Wanderers in arresting form against Garda
After recording a great big duck egg in their opener a week earlier, Wanderers righted that wrong in sparkling fashion last Saturday when they ran in nine tries in a 55-7 trouncing of visitors Garda at Lansdowne Road.
While questions may abound about the strength of Garda there's no doubting the backlash that the rugby HQ side unleashed with the four-try bonus-point safely being tucked away before half time, at which point they led 35-0.
Strangely enough there were nine different try scorers as three forwards, hooker Henry Parker, flanker Harley Murray and No 8 Paddy Mallon combined with backs Max O'Flaherty, Cailbhe Doherty, Richie Kavanagh, Tom Nelson, Tommy Ellard and Dave Whelan to send out a signal t o all and sundry that Wanderers are still very much alive and in the hunt.
Scrum half Darren Burke scored a late consolation try for the visitors on a day when the hosts came roaring back to life.
Maximum
Three teams have two wins from as many games but only Tullamore have maximum points as they bagged their second four-try bonus point in a 25-10 win away in Dundalk.
Full back Brian Geraghty was the star for the league leaders as his hat-trick of tries together with hooker Cathal Feighery's opening touchdown ensured a first win in 10 years for the midlanders at the Mill Road venue.
Newbridge are second, a point further back but will be disappointed not to be on maximum points as they had scored three tries with 15 minutes still to play when beating Coolmine at home in Rosetown but failed to add to the brace of touchdowns scored by centre Sean Kelly and the five-pointer from winger Steven Cook.
Instead it was the visitors who scored their fourth try from speedy winger James Ring with the last play of the game to pick up their first point of the campaign.
Enniscorthy are two points adrift of Tullamore and they were made to work hard for their 31-26 home victory over Cill Dara at Ross Road.
Precious
They will also be disappointed not to have snared a bonus point as they led 22-6 at half time with tries from scrum half Alan Jacob, out half Ivan Poole and centre Ross Barbour but the Kildare Town side fought back after the interval and prop forward Barry White scored a try at the death that earned them a precious losing bonus point.
The big game tomorrow is the visit of Newbridge to Ross Road to tackle Enniscorthy in a repeat of their epic Towns Cup semi-final last April which the Slaneysiders won 22-16 after extra time.
Tullamore entertain one of their bogey teams in Cill Dara in an evening game, Wanderers will expect a tough test in Ashbrook when they visit Coolmine while Garda be looking for their first win at home in Westmanstown against Dundalk.
Action commences in the other four Divisions of the Leinster League this weekend with Ashbourne's visit to Monkstown in Division 1B this evening getting proceedings underway while Malahide travel to Kilkenny tomorrow in Division 2A.
All remaining games are on Sunday but check locally for KO times as they may have been moved to avoid a clash with the All-Ireland senior hurling final replay.
