A brilliant individual try from winger Gareth Wyatt in injury time gave the Celtic Warriors a thrilling victory over former Celtic League champions Leinster at Sardis Road.
The Lions had led virtually throughout at Sardis Road but had no answer to Wyatt’s brilliant effort from his side of halfway.
Leinster goal-kicker Brian O’Meara kept his side in front for the majority of the game, and he was a hot favourite for the man-of-the-match award before Wyatt’s
82nd-minute piece of magic. O’Meara’s four first-half penalty goals cancelled out three from Warriors veteran Neil Jenkins as Scottish referee Iain Ramage
kept a tight rein on the match, much to the displeasure of the fans.
The Warriors levelled the scores at 12-12 with a dropped goal from that man Wyatt, before replacement hooker Mefin Davies – along with Warriors fullback Kevin Morgan the only member of the Wales World Cup squad allowed to play on Saturday – powered over from close range.
Jenkins levelled the scores at 19-all with the conversion, and added a penalty goal to give the Warriors the lead for the first time. O’Meara slotted an
excellent long-range penalty goal to level the scores with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Morgan – on the comeback trail from injury – broke though for what the crowd thought was the winning try, but he ran out of support and O’Meara’s covering tackle saved the day for the visitors.
But moments later, Wyatt scored an individual try that had long-time Welsh fans scratching their heads trying to think of a better one.
Celtic Warriors (9) 29, Leinster Lions (12) 22 (Sardis Road)
Celtic Warriors: K.Morgan; G.Wyatt, D.Bishop, J.Bryant, A.Havili; N.Jenkins, P.John; P.Booth, A.Joy, C.Horsman; D.Jones, N.Budgett; N.Kelly, R.Parks, R.Bryan (capt).
Bench: M.Davies, M.Jones, R.Jones, C.Harris, J.Donovan, S.James, G.Cull.
Replacements used: Harris for Kelly 30, S.James for Bryant 32, Davies for Joy 51, R.Jones for D.Jones 65.
Scorers: Davies(1T), Wyatt(1T, 1DG), N.Jenkins(2C, 4PG).
Leinster Lions: J.Norton; J.McWeeney, K.Lewis, D.Quinlan, B.Burke; C.Warner, B.O’Meara; J.Lyne, D.Blaney, N.Treston; L.Cullen (capt), B.Gissing; N.Breslin, S.Jennings, D.Dillon.
Bench: P.Coyle, B.Blaney, A.Kearney, N.Ronan, B.O’Riordan, J.Downey, G.Brown.
Replacements used: Browne for McWeeney 62, Coyle for Treston 64, Ronan for Breslin 68.
Scorers: Burke(1T), O’Meara(1C, 5PG).
Referee: Ramage I. Attendance: 4500.
