1st XV v Shannon (H) by D. O’Brien – 08.12.2007
St Mary’s College RFC V Shannon RFC
10 8
Templeville Road
Saturday 8th December 2007
“Rumours of our demise have been greatly exaggerated” you can say that again and no, you are not dreaming that is the result and a fair result too.
It is difficult to describe what it was all like for it so much of it belonged to emotion; tremble, hope, fear, and joy. It is not since the nineties when Templeville Road bustled and hummed, that we had a game, or support, like this. And it all occurred on a day when you would not put Rynner’s one man and his dog out. If there’re was gale last week this was more like a tornado and when we had it with us in the first half it looked a difficult task for later. I have to tell you that Steven Hennessy had never been more certain about winning a game from Thursday onward.
This was a game of eighteen heroes on the Marys’ side, all showing bursting pride and bravery and putting so much into the game that, young and fit as they all are they were in a total state of happy exhaustion afterwards. All of this was achieved without many front liners including Kevin Sheahan, Conor Mc Inerney and Nasher. It would be unfair not to mention a few persons who maybe did even a little bit more. Firstly the back row, from start to finish they did more than ever could be asked of them, Richie (Chips) Sweeney playing at Seven was sacrilegious, sacking and laying waste to all in front of him and intelligently holding the ball in tight corners. Hugh Hogan was magnificent, found where the action was, reading the game, with deadly tackling, making the calls and adding a vital extra in the line-outs when it really mattered. He never lost one. Then there was Keaner, I saw him on the mud breath heaving and he drove himself up into a tackle, then another and another five tackles in a row and then won a turnover and took off with the ball with a war cry COME ON as he ploughed through them. He also took several critical lineouts. He just edged man of the match. Now we must remember there was the rest of the team. Logie was immense in his efforts and leadership; he is brave man and an outstanding captain. He has come though a serious accident and is playing with pain all the time, he is a credit to the club. He did have to leave half way through the second half and Fergus O’Sullivan who replaced him can be very happy with his effort, today he came of age as a senior player. Others to come in later in the game were Matt Crockett, Frank Lynch and Mark Donnellan, all played their essential part. Victor Ryan never stopped working and the front row can take a lot of confidence and joy from the performance, turning and pressurising a Shannon pack all through. How could you forget the backs they were willing to do all that was asked of them and more, and near the end of the game they made some notable tackles? Having Jonno there in itself is a bonus and he inspires all around him. Paddy Lane was particularly happy, having beaten Shannon every time he played them over his long career. He played against them ten years ago and again today. Two out of Two isn’t bad? Darragh Fanning continues to mature in ability and confidence, they found him difficult to deal with, he seems to look more comfortable at 11 than 14 and covers well from there. Rob Gannon did everything asked of him at fullback, without getting too many chances to go forward, the day being as it was.
A special mention for Matt D’Arcy, who lost his grandfather Tom during the week and played, as wished by his granddad, and of course he was top class.
We kicked off with the wind and with Jonno’s help and hard work we stayed in their half for the first five minutes after which we got a penalty for coming in on the side and Jonno kicked it. We continued to press and with real conviction and confidence and it soon became clear that we were not only matching them but bettering them in many areas, including often in the scrums. After ten minutes Juan Gomez burst through the centre and made good ground a quick ruck and Robert (Chops) Sweeney took off like a rampant rhino scattering tacklers. He was stopped just at the line and we got a scrum, and then another and another, which we swung and Hugh Hogan crashed over. Jonno converted. They kicked off, we had a mix up, this led to holding on the ground and they took a penalty to the corner, threw in the ball to the front, mauled and went over. Not good, well they did not convert and we got back to work straight away and it became a ding dong tussle. The wind made it very difficult and there were very many missed throws, knock-ons dropped balls etc from both sides. During the last 15 minutes of the half we lost some of our intensity, with short lapses of concentration, however it was 10 – 5 at half time and we were still there.
Second Half. Many would have thought that now the Shannon would sweep over and swamp our lads, however, the half-time words from Steve, Smythy, Ciaran Potts and Logie had a galvanising effect. You could almost smell the resolve and calm determination. Shannon are a confident and skilled team and they were about to launch themselves at us in every way they knew. We stood toe to toe and never gave an ounce to them. When they kicked at us we ran back, when they ran at us we hit them back, and when they got their powerful maul going we drove them back. After 12 minutes they did get a penalty from Andrew Thompson, it was now 10 – 8 and later they tried another one from past their own ten metre line (was this a sign of their fallibility?), we stood firm. As the half wore on they raised the pace even more and for the last ten minute they laid siege to our line. It was awe inspiring. They rammed forward, they drove forward, they crashed forward, they tried to go through us, they tried to go around us, over us, even under us and we tackled and we tackled and we tackled. They came in waves, they came in twos, in threes, in fours and we fought them off and drove them back. Eventually we did give a silly penalty and we held our breath, they took a tap and ran at us again, we held firm they then switched and went wide along our line, the Sextons knocked them down, it went on, Frank tackled, Dougie brilliantly arrowed into them and the ball went loose, we took it up, 35 metres, all together in a swaying maul, while under the urging of Rynner and Nasher, the crowd chanted MARYS…MARYS we surged on, we got a penalty. While we waited for Jonno to take it the crowd seemed to subdue the very storm and to envelop the players with their need, and the players seemed to rise from the mud and the growing gloom, in height and strength. The ball went into touch we won the ball we guarded it with each sinew and the whistle went again, and it was for us again a penalty, and it was the end.
It must be added that Shannon were ,as ever, worthy opponents and so very hard to vanquish.
If last week it was joyous, this week it was euphoric, for all who love Marys. Steve, Smythy and Pottsy bore the benign smiles of proud parents; John Doddy had the look of a benign grandparent [a very young one], (as he had his little granddaughter Chloe in his arms) and a wonderful grin on his face. Frank and the Kennedy clan were ready to burst with pride and all sang the night away. We have of course had more important wins and more historic days but today it did not seem that way. It was good that so many were there to witness it, including all of our injured players, there to cheer on their teammates. Rob Smyth had his first of two ops this week on his knee. I know we all wish him well. Also there, some of our Leinster players who were Frank’s guests at the lunch and who waited to support our team and none cheered louder than Mal, Shane or Keith.
A smile in the history of St Marys..
D O’Brien.
Team 15 R Gannon, 14 P Lane (F Lynch), 13 K Douglas, 12 M Sexton, 11 D Fanning, 10 J Sexton, 9 M D’Arcy, 8 H Hogan, 7 Richie Sweeney, 6 E Keane (M Donnellan), 5 G Logan (Capt.) (F O’Sullivan), 4 V Ryan, 3 Rob Sweeney, 2 M Duggan (M Crockett), 1 J Gomez.