan
Lurgan seconds out half Craig Harrison kicks a penalty against Letterkenny seconds Sat 29 Jan
Defensive lapses produce poor performance
Lurgan 6
Letterkenny 41
Lurgan welcomed undefeated Kukri Qualifying three A leaders Letterkenny to Pollock Park last Saturday and the Co Donegal side returned home with a comfortable seven try victory after one of Lurgan worst performances for quite some time, Writes Paddy Allen.
The home side found themselves 22 – 6 down at half time as the visitors ran in four tries due to poor defensive lapses by Lurgan.
Lurgan’s only points came from the boot of out half Stephen Nolan who kicked two penalties from three attempts in the 26th and 34th minutes.
In the second half Letterkenny continued to dominate as their much heavier pack dominated at both scrums and lineouts and three further tries followed.
Any momentum Lurgan tried to gain in the back forty was killed off as their failure to hold onto possession cost them any chance to build pressure in the opposing half.
The side will have to pick themselves up quickly as they welcome Dromore this Saturday in the Powerade Towns’ Cup 2nd Round.
Lurgan: R Clarke, C Wamsley, G Martin, S Gardiner, J Kingham; S Nolan, A Stevenson; D Whittaker, G Wickie, A Mackey, G Currie, C Mallon, A Robinson, J Pedlow, K McBride.
Seconds grab second win of the season
Lurgan II 25
Letterkenny II 12
In Junior league five last Saturday Lurgan seconds welcomed Letterkenny seconds which ninth vs tenth in the league with the home side coming out on top of a cracking encounter.
Lurgan trailed 12 – 8 at the break with a try from Cheyenne Eskra and penalty from out half Craig Harrison.
Three further tries followed in the second half coming from forwards Jason Kane and Eskra with his second while Harrison also crossed the white wash and the same player added one conversion as Lurgan ran out comfortable winners in the end.
This Saturday the seconds are in Foster Cup action as they travel to last Saturday’s opponents Letterkenny seconds in the second round. This will surely be a much stiffer task for captain Graeme Cousins and his side with a place in the quarter finals at stake with the winners at home to either Grosvenor thirds or Rainey OB thirds on February 26.
Towns’ Cup Derby at Pollock Park
Lurgan face a huge task this Saturday when they welcome neighbours Dromore in the 2nd Rond of the 2011 Powerade Towns’ Cup, Writes Paddy Allen.
This Saturday’s visitors are two leagues above Lurgan and although they have struggled to date in qualifying one they will come to Lurgan confident of making the last eight after brushing aside Bangor last weekend 48 – 15.
The sides last met in the 1st Round in 2007 at Pollock Park with Dromore coming trough 27 – 23. Lurgan will be going into Saturday’s game with the underdogs tag which will suit them well and hopefully they can produce their best performance and cause an upset.
Saturdays match will have a 1pm kick off and the opening weekend of the Six Nations gets underway with Italy vs Ireland being shown in the clubhouse from 2:30pm.
