14 Sep Men’s U20’s Show Character in Pre-Season Win Over Seapoint
Men’s Under 20 Friendly – Sunday 13th September
Navan 36 Seapoint 24, Balreask Old, Navan.
(Half-Time: 10-7)
Navan Scorers:
Tries: Robin Hamil, Caolan Duffy, Mickey Callaghan, Cillian Murphy, Jack Smith, Lorcan Caffrey.
Conversions: Philip Smyth x3.
Navan RFC Men’s Under-20s capped off their pre-season schedule on Sunday afternoon, September 13th, delivering a hard-fought and highly entertaining 36-24 victory over Seapoint RFC at Balreask Old.
In a high-tempo, physical contest that saw momentum shift multiple times, Navan showed incredible composure late on to pull away after being pegged back to 24-24 in the final quarter.
Navan took control early through a balanced attacking game, combining powerful carries through the middle from the pack with rapid distribution to exploit space out wide. Tries from Robin Hamill and Caolan Duffy helped Navan build a 10-7 lead at half-time.
The second half turned into a thrilling end-to-end battle. Mickey Callaghan, Cillian Murphy, and Jack Smith all crossed the line as Navan looked to assert dominance, but a resilient Seapoint side refused to yield, scoring to tie the game at 24–24 heading into the closing stages.
With the match in the balance, Navan showed fantastic resolve. Maintaining high defensive intensity and carrying hard into contact, the hosts regained control to finish the stronger side. Lorcan Caffrey touched down for Navan’s sixth try, while Philip Smyth added his third conversion of the afternoon to seal a deserved 12-point win.
Congratulations to Aaron McAteer, who was named Player of the Match following an outstanding, tireless performance in the midfield!
Having shown great character to close out a tough physical battle, the U20 squad can take huge confidence into their final preparations as they gear up for the start of their Leinster JP Fanagan Premier 2 campaign!
Navan RFC Men’s Under-20 Matchday Squad:
Cormac Horan, Caolan Duffy, Thomas Kearns, Jack Smith, David Hanratty, Ruairi O’Neill, Rhian Faherty, Robin Hamill, Cillian Murphy, Evan Whyte, Luke Kennedy, Ben O’Hare, Aaron McAteer, Lorcan Caffrey, Eoin Burke, Antonio Rattigan, Adam Mathews, Saul Harris, Ciall Flynn, Michael Callaghan, Ciaran Beggy, Philip Smyth.