Garryowen FC Notes w.e 8th November 2009
Garryowen FC Notes w.e 8th November 2009
1stxv: St. Mary’s College return to Dooradoyle on Saturday for the AIB Cup clash with the light blues. The game which kicks off at 2.30 promises to be a close run affair. Garryowen will be hoping to avenge their last minute 6-3 loss recently in the AIL. They will also be anxious to bounce back after their 17-13 loss to Cork Con in Temple Hill last Saturday. We started very brightly with a Conor Murray penalty and a well taken try by Ronan O’Mahony. Hooker Mike Sherry blocked down a clearance on the Con 22 and showed good pace and vision to put the full back in. Conor Murray converted for a 10-0 lead. A soft penalty afforded Scott Deasy the opportunity to get Con off the mark and then the sides were tied when a superb try in the 28 th minute by right wing Richie Lane which left Deasy with a simple tap over under the posts. Neither side dominated coming up to the break although Con were nearly over in the 35 th minute following a fortuitous bounce off a defenders leg. The second half was a mere five minutes old when a turnover ball on half way seemed to have given us the advantage. Unfortunately the scooped pass found the welcoming arms of Con centre Tom Gleeson who sped through a gap and raced all the way under the posts for the vital break through. We lost our shape for a while and Con put some neat passages of play to together. A stunning corner flag tackle by Anthony Kavanagh in the 65 th minute saved a certain try and it took a while to bring the game back into enemy territory. A Gerry Hurley penalty in the 71 st minute reduced the deficit to 17-13. However Con were defending well across the park and the vital yard gains were slow in coming. With time ticking away oh so quickly we got a final opportunity to pull the game out of the fire. Con infringed once too often and we drove forward for what would have been the winning try. Phase after phase ensued within 5 metres of their line, but try as we might we somehow failed to reach the white wash. As so often happens with the rugby league style of defence, it is almost impossible to breach the cover unless a gap appears. Unfortunately Con were never going to permit that and when the ball was held up for the final time, referee Dudley Philips blew the whistle. A disappointing end but a bonus point none the less which may prove vital later in the season.
2ndxv: The weather conditions caused the cancellation of both the Gleeson League and Munster Seconds League games last weekend. We are scheduled to play Richmond on Saturday in the Gleeson League in Garryowen Green at 2.30 and our junior team are away to Bruff in the MSL on Sunday at 2.30
U21 xv: The AIL game v Young Munster took place in Tom Clifford Park last Saturday. The game also decided the destination of the Charlie St. George sponsored Richard Harris Perpetual Cup. Full back Derry O’Connor had an excellent outing and was rock solid all through. He opened the scoring with a penalty after 10 minutes and then kicked a superb touchline conversion to an opportunist try by Ciaran O’Coileain. Both packs gave it their all in difficult underfoot conditions. The Cookies had one of the few opportunities in a closer second half but a penalty attempt was just wide of the posts. The game was more or less settled in the 65th minute when Mark Rowley forced his way over from a scrum and O’Connor landed the conversion for a 17-0 win. Afterwards the trophy was presented by Clr Pat Kennedy to captain Mark Rowley in the presence of Murrough O’ Byrne (sponsor) and Young Munster captain Evan Culhane. On Saturday the league continues in Dooradoyle when we play Dolphin at 2.30 tbd.