Lionhearts Too Strong for Wolfhounds

The Ireland Wolfhounds found the England Lionhearts too strong for them at Lakelands Park, Dublin on Saturday, in their second match in the Skanska Amateur Four Nations Tournament.  They were well beaten by a very impressive Lionhearts team, who were handicapped by the loss of BJ Swindells with a viral infection at the last minute. The Irish were hoping to build on their victory over Scotland, but were outscored by 7 tries to 4.  The Lionhearts started very quickly and were soon on the board when Pendlebury kicked through for Drake to score under the posts, with the try scorer converting. The English were much quicker around the ruck area with many scoots by hooker Graham Harrison carrying them time and again deep into Irish territory.  After 14 minutes Drake went over for his second out wide, and again converted.  When Shaun Flynn scored in the 25th minute under the sticks and Drake added the extras and a penalty, it gave the Lionhearts a match-winning lead which they never relinquished.  One sin-binning for each side seemed to lift the Irish and they went in for their first score 8 minutes before half-time through Mike Brodie, converted by Treacy, and then Carl Roche went over under the sticks, with Treacy adding the extras and a drop goal to leave the halftime score 20-13 to England.

The Lionhearts started the second half strongly with Karl Wesley finishing off a good handling move on the left before Gary Keegan dominated the home defence with strong running scoring two tries and getting very close on two other occasions.  Drake converted all 3 to leave the Lionhearts 38-13 ahead.  The Irish rallied in typical fashion and got back into gear with two tries from Declan Nash, but after Alan Robinson was sent off for punching, Scott Pendlebury put in player-coach Steve Woodburn for the last

score under the sticks to make the score 44-23 to England.

ENGLAND
1 - Richard Whitehouse (Telford)
2 - Shaun Flynn (Bramley)
3 - Karl Wesley (Leicester)
4 - Craig Tyman (Dudley Hill)
5 – Mark Hirst (Underbank)
6 - Paul Drake (Bramley)
7 - Scott Pendlebury (Bramley)
8 - Marco Rossi (Dudley Hill)
9 - Graham Harrison (Bramley)
10 - Chris Gardner (Bramley)
11- Lee O' Connor (Dudley Hill)
12 - Carl Leach (Widnes)
13 - Gary Keegan (Underbank)
14 - Dan Reeds (Lincoln)
15 - Adam Brown (Underbank)
16 - Richard Lofthouse (Blackpool)
17 – Steve Woodburn (Blackpool)

Tries: Drake 2, Keegan 2, Wesley, Flynn, Woodburn
Goals: Drake 8

IRELAND
1 - Killian Kennedy (Dublin Blues)
2 – Steve Gibbons (Carlow)
3 – Mike Brodie (Treaty City)
4 – Steve Nolan (Dublin City)
5 – Declan Nash (Treaty City)
6 - Billy Treacy (Treaty City)
7 – Lance Bullen (Dublin Blues)
8 – Alan Robinson (Coventry)
9 – Mick Hart (Tullamore)
10 – Carl Roche (Dublin City)
11 – Rick Hartas (Dublin Blues)
12 – Cairon Barry (Treaty City)
13 – Dave Delahunty (Athboy)
14 – Phil Pardue (North Dublin)
15 – Simon Manuel (Kilkenny)
16 – Jimmy Morrison (Dublin City)
17 – Eric Roberts (Kildare)

Tries: Nash 2, Brodie, Roach
Goals; Treacy 3
Drop Goals: Treacy 1

article by Nick Evans
17 July 2006