1st XV v Lansdowne (A) by D. O’Brien – 13.12.2024
Lansdowne FC V St Mary’s College RFC
26 32
AIL Division 1A
Lansdowne Road
Friday 13th December 2024.
Overall
Goluptiously Letabund, with an aura of ecstasy surrounding and emanating, almost sparking, from every St Marys supporter of the modest cohort present, after this momentous win. To my recall it was not since 2014 that we last beat Lansdowne there, in AIL, Division 1A. Of course, for several seasons we were not in the same division. It is not possible to convey the joy that this victory brought. Nor is it possible to know quite how good this St Marys’ team is, or even how much more there may be. Not only is it a group of outstanding young men and players; it is their exceptional camaraderie which makes the combined squad even more than the individual players. The club is emotionally on fire, and all teams and members at all levels, are soaked in the success; yet no one is gloating nor presumptuous, we are only at half time in the league. Still we are entitled to our joy.
Although today was a close hard fought sporting spectacle of skill and endeavour, tit for tat scoring, it can be said that St Marys were the better team and deserved their achievement, as they have in all six successful games and their draw away to Cork Con. A feature was the maul, attack and defence, unmoveable and unstoppable.
We came to Lansdowne with some unease, given the history, the nature of the surface and surrounds and given that it was Friday. There was no need to fret, our lads were at home straight away. It was clear the blue side were comfortable and once again scored first. Seldom has there been a performance so full of concentrated determination, fearlessness and adventure, as tonight. It is always easy to find faults, here there were none to find, and there was not one below performance, all excelled.
It was all good news, for we learned that backrow, Aaron O’Brien and winger Zach Hopkins have been selected for the Irish U20 panel. Great big congratulations and best wishes to both, well deserving lads. Both have big rugby careers ahead.
The Team
Ciaran Scott, tighthead prop, made his debut off the bench last week and tonight he had his first start. Under such high pressure conditions it was difficult for him; did he shirk? not for a moment. He found the first few scrums tough, he just kept working and performing with industry and to good effect. Soon he was in carrying and rucking with power and scrummaging strongly. His defence was solid and for his overall contribution to the team and the match he was awarded the Manverton MoM Award to the acclamation of his teammates. He has a promising future without doubt.
It is worth remembering that Tommer (O’Reilly) was on that team which beat the home team in 2014 and once again tonight he made a most important and constant contribution to the game, both in the tight and loose. Right on 80 minutes he scored from a maul to finish the scoring. He loves work and loves a challenge, he never flags and is invaluable to the team, an inspiration. Tommer, former club captain, is one of the most valued and popular players in the club.
Richie Bergin is one of the Titanium Trio not by any means a behemoth but hard, fast and fearless. His throwing tonight was excellent and his all-round contribution highly impressive. He is a vicelike tackler, scrummages strongly and carries like a speed drill. He was terrific.
We had Andrew (Panda) Keating who came on in the second half and had Lansdowne in in further trouble in the scrum, and It is hoped to have Mighty Mick (Michael McCormack) and Jack Reidy Walsh back very soon. Jack Nelson Murray is abroad at present but will return shortly.
There is an outstanding powerhouse, Luc Culliton as his pedigree would dictate, is a quality player who has everything Marys’ speed game demands. He soars and takes, he has a powerful low angle shove and what an open field runner he is, with remarkable prestidigitatorian hands. His partner, Greg Jones, his value to the team is incalculable. He runs an indecipherable lineout and rifles the opposition’s one. It is he who organises the best defensive maul in the AIL and commands the attacking one. On top of that his close defence and all round game at 4, 5 or 6 is highly effective. He had a superb game tonight. They have two top-class colleagues too, ready to come on, Daniel Leane and Paul Deeny, who can play to the same standard in the secondrow or backrow.
The commando unit or backrow was just humming tonight. It is hard to believe that Aaron O’Brien is U20, playing at Six, he was an apotheosis tonight, he was a constant ball carrier, skittling tacklers on occasions, he covered many sorties and he was to be found where needed all game. His contribution at lineout, scrum, maul, and out play are all highly effective. He has found high quality consistency; a true star.
Exocet Ethan, a member of the Titanium Trio, anyone who has a knowledge of the game has to have unending admiration for him. It is often frightening to watch his derring-do. He plays the game at Mc2 without any regard for himself, though never reckless or with mal intent. He is a perfect Seven, he is to be found where the ball is to be found. Tonight he was in full flow, he ram tackled, he was at the carrier’s side to make ground at top pace and he was there to score the first try, taking a high quality ball from Deano to scorch over. A super player and teammate.
The Skipper Ro, Ronan, the number Eight, He is above panegyric or paean, he is the paladin for the team and the club. He does not know how to shirk, he is always to the fore in all regards, with youthful wisdom and ever decisive. He never plays a below par game, and tonight he was as heroic as ever, playing with elegant skill and absorbance of all situations. His lineout work, support play, maul defence, breakdown work particularly, were all admirable. When needed near end game, he was as usual there to ensure that the game would not slip away. We must thank him profoundly for getting his team to where it now is.
You have not seen a better scrumhalf in AIL this season, Colm Reilly has been chomping at the bit, to play at Connacht but has had scant opportunity, so he had not played in a while, but wow did he play tonight. He excelled, with fast zoom passes, often over 20 metres and was aware to every contingency, his vision 20/20 in all respects. His kicking too was excellent, Colm covered an immense amount of ground and he linked seamlessly with his partner our star Deano, picking up a stunning pass from him, chipping ahead and beating the cover to score a celestial try.
There is no question about it, this season once again, Conor (Deano) Dean is the best Ten in the AIL by a fair way. Like his father, he has the artistic hands of Leonardo, the vision of Nostradamus and the bravery of Horatio. He spotted Ethan free for the first try, he steered the ball out past the cover and gave Ethan the opportunity; Ethan does not turn down opportunities and fairly flew in. His pass to partner Colm for his try was just mesmerising. He took on the ball, put in a comma (enough to dupe the marker) then guided out a 20 metre zipper to Colm. His command of the play tonight was another vital aspect of the result. Sometimes he does things so well and so smoothly it is taken for granted. We don’t, he is our Deano!
A feature too of our season this year, has been sizzling and creative midfield play. Often midfield is the area of vital defence, decisive attack and space making. Zip and Zap – Dan and Myles, they took to the surface like swans to a lake. Every game they grow their partnership, the power and precision of Dan and the adventure and electrical sparkle of Myles. Tonight they were skimming over the strange surface as to the manor born. They both were highly effective at the breakdown, while holding firm in defence and exciting and effective in attack. Lansdowne found them extremely difficult to contain.
It is difficult to iterate how good our back three are. Tonight, Leandro (Leo) was the best we have seen him since he came to us. He was like a demented demon with the ball, as he skipped around defenders with zig-zag. He caught every skied or skidded ball and defended with aplomb. He was very unlucky not to get a try. He is affine sportsman who plays with a smile.
Mark (Fogey) is the third of the Titanium Trio. He defies definition, he is so good. He is irrepressible and indefatigable. He is brilliant as a winger, fullback and centre. I cannot think of any player we have had who would be braver, or more consistently excellent. His compass for the line is unerring. He has an insatiable appetite for work. His defence too is impenetrable. He had his usual outstanding game today and scored two scorchers, both required his best. Brilliant.
Hazer in his second season with us came with a big reputation and he has lived up to that reputation and burnished it recently. His Kicking tonight was prodigious, some of his icers hit the meteor shower we all looked for later. His attack is such that few defences want to kick to him. He was a constant threat and vitally important to two of the tries. He revelled in the joust tonight and showed just how good he is.
We are blessed with wingers, with young Zach coming on for the later stage of the game. He is full of talent and pace and has the potential to be a great. Of course, also Silvo was out injured and Hugo Conway is coming back from injury. What a squad.
Scoring Times.
The scores require no description as currently the games are streamed live, and they will have been seen. The first score by Ethan was on ten minutes and was followed by Colm’s try on 15 minutes. Lansdowne scored tries on 32 and 33 minutes. Hazer scored a penalty just before half time to leave the score 14-15 at the half.
It was 43 minutes when Lansdowne brought the score to 21-15. Fogey got his first try on 47 minutes, 21-20 and he got his second on 57 minutes, 21-27. 81 minutes saw Tommer go over on 81 minutes, 21-32. Lansdowne finished the game with a try 26-32.
Team (12 changes during the game)
15 C Hayes, 14 M Fogarty, 13 M Carey, 12 D Goggin, 11 L Ramirez, 10 C Dean 9 C Reilly, 8 R Watters (Capt.), 7 E Baxter, 6 A O’Brien, 5 L Culliton, 4 G Jones, 3 C Scott, 2 R Bergin, 1 T O’Reilly. 16 H Noonan, 17 A Keating, 18 D Leane, 19 P Deeny, 20 A McEvoy, 21 Z Hopkins.
D O’Brien