Navan Senior Men's marked their home debut in round two of this season's Energia All-Ireland League Division 2A campaign with a seven point win over Limerick side Old Crescent by a score line of 26-19.

The started positively for the home side with a penalty awarded in the second minute in the Crescent half outside of the 22m line to the right of the posts, Navan full-back Rory Gordon kicked the ball between the uprights to give a 3-0 lead.

The game for the next ten minutes saw possession of the ball switch a couple of times. Old Crescent on their first foray into the Navan 22m line, got penalised for holding the ball on the ground forced by some efficient work by Navan at the breakdown, Navan then winning the resulting lineout and clearing the ball out of their half.

Navan doubled their lead in the thirteenth minute with another penalty kicked by Gordon at a similar spot from the previous kick after Crescent were again penalised at the breakdown.
The pressure being applied by the Navan forwards became apparent again when four minutes later Rory Gordon made it three from three kick as Old Crescent were penalised outside of their 22m line
On twenty minutes Navan looked to have made the breakthrough to get over for a Try, however an unfortunate knock-on for Navan just short of the Try-line resulting from some last-gasp tackling by Crescent prevented a certain score. The Navan forwards looked to apply pressure at scrum time and forced turnover at the breakdown.
Just after the 23 minute mark, Crescent were reduced to 14 for the following ten minutes after one of their second-rows were given a yellow card and sent to the sin-bin after an infringement at the lineout..
Navan made the numerical advantage count within two minutes with Hooker Jamie Kavanagh getting over to score a try to the left of the posts, Gordon added the conversion to add the extra two points.
Old Crescent though, were not going to rollover and got a break to get in for their first score on 28 minutes with an unconverted try over in the far left-hand corner to cut Navan's lead going into the break at 11 points.
At the resumption Navan re-emerged from the changing room in their alternative kit after having to swap around from their home jersey to give a clearer differentiation from the visitors' shirts.
The change made no difference to how Navan played as nine minutes into the second half Old Crescent were penalised for a high tackle in their half between their 10m & 22m in front of the posts, full-back Rory Gordon having a good day so far with the boot sent the ball over between the posts again.
Coming into the last 15 minutes, Rory Gordon added to his points tally by getting over for a try after taking a quick tap penalty inside the Crescent 5m line and added the conversion as well.
Navan nearly added a third try two minutes later however but the assistant referee on the touchline flagged for a foot in touch.
The home side then ended up playing out the game with 14 players after being penalized for a high tackle inside their 22m with the defending Navan player being sent to the Sin-Bin. This spurred on Old Crescent looking to make the numerical advantage count with them trying to tap and go from the penalty but are caught offside at the breakdown and hand possession back to Navan who are able 
five minutes from the end Old Crescent got their second try after a break in the middle of the pitch and running it in under the posts enabling a successful conversion. The visitors were then back over the try line two minutes later for their third converted try with another break shortly after the restart that proved to be the final say in the game.
Navan now sit third in the table with a trip to Tipperary to face current league leaders Nenagh Ormond next Saturday (21st October) to finish off the first block of games in this season's league schedule.

Navan Senior Men's 1st XV Squad "Sponsored by Hannon Travel":

Liam Carroll, Jamie Kavanagh, Leigh Jackson, Liam McAree, Eoghan Noonan, Robbie Lailvaux, Conor Farrell, Harry Hester, Jake Matthews, Evan Dixon, Peter McEntaggart, Kyle Dixon, Sean McEntaggart (Capt), Paddy Fox, Rory Gordon, Gary Faulkner, Ryan Healy, Harry Beggy, Conor Ryan, Mark Farrell.

"The Central" Player of the Match: Harry Hester (pictured above)