Carrick-on-Suir made it two wins from two in the Third Division of the Munster Junior League thanks to a 15-5 win away to Fermoy on Sunday last.
Carrick, who’d edged home against Waterford City in their league opener, have made good on a solid pre-season and this victory could prove crucial come campaign’s end.
Wins away to Fermoy are not easily or, historically, regularly achieved, so the team captained by Willie Stokes can justly bask in a job well done ahead of next Sunday’s clash with Douglas in Carrick.
Dungarvan went down 22-3 away to Douglas to record their second league defeat from two, and while City battled well, their record reads similar following a 19-9 reversal at the hands of Galbally at Kilbarry.
All three clubs have home fixtures to look forward to next Sunday (all 2.30pm kick-offs) with Waterford City facing Fermoy while Dungarvan will square up to Galbally.
In local seconds rugby, Waterpark enjoyed a narrow win over Carrick-on-Suir in Tybroughney on Sunday, with both teams already eagerly anticipating their imminent return fixture at Ballinakill.
Carrick, who also lost by the minimum against Waterford City the previous weekend, have blooded several young players since the season opener against Clanwilliam, with coach Jamie Walsh’s pro-active winning praise from his squad.
The emergence of several young players into the Carrick ranks is testament to the excellent work which has been conducted at juvenile level in recent years.
It’s a trend that’s been replicated throughout the local club system and proof that grassroots rugby is benefiting from the game’s popularity boom across Munster.
Meanwhile, there was local representation on the Munster Ladies team which retained the Interprovincial title thanks to victory over Leinster in a soggy Belfast on Saturday last.
Carrick native Kate O’Loughlin, who teaches at Portlaw NS and plays her club rugby with Clonmel, formed part of an excellent second row combination with Ballincollig’s Deirdre Scannell.
Tearing around the turf with her customary industry, O’Loughlin was superb at the breakdown and played an instrumental role in Munster’s 10-5 success.
The starting XV also featured try-scoring Clonmel’s Niamh Briggs at full-back, with club mate Natasha O’Keeffe and the Waterpark quartet of Sinead Fitzpatrick, Jo O’Meara, Orlaith Buckley and Clara Bracken joining the fray from the bench.