West Munster U14 League Killarney 12 Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne 26
The new 2019-2020 season kicked off when we hosted Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne at Aghadoe in a game structured into 3 thirds of 17 minutes - to enable all players to get some game time.
We started the first third slowly and rapidly conceded 2 tries to a RCD team for whom this was their third game of the season - having already beaten Castleisland and Abbeyfeale. Killarney 0 RCD 12. Getting to grips with the jump in intensity from training matches to the real thing, we came back into the game with our pack showing good control and power at scrums and rucks. We began to hold RCD deep in their 22. We looked as if we had broken through but knocked forwarded in the act of grounding the ball. However, from the resulting scrum five we obtained possession a neat side-step allowed out-half Dara Stack to break the line before touching down beside to the posts. Shane O'Sullivan landed the conversion. Killarney 7 RCD 12.
Buoyed by the breakthrough we continued to string good phases together and a second try came after good work by Bryan Walsh almost put Leon Bowler in the corner - having stretched RCD on our left we recycled well, kept the ball alive and rapidly switched play to the right where openside Gearóid Sugrue appeared in support and was able to step inside the drifting RCD defence. The angle was too difficult to make the conversion but we were now back on level terms - Killarney 12 RCD 12. With no further scores - we reached the end of the first third at 12-12.
Unfortunately, the second third started similarly to the first with the rapid concession of tries to leave us 12-26 down. Chances came and went but we were unable to add to our score in the second period so the score at the point stood as the final score. The third third was a chance to give the rest of the squad a run out and for some this was their first taste of a real rugby match and a chance to show they ought to start the next game.
Overall, while disappointing to lose - we played some good "heads up" rugby against a team who had already played and won twice. Thanks to all the lads for the effort
Killarney U14 XV:
Thomas Chambers, Luis Caruz Echevarria, Scott Carlton; Ciaran Doyle, Alfie Barrett; Dylan O'Brien, Gearóid Sugrue, Shane O'Sullivan;
Senan Cotter, Dara Stack; Leon Bowler, Ignacio Moreno Guzman, Bryan Walsh, David Butler, Mark Kennelly;
Subs: TJ Healy, Conor O'Sullivan, Eanna Coffey, Gearóid O'Connor, Alex Sheahan, Eivind Caulfield-Dreier, Tomás Swords, Muiris O'Donoghue, Hugh Dorrian, Connie Counihan, Con Carroll, Kris O’Leary, Jake Leahy, Luke Courtney, Jack Tangney;
