Buccaneers 22 Creggs 47. Creggs U-17s won the Connacht Plate competition beating Buccaneers on a glorious day for rugby in Dubarry Park, Athlone last Sunday afternoon.
Buccaneers brought a very physical game to the table and came out all guns blazing at the start with Creggs on the back foot early on. Within four minutes they took the lead after touching down in the corner to take a 5 -0 lead.
After 8 minutes Creggs began to get their running game going once their forwards got parity up front and they reduced the deficit when Shane Purcell landed a penalty soon after. Up front Creggs were making good ground through Rian Biesty, David O’Gorman, Melvin Conteh and Brian Maloney with Adam Finnerty especially prevalent as the first half progressed.
It was Finnerty who gave Creggs the lead after scoring in the corner, which Purcell again converted for a 10-5 lead.
It was Purcell himself who broke the defensive cover and scored in the corner shortly afterwards to increase the lead after 18 minutes taking the score out to 15-5.
The Creggs backs were running the ball at every opportunity now and Niall Cunniffe, Jason Hoare, Tim Lambe and Ben McGahon were making very good yards with ball in hand and it was from such an attack the next score came when Creggs ran the ball from their own 22” with Niall Cunniffe eventually touching down in the corner. Shane Purcell converted again to stretch the lead to 22-5. Just before half-time, after some good work from Danny Arnold and Eoghan Coyle, Daire Byrne touched down in the left corner to leave the half-time score 27-5.
Creggs began the second half as they had started the game by surrendering cheap possession to the opposition and again Buccaneers took full advantage touching down to decrease the deficit to 22-10. Creggs then took control of the game and used their pace out wide to make the hard yards, and after 7 minutes they were awarded a penalty, which Purcell converted to make the score 30-10. The score of the game came shortly afterwards with a move starting inside the Creggs 22”. Creggs backs moved the ball wide and brilliant work from Niall Cunniffe brought the play into Buccaneers territory with the ball kept alive by brilliant Daire Byrne and Eoghan Coyle offloads Tim Lambe touched down in the corner which Purcell converted for a 37-10 lead.
Further tries followed from Niall Cunniffe and Daire Byrne but Buccanners to their credit kept going and scored two tries of their own to leave the final score 47-22.
Creggs will play Corinthians RFC at 12 pm next Sunday in Dubarry Park Athlone in the final of Division 1 of the Connacht U-17 League.
Creggs: Aaron Glennon, Brandon Hanmore, Oisin Keenan, Mathew Curley, Juan De la Campa, Ian Conlon, Danny Arnold, Melvin Conteh, David O’Gorman, Brian Maloney, Rian Biesty, John Martin, Adam Finnerty, Eoghan Coyle, Shane Purcell, Jason Hoare, Niall Cunniffe, Tim Lambe, Ben McGahon, Daire Byrne.
U-15s: Galwegians 11 Creggs 3. The U-15 Connacht plate final was played in Buccaneers on Sunday with an impressive Galwegians team just getting the better of Creggs in a high quality match.
Conditions on the day were perfect for rugby and it was Creggs who started strongly attacking through the centre channels using their dynamic centre Sam Sullivan and full-back Aaron Hannon to crash over the gain line. On 10 minutes the Galwegians defence infringed at the breakdown giving Creggs out-half Mark
Purcell a difficult opportunity to kick for goal. Belying his young years Purcell struck the ball majestically over the cross bar for an early lead.
The Galway City lads responded strongly and Creggs who were without their influential number 8 Jack Keegan through injury were scrambling in defence. The impressive Galwegians winger Tyrone Ezeogu looked very dangerous and only some last ditch defending from Creggs kept him from crossing the try line.
With ten minutes to go to half-time the Galway City team were awarded a penalty for offside in front of the posts and out-half Daniel Redden slotted over to level the match. Creggs found another gear and were pushing for a score when against the run of play Galwegians cleared their lines and a perfect bounce favoured their winger Sean Nohily who skipped in for the game’s only try and the Galway team went in at the break leading 8-3.
Creggs started the second half in similar vein to most of the first half, strong performances from the forwards with Rory Callaghan and Thomas O’Brien very prominent and captain Aodah Hession controlling the game from scrum-half. Indeed Hession was very harshly penalised by the referee for holding on with Creggs only a metre out and looking certain to score. As the half progressed it was evident it just wasn’t to be the day for the lads from the ‘Village’. Despite their best efforts and dominating in many areas the Galwegian defence was excellent and managed to keep Creggs out and indeed the Galway team added a late penalty again from Redden to run out winners 11-3 and lift the Connacht U-15 Plate.
Creggs: Aaron Hannon, Leigh Doyle, Sam Sullivan, Mark Purcell, Aodah Hession, Tom Farrell Roddie McGuinness, Jonathan Whyte, Thomas O’Brien, Lorcan Maher, Jack Tucker, Jack Hanley, John McDonnell, Rory Callaghan, Eric O’Doherty, Evan Comiskey-Hoare, Diarmuid Quinn, Sean Quinn, Ryan O’Keeffe, Adam Downey, Luke Divilly.
