1st XV v City of Armagh (A) by D. O’Brien – 28.09.24
City of Armagh R F C V St Mary’s College RFC
22 32
Energia AIL Division 1A
The Palace Grounds
Saturday 28th September 2024.
Overall
A lovely day in every way. The sun shone and the game shone. It shone out with joyous rugby by both sides and it shone out with sporting exertions, and it shone out for the visitors with a goluptious garnering of five precious points. Armagh RFC, may have been slightly unlucky not to get a losing bonus point, for they have have a good hard running team and they put together several fine chances, but failed to score at vital times. Again, this game showed that AIL 1A is a high quality league which delivers competitive, exciting entertainment, and engenders sportsmanship and friendship.
Mark et al will have been well pleased, for his charges showed a tough defensive ability and many of the fundamental qualities of a successful team, including patience and unruffled execution. Having spent nearly 50% of the first half in obdurate defence they showed a sharp face, as they took their chances when presented, built confidence on positives, and used this to good effect to seal a comprehensive victory with four tries and two penalties, to three tries and a penalty. Jamie could afford a big warm smile having watched the defence today.
A most important aspect of the St Marys’ game was the lineout, which was imperious in defence and adventurous and successful in offence, pilfering and disruptive. It is sometime since there has been such complete lineout performances, with excellent deliveries as well as retrievals and interventions. Greg Jones will have had a deep feeling of satisfaction, for he came to us with a reputation as a fine lineout strategist and director. He has already proved to be top class; indeed he contributes most effectively himself there, and elsewhere all respects.
There were many fine performances today. In a backrow that was unfortunately minus Captain Ronan Watters, yet was still superb, with the aforementioned Greg, highly valued and rumbustious Ronan Foley, and Exocet Ethan Baxter in a symphonic performance. Ethan today, was phenomenal. He prowled the backspace, cutting down invaders and cutting off any wide threats, in the first half he had a stunning try-saving tackle, he was found in attack too, on the wing plucking from the air, a finely placed cross-kick of Deano’s, and running in a sweet try. Later in the half, he took a brilliant vector, cut open the Armagh defence, before unloading to deadly Dan Goggin who scored under the posts. Ethan suffered a hyper-extension of his elbow joint, when it was put back in, he continued to play. He received the Manverton MoM Award.
As we had found on previous visits to the Palace Grounds, the home sides start at great pace attacking hard, winning turnovers and spinning the ball. Here is where the Marys lads showed their worth as they mopped up all incursions and repelled every onslaught. The Marys attack too, was impressive. The tendency to run across was missing and the pace and space filling was sharp and punchy. The back three were a constant threat. No doubt, Armagh will be glad not to have to face Leandro again for a while, as he was a torment to them today with his zigzags and counterattacks. A reassuring aspect of the game was the seamless effectiveness of the replacements, such as young promising pals, Aaron O’Brien and Adam McEvoy (sons of former St Marys’ senior scrumhalf Niall and fullback Arthur), Ian Wickham, Howard Noonan, Cameron Stewart and Zac Hopkins.
President Tim Taylor was extremely welcoming of our President Paudge McGill and his committee (He welcomed Paudge and committee in Irish) , and it was good to see big John Callaghan there, former IRFU President and Ulster President when Ulster won the European Cup in 1999. Then he left the celebrations to come up to the St Mary’s College RFC annual club dinner, a good friend to club rugby.
It was cheering to see so many good Marys’ supporters; parents, Alickadoos, players’ pals, and hors de combat colleagues, there. It is important for the team and coaches to feel that support. Also noted there, Lorraine Dean, Declan Fanning, Liam Byrne, Aoife, Quinner, Ronnie Douglas and Franko, Des Earley, G-Mack and son, Michael (out injured) celebrating his birthday, Simon Bailey, Prof Mick Farrell, Niall O’Brien and family, Liam Birkett and Spike, the Hayes family, Mick the Medium, TBM, and many more.
Scores
Armagh showed intent and ran the ball well, Marys stayed calm and stood firm then on the break, with ten minutes gone, Deano put across one of his dink specials to the tracking Ethan on the wing, he did what he does so well to score out wide. 0-5. Four minutes later Armagh won a scrum penalty and went to the corner, having been held up they accrued two more penalties and got over on the third. Their right winger O’Brien proved to be a fine kicker and converted from the corner. 7-5. He scored a penalty on 36 minutes, 10-5 and Mick O’Gara (MOG) converted a fine 40 metre kick on 38 minutes, 10-8. The temperature of the game was heating and only a minute later, after an attack back from the kick off, Leandro took it hard up the left wing passed in to support, then it passed through several runners at pro pace, into the 22 the ball came back from an en passant ruck, to Ethan and he hit the hot button, zipped along through a hole past the cover, out to big Dan who went over under the posts, 10-15. Dangerous Dan was making a lot ground with the ball by now, and Marys had really settled. Play continued a for several minutes and on 43 minutes from loose play Panda broke through and the ball got out to Michael Silvester (Silvo), who beat his man and gave it in to Lucas who skinned his man and passed to fast back up Richie Fahy, he cut in and over, MOG added two, so half time it was 10-22.
The second half started with confidence up in the visitors, and MOG added a penalty on 44 minutes, 10-25. This period of Marys dominance saw some fine rugby played; including Leandro going over in the corner but hitting the post as he dived over but also being clipped by a defender. The referee and touch judge conferred and we received a penalty which yielded nothing, but on 64 minutes after penalty for the visitors to the corner and a strong maul, a penalty was awarded and while playing advantage Silvo gave a fine cross field kick, onto which effervescent Leandro ran and scored, with MOG adding the two it was 10-32 and we were pinching ourselves. But Armagh are battlers and never stopped playing and were reward with two tries, the first a fine effort with multi player involvement to make it 17-32 and into extra time they made it 22-32 with a close in try following a penalty to the corner. That was the end. 22-32.
There was respectful celebrations at the end. To see the genial smile from President Paudge’s face was nearly worth another score. All repaired to the fine clubhouse to share anecdotes and sociability. We are now 3rd on the table although it is very early it is encouraging as we visit our special friends at Ballynahinch next weekend. Steve Hennessy (then Head Coach) reminds us of the first time in 2005, we played up there in a game we won 7-9. Three penalties from Jonno Sexton, who had a tough joust with Andy Ward (two greats).
A number of alickadoos, led by the president will go there on Friday and share a meal and more conviviality that evening. The remainder of you we trust, will be along on Saturday to Roar on Ronan.
Team (12 changes during the game)
15 C Hayes, 14 M Silvester, 13 D Goggin, 12 M O’Gara, 11 L Ramirez, 10 C Dean(Capt.), 9 R Fahy, 8 R Foley, 7 E Baxter, 6 G Jones, 5 P Deeny, 4 L Culliton, 3 A Keating, 2 J Nelson-Murray, 1 J Reidy-Walsh. 16 H Noonan, 17 C Stewart, 18 I Wickham, 19 A O’Brien. 20 A McEvoy, 21 Z Hopkins.
D O’Brien