Competition, Venue, Date, KO Time: Provincial Towns Cup, At Mullingar, Sunday 3.00pm kickoff

Ashbourne are out of the Towns Cup this season and on the day were beaten by a better side. There is no doubt that this Mullingar side wanted the win more than the visitors and Ashbourne will now have to rally themselves to face the same opposition next week in the same venue.

Mullingar dominated this game and living on crumbs Ashbourne did well to keep the game competitive and were in it well into the second half. In Sean Casey, Ashbourne have found a gem and a two try haul was as much down to his own speed and strength as anything else. Casey's first try came in the 38^th minute when Ashbourne were trailing by 8 points to nil. From a hack through from Wall, Casey was on the chase as quick as lightening and though impeded by the Mullingar number 8, Murphy, Casey was able kick the ball through and touch down for a brilliant try. He was being tackled off the ball by Murphy but had the strength to hold him off. Kennedy was off with the conversion.

Mullingar had taken an early lead in the 6^th minute when they touched down from a scrum for 5 points, but Gavin Kennedy had a chance to pull 3 points back 4 minutes later but was off with his attempt. Mullingar stretched the lead in the 15^th minute with a well taken penalty for an infringement in the maul. But Ashbourne held them at 8 nil until Casey's try. They had opportunities but the home defence was resolute and held the visitors at bay.

Keegan continues, like Casey, to grow in stature with every game and McManus is delivering on potential he has shown over the last few seasons. But today it was about needing that bit extra and as a team Ashbourne were flat. The kicking game was poor and too often the ball was kicked down to the opposition fullback who showed a very safe pair of hands on the day and returned with interest every time.

Mullingar were soon applying pressure in the second half. Their kicker, so accurate in the first game, was having an off day and missed two very kickeable penalties by his standard. But in the 13^th minute, Mullingar touched down for their second try, which was unconverted. At 13 points to 5 you felt that the floodgates could open. Glennon had retired in the first half, replaced by Magee and he was missed around the park. Emery for Gallagher and Colreavey for Swanipoel were introduced during the half but to no avail.

The turning point came with the binning of Field, and during this period Mullingar got their final try which was converted. Ashbourne did rally after Casey's second try. Having just been unlucky a minute earlier not to have won the chase from a John Gavin kick through, he had the easy task of touching down following good work from the forwards. It was all over really at this stage and Mullingar were value for their victory.

Next week Ashbourne and Mullingar do it all again in the Leinster League on Saturday night at 7.30pm in Mullingar.

Full-Time Score:

Mullingar                                               .............. 20

Ashbourne                                             .............. 10

Best for Ashbourne:

Barry O'Neill, Frank Keegan, David McManus, Shane Eoin Kennedy

Man of the Match:

Sean Casey

Tries:

Sean Casey x 2

Team List:

Barry O'Neill, Eric Greene, Stephen O'Neill, Peter Swanipoel, Sean Casey, Gavin Kennedy, Cathal Field, Frank Keegan, John Gavin (Capt), Alan Wall, Eugene Gallagher, Shane Eoin Kennedy, David McManus, Ciaran Glennon, Allan Gallagher

Subs: Ciaran Boylan, Jason Emery, Eugene Gallagher, Dermot Colreavy, Stephen Magee