JP Fanagan (U-20) League Premier 1 – St. Mary’s College RFC v Lansdowne FC

St Mary’s College RFC 33 – Lansdowne 15

 

It was a nervy opening for the men in blue on Sunday, as Lansdowne came out of the blocks quickly and made the most of their early pressure. A penalty got the visitors on the board, and a converted try soon followed. Inside the first 15 minutes, Mary’s found themselves 10–0 down and with plenty of work to do.

To their credit, the U20s didn’t panic. They gradually took control of the game and began to build pressure of their own, and once the first score came, the momentum swung firmly in their favour.

Matthew Morrissey got Mary’s going with the opening try, giving the side the lift they needed. Diarmuid O’Shea followed with a try of his own, and Chris Maguire added a third as Mary’s began to pull away. O’Shea then crossed for his second of the game. Morrissey completed the scoring with his own second try, capping off a superb spell of 33 unanswered points.

Lansdowne kept going to the end and were rewarded with a late consolation try. However, by then the result was well beyond them, and Mary’s saw out the game to claim a deserved 33–15 victory.

It was a strong response after a difficult start, and the side showed real character to turn the game around so convincingly. Man of the Match honours were shared between Diarmuid O’Shea, who capped a fine display with two tries, and Josh Kelly, who was outstanding throughout. Matthew Morrissey also deserves a mention for his brace. That said, there are definitely improvements to be made, particularly in starting games sharper and avoiding giving teams an early foothold.

The U20s will need to be at their best this coming Sunday, as they welcome Blackrock College to Templeville Road in what promises to be a tough test.

All support is welcome, so come down and get behind the lads!

Vincent Murray