Scorers:
Navan: Tries: Conor Hand, Gary Faulkner, Jordan Finney; Cons: Harrison Astley 3
Navan: Tries: Conor Hand, Gary Faulkner, Jordan Finney; Cons: Harrison Astley 3
UL Bohemian: Tries: Joel Rowntree, Oisin Fagan 2, Joe Johnson, Zac O’Loughlin; Cons: Oisin Fagan 4
(HT: Navan 21 UL Bohemian 12)
The Men's 1st XV began their 2025/26 Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B campaign with a home defeat to Limerick visitors UL Bohemian at Balreask Old on Saturday afternoon.
In a lively first half, Navan looked well set to claim the points. After conceding an early try, captain Conor Hand responded to level matters inside ten minutes.
When UL Bohs struck again midway through the half, Navan capitalised on a yellow card to the visitors’ full-back. From the resulting lineout, hooker Gary Faulkner finished off a maul, converted by out-half Harrison Astley, to edge Navan ahead.
Moments before the break, prop Jordan Finney crossed for a third try, giving the home side a 21–12 advantage at half-time.
When UL Bohs struck again midway through the half, Navan capitalised on a yellow card to the visitors’ full-back. From the resulting lineout, hooker Gary Faulkner finished off a maul, converted by out-half Harrison Astley, to edge Navan ahead.
Moments before the break, prop Jordan Finney crossed for a third try, giving the home side a 21–12 advantage at half-time.
The second half, however, belonged to UL Bohemian. A Navan yellow card ten minutes into the second half for Cormac Horan proved costly, as the visitors ran in three tries in quick succession, with out-half Oisín Fagan central to proceedings.
Navan pressed hard in the closing stages in search of a bonus point but were held out by a disciplined Bohs defence.
Astley, who converted all three of Navan’s tries on his All-Ireland League debut, was named Player of the Match.
Navan will look to bounce back next weekend when they travel to Enniscorthy, who also lost their opening fixture.
Navan Men's 1st XV Squad "Sponsored by Hannon Travel":
Shane Walshe; Cormac Horan, Ben McEntagart, Drew Hamilton, Harry Devlin; Harrison Astley, Noah Kavanagh; James Wyse, Gary Faulkner, Jordan Finney, Rokas Lipinskas, Karolis Navickas, Kade Su’a, Michael Brady, Conor Hand (capt).
Replacements: Fionn Craik, Liam Carroll, Andrew Keating, Saul Nicholson, Mark Farrell.
UL BOHEMIAN: Greg Fitzgerald; Joe Johnson, Killian Dineen (capt), Joel Rowntree, Zac O’Loughlin; Oisin Fagan, Donnchadh O’Callaghan; Kean Sheehy, Darren Ferrar, Jake Considine, Simon Staunton, Padraic Galvin, Sean Quirke, Conor Nesbitt, Liam Neilan.
Replacements: Sam Lynch, Pauric Nesbitt, Jack Ryan, Evan Lacey, Liam O’Shanahan.
Referee: Henry Richmond (IRFU)
