Northern challengers eye National Under 17 semi-finals
MAR
WINNINGTON Park RUFC and Trentham from South Lancashire & Cheshire Division One and Two respectively will meet in the only comparatively ‘local’ final of the Northern Section of the National Under 17 Knockout competition on April 4.
Park, beaten at the National Semi-final stage last season, are just one game away from a return to the last four of the Plate section having edged out visitors Wharfedale in the regional semis on Sunday. Trentham underlined the strength of their challenge by winning at Old Brodleians near Halifax, where the topography can prove a valuable advantage to the home side.
Elsewhere in the competition, teams will be crossing the Pennines in all three sections. There will be a Roses match element when Otley entertain Manchester in the Cup, West Park Leeds cross into Cheshire for their Bowl final against Altrincham Kersal and Blaydon face an even longer trip in the Shield final when they visit Tyldesley.
Results and draw
National Under 17 Tournament, Northern Division
Round One results
Cup: Game A - Waterloo 7 Otley 27, Game B - Penrith 7 Lymm 50, Game C - Darlington Mowden Park 3 Manchester 38,Game D – Hull Ionians w/o Redcar. Plate: Old Brodleians 62 Horden 0, Chester 17 Trentham 60, Sheffield 5 Winnington Park 7, Caldy 0 Wharfedale 19. Bowl: Stockton 0 Yarnbury 50, Altrincham Kersal 42 New Brighton 0, Keswick 50 Vale of Lune 3, West Park Leeds w/o Whitley Bay Rockcliff. Shield: Marple 18 Kendal 10, Keighley 19 Tyldesley 19 (Tyldesley progress on ‘most tries rule’), Moortown 15 Scarborough 31, Blaydon 34 Hawcoat Park 15.
Semi-final results (March 20)
Cup: Otley 20 Lymm 12, Manchester 24 Hull Ionians 8. Plate: Old Brodleians 13 Trentham 17, Winnington Park 11 Wharfedale 7. Bowl: Yarnbury 3 Altrincham Kersal 9, Keswick 7 West Park Leeds 35. Shield: Marple 3 Tyldesley 24, Scarborough 10 Blaydon 57.
Divisional Finals (April 3)
Cup: Otley v Manchester. Plate: Trentham v Winnington Park. Bowl: Altrincham Kersal v West Park Leeds. Shield: Tyldesley v Blaydon
