St Senan’s, Shannon 11    Cobh Pirates 14

St Senan’s started this first division junior league game with a determination to put last week’s defeat against Clonmel behind them. They were rewarded in the second minute when, following an infringement by the Cobh backs, they won a penalty that Philip Noone easily converted.

Senan’s took control from the restart and once again the Cobh backs failed to hold their discipline, conceding another penalty, which Noone again converted. With a 6-0 lead, Senan’s looked very confident and continued to pressurise the Cobh defence.

However, this pressure did not result in any further scores and when they were put on the back foot by Cobh, they conceded a 24th-minute penalty just inside their own half of the pitch. Cobh successfully converted reducing the deficit to 6-3.

This score gave the visitors a boost and they forced Senan’s into conceding a number of penalties over the next 10 minutes but fortunately for the home side, the resultant kicks missed the target and the half finished with Senan’s holding on to their slim 6-3 lead.

Cobh started the second half as they finished the first, on the offensive and quickly broke through the Senan’s defence to score a try out wide. The conversion kick was unsuccessful but the visitors had moved into a 6-8 lead.

Senan’s regrouped after this setback and held Cobh inside their own 10m line. The next 15 minutes saw both sides being awarded scrums and it was Senan’s who seemed to dominate. On 18 minutes, a Senan’s scrum resulted in the ball coming out to Stephen Ryan, who drove over the touchline to give Senan’s an 11-8 lead. The conversion kick failed to find the target.

From the restart, Senan’s were put on the backfoot when a long punt over their back line and a chase by Cobh’s backs almost resulted in an immediate comeback try for the visitors but the ball was knocked on just short of the try line.

Cobh were rewarded shortly afterwards, with a penalty just inside Senan’s half, this was converted and put both sides level at 11-11 each. Senan’s were penalised again shortly afterwards, allowing Cobh to take the lead with a well-struck kick and despite some aggressive forward play, Senan’s could not breach the Cobh defence and the match ended in their second league defeat in consecutive weeks.

St Senan’s: Declan Collins, Jake Egan, Neil McDonagh, Aidan McMahon, Brian Collins, Philip Noone, Darragh McCoy, Stephen Ryan, Eamon O’Donoghue, Ian Fitzgerald, Trevor Skerritt, Aaron Skerritt, Tony O’Brien, Ferghal Lawlor, Pa Ryan.
Replacements: Jaymee Keogh, David Webb, Dave Lee, David Dunne, Ger McNamara.

 

League points for Ennis

Ennis 23 Killarney 18

Ennis hosted Killarney in the first round of the Munster Junior League on Sunday. The home side enjoyed a good start and after good build up, David Murphy dropped a goal to put them in front, 3-0. Almost straight away, Killarney got back on level terms with a penalty of their own after Ennis were caught offside.

After absorbing some Killarney pressure, Ennis got back into Killarney territory and were rewarded for their efforts when the referee awarded them a penalty 10m inside the Killarney half. Davy Murphy kicked to the corner and brought his side to within yards of the Killarney try line. From the resulting line-out, Enda Galvin, who was in fine form in the line-out all day, claimed the ball. It was quickly moved through the backs and after just two phases of passing and running lines, John Moore put Cian Flynn in for a try. Murphy converted, to leave it 10-3.

From the restart, Ennis failed to clear the ball to safety and got caught in possession on their own 10m line and turned the ball over. Killarney went down the blind side and another lapse of concentration and missed tackle by the home team let the Kerry side in for a converted try, to level the scores at 10-10.

Ennis  responded well and having played their way into the 22, it was left to Brandon Grant, who passed to tight-head prop Liam Ryan to crash over for a well-deserved but unconverted try.

Soon after this the home side were awarded a penalty after good work by Paddy Harding. The decision to take a quick tap and go was the right one but a knock-on allowed the Kerry team to regain possession and punish Ennis with an unconverted try to leave it 15-15 at half-time. On the resumption, both teams were trying hard but defences were strong.

However, Killarney were beginning to dominate the scrum and were awarded a penalty for their efforts but failed to convert. Ennis then broke downfield and earned a penalty. Davy Murphy knocked it over to give Ennis an 18-15 lead. The home team looked to have regained control of the game at scrum, line-out and general play when yet another lapse of concentration and discipline gave Killarney a penalty, which the reliable Paudie Sheehan kicked to level the scores at 18-18.

There was much for the home side to be worried about, as they contributed most of the Killarney points total through mistakes and poor discipline. The introduction of Conor Guilfoyle added a bit of tempo to the back row. Jeff Ruttle coming into scrum half got the pack moving again. Ennis always looked dangerous out wide and so it was that when the Killarney winger took the ball into the Ennis defence and in particular Cian Guilfoyle, who ripped possession of the ball and sprinted 40m for a try under the posts, which proved to be the match winner. Ennis must eliminate mistakes as Killarney have proved they will be punished severely. Ennis train on Wednesday and Friday at 7pm sharp.

This Sunday, they will travel to play Muskerry in the next round of the league, with kick-off at 2.30pm.
Ennis: Joe Moloney, David O’Connor, Liam Ryan, Enda Galvin, Pat Harding, Alan Brandon, Kelan Flynn, Damien Forde, Cian Guilfoyle, David Murphy, Cian Flynn, Niall Nevin, John Moore, Shaun Flanagan, Brandon Grant.
Subs. Philly Molloy, Conor Guilfoyle, Stevie Dunne, Kealan O’Flaherty, Jeff Ruttle, Roy Duggan.

Spoils shared in U-13 league

Ennis  17   Shannon  17

A very competitive and even game ended with a draw at Lees Rd on Sunday. Both teams might have felt a little unlucky not to push on for the win but in truth, Ennis will probably feel the most relieved with a share of the spoils.

Played at a great pace in spring-like conditions, the skills of youths rugby were on display for the large crowd.
Shannon took a deserved lead, after dominating the opening 10 minutes, with an unconverted try. Ennis then upped the pace and scored three unanswered tries with one conversion. Oisín Mangan got in for the equalising score. Another attack held up short of the line again allowed the elusive scrum-half to break and off-load for Morgan Garry to get his sixth try in three games in the campaign. Garry was again instrumental when wining a 50-50 crossfield kick before off-loading to open-side David McNamara to score under the posts. Tom O’Brien duly converted.

The second half proved to be very different, with Shannon dominating for the entire period. The first-half exertions began to take their toll on Ennis as the team began to run out of steam and conceded two unanswered tries. This was also reflected with Ennis losing four players to knocks in the second half.

This being said, the Ennis team dug deep when under pressure and defended as if their lives depended on it. Some great tackling from Stephan Dolan, Ronan Lanigan, Elias Kunz and Martin McCormack encouraged the rest of their team-mates and they held out until the final whistle.

Ennis: Eldon Nolan, Martin McCormack, Paul Tuohy, Stephen Dolan, Eoin Clancy, James Nugent, Elias Kunz, David McNamara, Oisín Mangan, Tom O’Brien, Shane Brennan, Ronan Lanigan, Frank Roache, Morgan Garry, Sean Dolan.
Replacements: Liam Wall, Eoghan Wallace, Barry Neylon, Philip Talty, Conal Kellegher were all introduced during the course of the game.

Connacht rugby documentary

After the surprise announcement that Eric Elwood is to depart from Connacht rugby at the end of the season, rugby fans will be looking to an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary on Connacht rugby to get an understanding of the level of physical and emotional commitment required to coach and compete at the highest levels of the sport when The West’s Awake, which aired on Wednesday on TG4 is repeated on the same channel on this Saturday at 11.25pm.

The documentary looks at Connacht Rugby’s inaugural Heineken Cup season last year. With unprecedented access granted by Elwood, the documentary follows management, squad and supporters on their eventful season and provides a compelling look at life in the club.

The programme charts Connacht’s European odyssey from the modest Sportsground in Galway to the mighty Stade Ernest Wallon in Toulouse via the Stoop of London and Kingsholm in Gloucester and lays bare the agony and ecstasy of manager Elwood and the Connacht squad as they strive to compete against the cream of European rugby in the face of overwhelming odds. The cameras are in the dressing room to capture the drama and emotion of a roller-coaster year for the province and reveal rarely glimpsed insights into the level of commitment and physical and emotional investment required to compete at the highest levels.

Director Kieran Hartigan said, “The documentary shows how one’s true character emerges in the face of adversity, as it did for these guys in the midst of a very challenging season last year. I think it speaks to a sense of belonging, to being ‘of‘’ this place, Connacht. This is nowhere more evident that in the story of Eric Elwood. His pride in where he comes from, his passion for his team and his ambition for Connacht Rugby shine through.”

Kilrush begin league campaign

Kilrush will begin their league campaign this Sunday when the entertain Corca Dhuibhne at Monmore at 2.30pm. Training takes place at 7.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and new players are welcome.