Last updated at 08:27, Wednesday, 25 November 2009

A LAST-minute drop goal denied Broughton Red Rose a place in the U16 Barla Cumbria Cup final.

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But Ellenborough reached the U14 final with a 28-20 victory over Kells.

Both finals will be held on Sunday at the Recreation Ground, Whitehaven.

In the U14 final (11am ko) Ellenborough face Egremont and in the U16 final (12.30pm ko) Wath Brow play Kells.

Last Sunday’s two semi-finals were the only junior rugby league games to beat the appalling weather.

The U16 Red Rose v Wath Brow semi was switched to Tarn Close as Red Rose’s pitch was unplayable.

With both sides locked on 10-10 extra time looked certain until Brow’s Ryan Hall landed a 30-yard drop-goal.

All the way through the match there was little between the two sides.

At the break the score was 4-4 after Red Rose’s Shaun Johnson had opened the scoring with a try which Wath Brow cancelled out with a touch-down from Scott Pink.

In the second half it was Brow who scored first through Ian Curnow with Ryan Hall adding the conversion.

A break from the ever-strong Liam McAvoy put Red Rose’s Luke Johnstone in for a try which McAvoy converted, a brilliant kick from the touch line to make it 10-10.

And that was how it stayed right until the dying minutes and Hall’s late drop-goal winner.

Ellenborough clinched their place in the U14 final after finally overcoming a very spirited Kells at Maryport.

After Ellenborough’s easy win when they visited Kells earlier in the season they must have thought this tie would be even easier. If so they were in for a shock.

At the break Kells were 12-6 up. A Reece Clark try converted by Brandon Moore had given Elbra first points but Kells hit back with touch-downs from Dominic Wear and Nathan Doran, both converted by Wear.

Ellenborough came out for this second period with all guns blazing and after five minutes prop Conner Wilson blasted through the Kells defensive wall to score. Kyle Dempsey added the conversion.

Dempsey then showed a touch of brilliance as he ghosted through the Kells’ defence, stepping off both feet as he rounded would-be tacklers before touching down near to the uprights. He also kicked the conversion.

And just two minutes later the home side were 12 points in front when Wilson burst through to run 40 metres before passing to Moore to score under the posts.

Dempsey again converted and Elbra were 24-12 ahead. But the visitors would not lay down and Wear crossed again for his second try.

Ellenborough regained their 12-point advantage virtually straight from the re-start when Kells made an error trying to collect the kick.

From the resulting scrum Elbra were in at the corner to make it 28-16.

But still Kells fought back and in the final minute Ross Ainley got the last try of the game.

Fixtures - U14s Barla Cumbria Cup final: Ellenborough v Egremont.

U14 league: Kells v Wath Brow Hornets, Hensingham v Glasson.

U16 Barla Cumbria Cup final: Wath Brow Hornets v Kells.

U16 league: Glasson v Egremont, Hensingham v Broughton Red Rose.

First published at 19:22, Thursday, 19 November 2009
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk