04.03.2011 J5 XV v DLSP (A)
| 04/03/2011 | 7:30pm | League | De La Salle Palmerstown | 0 – 24 | St. Marys J5 XV | Away |
De La Salle Palmerston RFC VS St Mary’s College RFC
Kirwan Park, Palmerston 7.30pm Kick off
Table toppers St Mary’s made the short trip down the M50 on Friday night to take on De La Salle at a pristine Kirwan Park. St Mary’s hit the ground running and had the better of the opening exchanges with their pack grapping a strangle hold on the game. Mary’s opened the scoring when their impressive flanker Jody Brooks crossed the white wash. This try came about from good Mary’s attacking play that resulted in a penalty on De La Salle 5 meter line and with Captain Anthony O’Hanlon declining the 3 points on offer Mary’s looked to there outstanding second row partnership of Ian McCarthy and Eamonn Walsh to take the ball on and with De La Salle defence scrambling Brooks spotted the gap and went over the white wash to give Mary’s an early lead. Mary’s kicker Daithí Crowley again had a slow start to his kicking and failed to add the 2 points.
The game started to open up for the next 10 minutes and it was littered with mistakes and penalties. Mary’s where the main offenders in chief in the penalty count and where starting the rack up the penalties as the ref were struggling to get a grip on the game. To Mary’s good fortune De La Salle kicker was having an off night and was not able to convert 2 kickable penalties. This bit of good fortune spurred Mary’s into life and where soon 10 nil in front after their captain went under the post for Mary’s second try. The try was in conjunction with the game and came from a good break by James Hynes that resulted in the off load to Anthony O’Hanlon to leave him with the easy task of touching down under the posts. Crowley duly added the 2 points to leave the score at Mary’s 12 De La Salle 0. This was to be the last score of the first half, with Mary’s going in at half time the happier team.
Mary’s had to start the second half without their inspirational elder states man Ian McCarthy who had to retire due to a shoulder injury which is suspected to be arthritis. De La Salle upped their game in the second half and enjoyed most of the ball at the start of the second half and had Mary’s defence under huge pressure. To Mary’s credit their defence stood tall and to be honest De La Salle never looked like breaking down this well organised defence.
Mary’s again had another set back with them losing their centre and kicker Daithí Crowley to injury but were lucky to be able to call on the ever enthusiastic Dave Sheedy to come in. Mary’s where now threatening to kill off the game and where camped in the De La Salle 22 and were starting to up the phase count and put De La Salle defensive to the test. De La Salle finally gave way and Kieran Morrissey went under the posts giving Gary Crawford the easy task of converting the try which he duly obliged with. Morrissey had to leave the field straight away through injury, which resulted in the impressive Caolan Smith coming on at number 13 and the ever versatile Gary Crawford moving to scrum half.
The game now was starting to peak out and David Millard put the result out of De La Salle reach when he went over in the corner with 5 minutes to go. This was the last score of the game and Mary’s ran out winner on a score line of St Mary’s 23 De La Salle 0. St Mary’s stay top of the J5 table with a 4 point cushion over close rivals Terenure.
St Mary’s College Team.
1. David Browne
2. Hugh Lyons
3. Steven Walkin
4. Ian McCarthy
5. Eamonn Walsh
6. Jody Brooks
7. James Hynes
8. Anthony O Hanlon (Capt)
9. Kieran Morrissey
10. Mick Daly
11. Andrew Fitzpatrick
12. Daithí Crowley
13. Garry Crawford
14. David Millard
15. Caolan Reid
Subs:
Maurice Davin, Lorcan Byrne, Caolan Smith, David Sheedy and Daniel McEvoy.