Chasm is class as Athy run riot away to Portlaoise
Cathal Fennessy touches down for one of his three tries in the Hosie Cup quarter-final against Portlaoise.
This Hosie Cup quarter-final on Friday night proved to be little more than a stroll in the park for Athy. It was simply proof of the huge gap in standards between Division 1A and Division 2A of the Leinster League.
Portlaoise, who won promotion from Division 2B last season, knew this was going to be a huge challenge, really an impossible task. And while a hammering like this is hard to take, there was one important lesson the home side can take from it, and that is that it is only four or five years since Athy were in a very similar position.
The Kildare club built from the bottom up and have won back to back Provincial Towns Cup campaigns. Portlaoise will be hoping that last season’s form are the roots of a similar rise in fortunes.
It was evident from the opening minutes that this was going to be a long night for Portlaoise. The first scrum saw Athy drive the home side backwards, although to the Portlaoise forwards they fared quite well as the game progressed.
It was when Athy ran the ball and spread it wide that Portlaoise were in real trouble. Caught like rabbits in the headlights of a car, they were bewildered by Athy’s mesmerising open play and swiftness of hand helped no doubt by the fact that they have already played two cup games this season, capturing the Colm O’Shea Cup in the process.
Cathal Fennessy crossed for the game’s opening try in the seventh minute and centre Danie Henry added the conversion. Five minutes later they again whipped the ball wide for Henry to score and add the conversion. Portlaoise lost centre Ivan Okonkwo in the process when he pulled his hamstring chasing Henry.
Over the next ten minutes Athy added two further tries, Tom Brady and Kevin Downey crossing while Henry added the extras.
Midway through the half Portlaoise gave themselves some hope. They were enjoying possibly their best period of the game when scrumhalf Mark Kelly put a delicate chip through and Euan McCann won the race of the touch down. Matthew Coonan was unfortunate to see his conversion come back off the cross bar.
But all the while Athy maintained their composure adding further tries through winger Tom Sheedy and Daniel Henry, and again the latter was on target with the conversions.
The home was to give themselves a lift as the half drew to a close when Liam Doyle and Michael Russell combined to send Coonan over for a try which he also converted to leave the score 12-42 at the break.
But that was as good as it was to get for Portlaoise. Despite their bravest efforts, Athy took complete control on the restart adding to their try tally when Fennessy broke down the wing to score and again Hent was on target.
They were to cross the line several more times before the final whistle – Rory Walsh, Fennessy, Jack Henry, Liam Lynch (two) and Daniel Henry dotting down with the latter converting all but one of those tries.
Cathal Fennessy (3 tries); Harry Bradbury, Daniel Henry (3 tries, 15 cons), Aidan Henry, Tom Sheedy (1 try); Craig Miller (1 try), Eoin Farrell; Aaron Rowan, Niall O'Hanlon, Conan Dunne; Sean Donohoe, Kevin Downey (1 try); Jack Henry (1 try), John Sheedy, Tom Brady (1 try).
Richard McCarthy Moloney, Liam Lynch (2 tries), Joe Cole, Xander Pereira, Patrick Reeves, Senan Coffey, Rory Walsh (1 try).
Euan McCann (1 try); Sean Smyth, Ivan Okonkwo, Thomas Bradley, Cillian Tynan; Matthew Coonan (1 try, 1 con), Mark Kelly; Nathan Flanagan, Ryan McEvoy, Harry Rigney; Darragh Townsend, Sean Peters; Liam Doyle, Michael Rigney, Michael Russell.
Ciaran O'Brien-McCormack, Zach Sheridan, Glen Connolly, Jake Byrne, Daniel Maunsell, Ryan Gilligan, Eoin O'Brien McCormack.
Clive Wardrop
