The cup final that nearly never happened was finally played on a glorious afternoon at Aspatria, as holders and hot favourites Penrith retained the cup with a 40-17 win over Carlisle.
But they certainly didn’t have things all their own way against a Carlisle side which did not have the ideal preparation with just three training sessions since the beginning of March.
Carlisle had the first chance with a penalty shot from just inside the Penrith half but it drifted wide.
Minutes later Archie Rattray set up a chance for Penrith with a driving run from the base of the set scrum. The ball went to Isaac Murray at outside half and he beat his opposite number for pace on the outside, stepped back inside the full back and didn’t have a hand laid on him as he went in under the posts.
Penrith scored a second try inside the first 10 minutes following some driving play by the forwards just inside the city side’s half.
They pulled in the defence and when the ball was whipped wide to the right quick hands from Murray and Joe Kirkup got the ball to Matty Boustead, with his pass to James Bent on the wing timed to perfection for the young winger to get away, not to be caught.
However, Carlisle gradually started to show exactly how they have dominated Cumbria 1 this season with the forwards beginning to exert significant pressure, even winning the odd scrum penalty.
In fact Carlisle dominated both territory and possession for much of the next 15 minutes but crucially were unable to score.
They had a a series of attacking line-outs deep in the Penrith 22 and were thwarted on each occasion. They were looking dangerous when Rob Coward was awake to a poor, telegraphed pass and took the interception to run virtually the length of the field to score under the posts.
The city side were on the attack shortly after and Penrith had the put into the scrum on their own line. Rattray broke from number eight, broke out of the 22 to almost half-way and with the defence on the back foot the ball was whipped wide to the right and Dudson again timed the final pass for Bent to show the cover a clean set of heels.
With half an hour gone the holders were 26-0 up and Carlisle could have given up at this point, but to their credit, they still kept at it.
A long period of sustained pressure by Carlisle, including a ball held up over the line, eventually resulted in Tom Graham being driven over under the posts right at the end of the half, giving Carlisle some reward for their considerable efforts as they finished the half 26-7 down.
The Winters Park men reacted immediately after the break and scored a fifth try, from an attacking five metre scrum on the right. Boustead almost got to the line under the posts and when the ruck ball was produced George Graham spotted the gap and dived over under the sticks.
They then, as good as, put the game to bed with 30 minutes to go. Coward and Dudson tidied the ball up after a kick ahead, and when it came to Boustead he almost jinked his way through the whole defence,
However, when faced with the final defender he had Graham on his shoulder and he was given the pass to speed under the posts.
At this point most Carlisle supporters were just hoping that the side would avoid a cricket score.
Avoid it they did, with a combination of good defence, a return to the form they showed in the first half to retain ball, and take the game to the opposition.
They were well worth their second try, scored by replacement hooker Matt Tompkins, as they worked a driving maul over the line on 69 minutes.
Carlisle kept sniping away at the Penrith side and winger Rhys Callaghan just dropped a pass with the try line beckoning moments later.
Finally Carlisle got their third at the death of the match, as Park, Tingey, Rawling and Greenhow finally found some space out wide down the right to attack at speed, with Greenhow somehow getting onto the ball and over the line despite the presence of the Penrith fullback.
The penalty count was said to be 35 to 7 in favour of the city side and that would be about right, that’s more than a penalty every two minutes and would explain why a decent game of rugby struggled to develop.
Penrith retained the County Cup on a rather frustrating afternoon but all that’s remembered in cup rugby is whose name is on the trophy and they got the job done.
However they deserved the win, with their pacy back line being the difference. Carlisle more than matched them up front, but couldn’t turn possession into points, and that’s the name of the game.
Still if they start their campaign at level 6, playing as they did in the final, then they should have no fears about next season.
