1st XV v Dublin University – LSLC by D O’Brien
St Mary’s College RFC V Dublin University
10 14
LSLC
Templeville Road
5th September 2015.
Overall
“A bad Dress Rehearsal and a good opening night”, let us hope that will be so, for today was a disappointment.
There were attacking and defensive errors and the game seemed to lack cohesion, concentration and continuity. We have to remember that this was effectively a practice game and both teams will have benefited from it. In addition, both teams had a number of senior players missing.
It was good to see Marcus O’Driscoll making space and running with real intent and the set pieces were solid. Trinity will be serious rivals in the upcoming AIL Division 1 B campaign. They deserved the victory, they appeared sharper and shapelier, and they showed a resolute defence.
There is work to be done before next Saturday’s visit of old rivals and fellow fallers of last season, Dolphin.
Scoring
Marys started in lively fashion and after ten minutes, following a clean break by Rory (Rocky) O’Donovan, Mark Sexton on a fine vector took the ball over under the posts and Sean Kearns converted. Mark had to then withdraw, injured. And on 15 minutes Sean made the score 10 – 0 with a well struck penalty. It was 24 minutes and TCD scored a good converted try. The score stayed thus until after halftime.
On 54 minutes Trinity scored the winning try from a wide movement and the conversion made the final score 10 – 14. Both teams came close on a few occasions later on but defences prevailed.
D O’Brien
The Squad (Rolling substitutions)
15 R Crotty, 14 P Rouchy, 13 M O’Driscoll, 12 M Sexton, 11 C Gilsenan, 10 S Kearns, 9 D Fanagan, 8 M Fallon, 7 I Cullinan, 6 Richard Sweeney, 5 S Bradshaw, 4 C Ruddock, 3 Robert Sweeney (Capt.), 2 R O’Donovan, 1 B McGovern, N Murphy, P Starrett, T Lynch, E Ferron