Rugby: Strong first half sees Mullingar into Towns Cup semi-finals

Provincial Towns Cup quarter-final: Mullingar 23, Clondalkin 14

Mullingar RFC’s tremendous run in the 2022 Bank of Ireland Provincial Towns Cup continued this afternoon, when the men in scarlet and dove grey saw off Clondalkin at Shay Murtagh Park.

A pair of first half tries from Alan Brabazon and Conall Fagan proved crucial, as the Mullingar men advance to the club’s first Leinster Towns Cup semi in over two decades, where they will play Division 1A mid-tablers Ashbourne next week.

Mullingar are the only non-1A club remaining in the competition, and will have a tough task ahead of them after a gruelling February/March schedule made even more so by last weekend’s league playoff. But galvanised by some great results along the way, they went into this quarter-final brimming with confidence.

Stuart Flynn gave the hosts the lead with a penalty after seven minutes, doubling that advantage with another kick in front of the posts on the 20-minute mark.

Moments later, Alan Brabazon galloped over the line for the game’s first try to make it 11-0 to Mullingar, with Flynn tagging on the conversion.

Clondalkin responded by pulling back a converted try, but Mullingar went in at half-time with another of their own – Conall Fagan crossing the line in the corner after some relentless Mullingar pressing.

An early Clondalkin try in the second half had Mullingar sweating, but the hosts’ resolved stiffened in the subsequent passages of play, and with nine minutes to go another Flynn penalty gave them a 23-14 advantage, which they held until the whistle.

Mullingar will meet Ashbourne at a neutral venue on Sunday afternoon next.

In addition, Mullingar’s 2nd XV have also reached the quarter-finals of the Provincial Towns Seconds Cup, after they defeated Wexford Wanderers on Saturday after extra-time, and following a spirited comeback.