Following the promise of recent improved performances – culminating in a long-overdue win the previous weekend – Buccaneers’ display against Navan in their Energia All-Ireland League game at Dubarry Park last Saturday was hugely disappointing. The Pirates never really got going in a very flat effort as they went down 20-8 in this Division 2B encounter.
Buccaneers were collectively way off the enterprise and energy of recent outings with Meecham, Cooper and Tom Cotton being their better contributors. With back-to-back away fixtures looming, some soul-searching will have to be done following this frustrating setback.
JUNIOR 1A LEAGUE: Buccaneers and Creggs served up a compelling Bank of Ireland Connacht Junior 1A League game under the Dubarry Park floodlights on Saturday night when the hosts fully deserved their 23-19 victory over the title holders.
This was a passionate derby that kept the minds of the spectators off the raw weather. Buccs dictated the tempo for the majority of the contest with the slick and sustained endeavour of all their squad catching the visitors off guard. Jack Crampton, Sam Fogarty and Byrne stood out in the forwards battle while Colgan and Hughes were prominent in a lively backs unit.
INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Congratulations to young Buccaneers trio – Darragh Glennon, Oisin O’Donoghue and Owen Egan – who all played for Ireland U-18 Clubs team against Italy on Saturday. Although the result did not go Ireland’s way, the three lads can be proud of their achievement. Glennon scored a splendid try that will add to his memory of the occasion.
WOMEN’S TEAM: Buccaneers’ women’s team shipped a heavy 59-0 Connacht League defeat at home on Sunday to Sligo, the visitors proving much too strong to record their first win of the campaign. Buccs travel to fellow strugglers Westport in the next round this Sunday, with a 1 pm kick-off.
THE LATE EGBERT MORAN: Buccaneers Rugby Football Club mourns the passing of a former captain and president with the unexpected death of Egbert Moran, who was one of the real characters of rugby in Athlone.
The Moran family has been synonymous with rugby in the town and Egbert was involved in the club from its very early days. He played for many seasons, featuring in the Connacht Junior Cup finals of 1967 (when his late brother James was a teammate) and 1968.
Following his playing career he served in various roles at Athlone RFC, whom he captained in 1969/70, and he was honoured as President in 1987/88 when the Senior team won the Connacht Senior League title.
Buccaneers members provided a Guard of Honour at Queen of Peace Church and earlier when the funeral cortege passed Dubarry Park where flags were flown at half-mast.
Egbert will be greatly missed around the club but particularly by his wife Mary, sons Niall (current Director of Rugby at Buccaneers) and Garrett, daughter Karla and the wider family to whom heartfelt condolences are extended.
U-20s: Buccaneers U-20s, whose game against Seapoint last Sunday was postponed as the Killiney pitch was unplayable, head for the capital again this Sunday. Wanderers will be their opponents in this JP Fanagan Leinster Premier League 2 match at Merrion Road where the action is due to get underway at 2.30 pm.
U-15s: Buccaneers U-15 ‘yellow’ team played an exciting game on Sunday against a strong Monivea outfit.
Although trailing 35-12 shortly after the break, Buccs rallied to score three converted tries but then allowed the visitors a sloppy score from the restart. Buccs rallied once more to close their arrears to 42-40 and were pounding away at the Monivea line when the referee blew the full-time whistle.
