Garryowen FC Notes we 28^th Jan 2007

Our senior team make a return visit to Dublin on Saturday to play Terenure College in the AIL at Lakelands Park at 2.30. The disappointment of losing our clash with UCD 20-13 in Belfield last Saturday will make them doubly determined to get our top four aspirations back on track. Our cause wasn’t helped with the loss of scrum half Gerry Hurley as early as the 5^th minute. This forced a reshuffle in the backline with Alan Kingsley moving to 9 and Eoghan Hickey from 15 to 10. Conor Kilroy came off the bench to fill his customary full back position. However, we can have no excuses for a lethargic performance as the Students made full use of the near gale force wind to build up a comfortable 20-6 lead. We conceded two tries courtesy of very enterprising play by the home side and some sloppy defending in midfield. Eoghan Hickey did manage to keep us in touch with two marvelous penalties into the teeth of the wind and our supporters were hopeful we could claw back the deficit with the elements in our favour in the second half. We failed to make the early necessary breakthrough as the college boys fought tooth and nail to deny quality possession. A piece of magic from left wing Ciaran O’Boyle in the 68th saw him beat his man on the outside and despite an attempted hand-trip he held his composure to glide over in the corner. Eoghan Hickey’s touchline conversion made it 20-13 and with our pack finally putting pedal to the metal, UCD were forced to adopt a rearguard action for the remaining minutes. A scrum on their line should have yielded a touchdown but we lost control of the ball at the vital moment and the clearance to touch lifted the siege. The players certainly gave it everything in the dying minutes but the inevitable mistakes crept in. The Students have been struggling in the nether regions of the table this season but when the ground dries out, don’t be surprised to see them take a few more prize scalps.The Munster Junior Cup kicks off on Sunday with a tricky assignment away to Thurles at 2.30. The Tipperary side are always a formidable unit in this competition and we can expect the usual high octane exchanges. The team had a useful friendly away to Kilfeacle last Sunday and ran out 22-7 winners. JP Hartigan lined out at 10 and led the backline well. He kicked a penalty and added conversions to two of our three tries by Damien Fahey, Damien Varley and David Sherry. It seems like an eternity since our U20’s were in action but they couldn’t have asked for a sterner test of their mettle than Saturday’s AIL encounter away to Bruff at 1.00. This is sure to be an intriguing game as both sides have certainly become accustomed to playing one another over the last few seasons. Our 3rdXV had a heartening 12-7 win over Young Munster in the first round of the McInerney Cup. Charlie Colling bagged a brace of tries in what was a welcome return to form for Niall Wixted’s charges. Old Crescent provides the opposition in friendly in Dooradoyle on Saturday at 1.00. The under 14s had a hard earned win over a very strong and competitive Bruff team in the NM League last Sunday and in doing so maintained their 100% record. Playing into the wind in the first half, the blues conceded an early unconverted try. Struggling with possession from the line out, they maximised their limited play time in Bruff’s 22 by scoring 2 converted tries. The first score was credited to Geoffrey Ronan off a short penalty 10m out and the second was scored by full back Andrew Fullen. Rory Collins converted both but Bruff stormed back to score an unconverted try before half time. The second half was a story of unbelievable commitment and effort in defending an onslaught from Bruff who were camped in Garryowen’s 22 for most of the half. They tried valiantly to score the elusive and winning try. The Garryowen pack, which as a unit performed heroically, defended well and held on for a narrow 14-10 win. John Fyfe, Darragh O’Brien, David Canny and Captain Dominic Furnell led from the front in the pack. This Sunday they are away to St. Senan’s in the same competition. Our U16’s rallied well to eventually overcome a brave Richmond side 29-17 in the NM League at Garryowen Green. Supporters are reminded that the Bus for the AIL match against Terenure in Dublin will leave Willie Sexton’s at 9.30 on Saturday morning. Please text Killian Slattery at 086-8359902 to reserve one of the few remaining seats. The customary stop for lunch will ensure the troops arrive in good voice to cheer on our team in Lakelands Park.