UCD RFC V St Mary’s College RFC
21 29
Energia AIL Division 1 A
The Bowl, Belfield
Saturday 26th October 2024.
Overall
Most of you will remember on a similar October Saturday 2016, our coming to Belfield and winning a tight game (13-19), with a very young Caelan Doris having a sizzling game. We are all very proud of Caelan, his marvellous career and his well-deserved honour of being appointed long-term Captain of the Irish Rugby Team.
Today, even before the game there was a warm optimism, as we were welcoming back Skipper, Ronan Watters. The weather was fair and the temperature mid-teens. The squad put up a good performance in winning 21-29. Marys had led 7-26 at half time, after almost overwhelming the hosts. We benefited from greatly improved discipline, and indeed won several penalties, two leading to tries. Generally Marys won the gain-line and our midfield was effective and secure. The second half the team relaxed a bit and got a fright, when UCD scored two tries to get within one score. This was a valuable lesson for a young team for, pulling themselves together and repelling the onslaught, they kept cool, then took a penalty on offer, to extinguish the UCD conflagration. The judicious application of replacements to the system by Head Coach, Mark McHugh, proved to be highly effective, demonstrating once again that that the modern game is squad based, rather than team based. This experience may be telling later in the season.
UCD have talented athletic players, but lack the organisation to be as effective as they might be. For Marys, this was a satisfying outcome and puts us third on the table, two ahead of our strongest rivals, Terenure. Once again the set piece organisation and execution stood out. The UCD lineout was a challenge but Greg Jones, had prepared; and the coordination between him and his hooker, was exemplary. Jack Nelson-Murray, at hooker, exact in his deliveries, his general handling of the mauls, his contribution to the breakdown and support were all notable and invaluable. He scored two tries from mauls, once embedded, and once from a break out. He was selected to receive the Manverton MoM Award.
The Scoring
After only three minutes when on the attack down the right wing, Conor Dean, ever sharp and alert to opportunity, saw UCD narrow on the left and the effervescent and willing Leandro Ramirez , free. He did his brilliant Deano Dab, found Leandro; and two jinks later he was over and scoring. Conor Hayes converted from far out and we were on the scoreboard. 0-7. We continued to probe. In the UCD 22, we had a scrum, Ronan Foley at 8, has a feel for things and just right, he picked and arced around, Big Dan Goggin took a perfect vector and scored close in, 0-14; it was nine minutes. On 17 minutes, we won a penalty and when it went into the left corner, the ball was secured and the maul formed. It swung inwards, then straightened and split, and clever maul driver Jack Nelson, dived over. It was 0-19.
UCD went on the attack, and on 23 minutes after assailing our line they broke through and it was 7-19. However when almost half time, we got another penalty to the right corner this time and Jack did his job again and it was 7-26 going in at half time.
University rugby is unpredictable and it was clear that there would be a reaction. And after all they being young academics, they were bound to have a good supply of Freshmen, to call on if required.
Straight from the recommencement UCD attacked and after six minutes they got over and it was 14-26. They got a mauled try when it was 59 minutes, 21-26. And there were those in blue with a little apprehension. However, shortly afterwards, we won a penalty in front of the UCD posts, and wisely, Mick O’Gara converted it and it was 21-29. That was how it ended.
There was an extra treat after the senior game as the J1s of both clubs faced off under the captaincy of highly talented young Conor Pierce, and the Marys lads put on an astrospheric performance, beating the hosts 24-54. From that performance, you can appreciate the quality, as more than 2/3 of the team were a regular part of the squad that bought us back to 1A. They are of course part of the current squad and this emphasises once more, how important a wide quality squad is. Below the squad.
1. Cameron Stewart 2. Eoin Power 3. Ciaran Scott 4. Ian Wickham 5. Liam Corcoran 6. Daniel Leane 7. Luca Manselli 8. Conor Pierce (C) 9. Shane McGrath 10. Aaron O’Neill 11. Stephen Kennedy 12. Peter Ford (vc) 13. Mark Fogarty 14. Hugo Conway 15. Stephen Kilgallen 16. George Hassett 17. Daniel Lyons 18. Daniel Cullen 19. Andrew Walsh 20. Alex Dix.
We have built momentum now and are in a good position to move forward. The 9th November will be a festive day; a day of swarm, of cheers and beers, and fears and frets, but overall, days like these make indelible marks in our journals of life. These are the days for players that make the sweat sweet, and for the supporters, days to test sportsmanship and prepare for hangovers. To some it seems short, but in fact it is a long history of rivalry between our two clubs and if we admit it, there are few if any in either club, who would not have warm friendships with some in the other’s club. We will welcome our Terenure neighbours warmly in all respects and enjoy a great meeting.
However, this is a game when players and supporters must be at their intense best. But you must be there to cheer on your club and club rugby.
Come on Roar on Ronan.
Team (12 changes during the game)
15 C Hayes, 14 M Silvester, 13 M Carey, 12 D Goggin, 11 L Ramirez, 10 C Dean9 R Fahy, 8 R Foley, 7 R Watters (Capt.), 6 A O’Brien, 5 L Culliton, 4 G Jones, 3 T O’Reilly, 2 J Nelson-Murray, 1 J Reidy-Walsh. 16 H Noonan, 17 A Keating, 18 P Deeny, 19 E Baxter, 20 M O’Gara, 21 Z Hopkins.
D O’Brien