We were fortunate to pick up this eleven try thriller at Kerr Park on Saturday afternoon with hosts Holywood running out winners by 36 – 24 against Letterkenny on a Gordon West Cup and Championship D3 double header.
It was a rip roaring game from the first whistle as Holywood two early unconverted tries in the first ten minutes to take a 10 – 0 lead.
Letterkenny had hardly touched the ball up to that stage but they made amends pounding the Holywood line for the next 25 mins. They could have had a hatful of tries in that period but some astute turnovers and the kicking of, brothers, Joel and Jordy De’Pledge restricted the visitors to two scores, out wide, leveling the score to 10 all minutes before the break.
The second Letterkenny score saw Holywood down to 14 men but it didn’t dampen their intent and they managed a third try on the stroke of half time to take the score to 17 – 10 as the teams turned round.
Another converted score at the start of the second half put Holywood firmly in charge with a 24 – 10 lead and when they got back up to full strength they cleverly worked a couple of overlaps on the left for their speedy winger ot bang in a couple more, one converted, to stretch the lead to 36 – 10.
Letterkenny refused to lie down and the met Holywood’s speed and guile had work and brute force and they worked two more scores themselves, both converted, to take the score to 36 – 24. Unfortunately for the visitors they left it too late as this cracking game passed in a flash. the final whistle called a halt to the afternoons entertainment with Holywood progressing to the Semi Final of the Gordon West and leapfrogging Letterkenny in Conference D3.
Scorers:
Aaron Corbett (2), David Perry, Joel De’Pledge, Ryan Young and Charlie Burrow all crossed for Holywood with Jordy De’Pledge adding three conversions.
James Lee McLaughlin (2), Ciaran Clarke and Chris Digimas all crossed for Letterkenny.
GALLERY BELOW