14.02.2009 J2 XV v Clontarf (A)

14/02/20093:00pmLeagueClontarf3 – 19St. Marys J2 XVAway

St. Mary’s College J2 V Clontarf J2
19                    03
 

The J2’s got back on track for the league with a shaky but in the end comfortable win over clontarf, 19-3. With all the disruption to games due to the weather it was our first game for 4 weeks and only our second this year and it showed. Our match fitness was poor and we made too many mistakes throughout the game letting them off the hook on a number of occasions. The worst thing that happened was that we scored early through Eoin Keane after a charge down from Joey Connolly landed in Killian Lannens hands who drew the cover to send Keaner over. Instead of taking charge from there we let them come back at us and also did not take our own chances, they managed a penalty just before half time so we went into the break 5-3 ahead.

Knowing how poorly we played there were a lot of words said at halftime. We started much better in the second half and really controlled the game from there although we still only managed two more tries the first was a clean break from Joey Connolly on half way who had the pace to make it under the posts, Al Shirley converted and Keaner got another one after being involved twice in the same move, he powered over after taking a pop around the 22, Shirls converted again. Unfortunately we couldn’t manage the bonus point try. We now sit at the top of the league but we need to be a hell of a lot better if we are to beat Lansdowne next week, the league hinges on this result.