Club Notes: Week Ending 28.10.12

This week’s club notes come from Clonakilty RFC, Old Crescent RFC and Young Munster RFC.

CLONAKILTY RFC:- Courtesy of Roy Maguire

Big Game for Clonakilty in Dublin

It has not been the best of starts for Clonakilty but it has been the best in six years. Three points from three games and an abundance of positives will be taken on the road to Sutton this Saturday as Clon attempt to build their All Ireland League challenge. Following a very creditable draw with Armagh in the first game at home, Clon received a rude reminder of the task facing them when they were well beaten in Nenagh the following week.

Nenagh 41 Clonakilty 14

Clon started well and were encouraged by James Deasy dropping the ball onto the crossbar from halfway with a penalty. Unfortunately, it bounced the wrong way, another from 30 metres was narrowly wide and Joe Lee was just short with a drop goal attempt. Clon were pressing and after 13 minutes Deasy despatched a penalty for a five-metre lineout and the resultant maul was rolled expertly to give Alfie Harte the touchdown and Clon the lead 0 – 5 as the conversion was missed. Nenagh reduced the gap with a penalty on 18 minutes and they went ahead 10 – 5 with a very soft converted try from a poorly defended lineout soon afterwards.

Another try from poor tackling, with the exception of Kieran Howlins last ditch attempt, put the Tipp men out to 17 – 5 with an excellent touchline conversion after 28 minutes. Clon were having their moments and David Lombard was unlucky with the line at his mercy before Deasy added a penalty from 40 metres to make it 17 – 8 after 35 minutes. Clon finished the half strongly with Nenagh sacrificing a player to the bin to stop the momentum. A searing break from Howlin, which was stopped by a great tackle short of the line and a superb penalty from Deasy from an awkward angle, following backs and forwards carrying to great effect, gave Clon a target in the second half at 17 – 11.

Unfortunately things went from bad to worse when an unpinged accidental offside opened a gap for Nenagh's no 8 to stroll through for a soft try and the conversion put Clon back 24 – 11. Clon continued to fight and their efforts were rewarded with another Deasy penalty, which was to be their last score, to reduce the gap to 24 – 14. Their application should have got them more but indiscipline was a factor in turning possession over in promising situations. Nenagh secured the bonus point with another converted try to take the scoreboard to 31 – 14.

The loss of Alfie Harte through injury did not help the Clon cause and Nenagh added another penalty to put the match out of reach at 34 – 14. There was an element of softness to the Nenagh trys but the final one was excellent and put a one sided look to the final score of 41 – 14.

The squad was James Deasy, Kieran Howlin, Alan Long, David Lombard, Gearoid Calnan, Joe Lee, Mark Purcell, Gary Shannon, Stephen Cotter, Aidan Foley, Tomas Keogh, Mike Keohane, Batt Duggan, Courtney Canning, Alfie Harte, Derry O’Neill, Ger McCarthy, Fiachra Keane, Ciaran Calnan, Gar Boohig and Donal Dignan.

Sligo 26, Clonakilty 25

A trip to Sligo followed and without Alfie Harte and Mike Keohane, with 251 AIL caps for Clon between them, and the Nenagh defeat fresh in the minds it cannot have been a confident squad that took the field. The reverse was evident from the start as they ran everything from every position. They got off to a great start when good work from Gearoid Calnan was finished by James Deasy dotting down. This was all undone when a penalty concession gave Sligo an attacking line out and when the maul was formed the blindside defence was marked absent as the Sligo man trotted over for the softest of trys on the narrow side. The conversion gave the home side a narrow 7 – 5 lead after 10 minutes.

Adventurous play from Clon with Joe Lee getting the backs moving from his own five-metre line and a fantastic break from Tomas Keogh brought play deep into Sligo’s half. Unfortunately, he was unable to find support and the opportunity was lost. However, Clon continued to play the running game and backs and forward mixed comfortably and were rewarded by a Stephen Cotter try from a selfless pass from Ger McCarthy following prominent work from Deasy and Kieran Howlin. Deasy added the conversion and Clon were 7 – 12 ahead after 20 minutes. Sligo reduced the gap to 10 – 12 with a penalty but good work from McCarthy, a typical break from captain Batt Duggan and when Alan Long was stopped illegally another Deasy kick restored the five point lead at 10 – 15.

Clon continued to open it up at every opportunity and it was a tactic that had Sligo in trouble. A lovely piece of footballing ability from Gearoid Calnan set the template for the next try. He received the ball in space and ran down the touchline and chipped his would be tackler to put the defence in trouble. The ball squirted away from the defender and Long fed Aidan Foley who, with an outrageous dummy, went in at the posts for a great try. Deasy’s conversion made it 22 – 10 and now it was all about bonus points. As far as everyone was concerned both teams were now playing for bonus points – Clon for a winning one with one more try from the remaining hour of play and Sligo looking to get back in the game and salvage a losing point.

It just goes to prove that there is nothing predictable about AIL rugby. Clon continued to run but a tiring pack was soon feeling the weight of the powerful Sligo eight and started to concede penalties. Two of these penalties in the space of ten minutes left only six points between the sides at half time. Clon started the second period with a move that looked likely to secure the win and the bonus point but when it broke down a series of penalties and free kicks gave Sligo great field position and buoyed by this they kicked on to score a try and the conversion gave them the lead at 23 – 22.

Deasy was narrowly wide with a penalty from 45 metres and subsequently turned down an opportunity in favour of the attacking line out. The throw was lost and that turned thoughts to the possibility of not only going home without the bonus point but losing as well. Deasy with an incredible pressure penalty kick gave some relief from 40 metre and a difficult angle taking Clon back into the lead in the dying moments.
The Clon scrum was having difficulty with Sligo’s set piece and maul and the penalties were resulting but the hammer blow was dealt in the most controversial of decisions elsewhere. A Sligo attack broke down and centre, David Lombard, who had had his usual stormer throughout, locked on to the ball in textbook fashion over the isolated player. As he awaited the penalty, which would have allowed Clon to clear, the ruck formed and incredibly the referee penalised Lombard and yellow carded him for good measure in as harsh a decision this observer has ever seen. It was a match winner and a match loser as Sligo slotted the simple kick for a 26 – 25 win.

The squad was James Deasy, Gearoid Calnan, Alan Long, David Lombard, Kieran Howlin, Joe Lee, Mark Purcell, Gary Shannon, Stephen Cotter, Aidan Foley, Tomas Keogh, Donal Dignan, Batt Duggan, Courtney Canning, Ger McCarthy, Derry O’Neill, Colin Barrett, Jason Fleming, Gar Boohig and Ciaran Calnan.

Suttonians Next Up

This Saturday Clon will meet with old rivals Suttonians. This will be the ninth meeting of the clubs and will make Suttonians the club Clon will have met most often in their 12 year AIL history. In the previous 8 games, Clon have the advantage 5 – 3 including the 2006 historic win in Lansdowne Road when the West Cork club lifted the league trophy.

Kinsale 47, Clonakilty 7

The seconds were away to Kinsale in the league and started well but against the run of play, Kinsale drew first bloods with a try in the corner. Clon were soon back on the attack and great work fro Josh Wilcox at 12 made great ground and the ball was moved smartly across the back line where Cathal O’Regan collected to go in for the try. A superb touchline conversion from Gar Boohig gave Clon a deserved 5 – 7 lead. Indiscipline and poor defence allowed Kinsale two more tries in the same corner and when they carved through the centre of the Clon defence for the bonus try it was all over at 22 – 7 with the conversion. They continued to keep the scoreboard ticking for the remainder of the half and at half time it was 42 – 7.

The second half saw a marked improvement with Clonakilty shading the exchanges. They had their chances to put a better look on the score line but failed to do so and it was Kinsale that got the only points of the second half with a late try, against the run of play like their first, to leave the final score 47 – 7. Clon had competed well in that second half and there were notable individual performances but a lot of work needs to be done before they operate as a team.

Clonakilty 5, Carrigaline 48

The following week was more of the same for the seconds this time against visitors Carrigaline. Rocked by two early trys Clon regrouped and fashioned one of their own only for Carrigaline to score another straight from the restart. The cause was not helped by a badly malfunctioning lineout losing three in a row. Carrigaline scored their bonus point try and the game was beyond redemption.

The second half restart by Clon did not go ten metres and from the resultant scrum Carrigaline moved the ball with purpose and scored to make it 24 – 5 and this became 31 – 5 after another lost line out resulted in another converted try perversely after Clon had started to put some good passages together. Carrigaline iced their cake with three more trys, one converted, to leave the final score 48 – 5. Once again there were notable individual performances but until the team trains as a unit it will struggle.

This weekends Fixtures:

Saturday: South Munster Under 15 League, Clonakilty V Crosshaven, The Vale 10.30am.

South Munster Under 17 League, Clonakilty V Dunmanway, The Vale 12 noon
UB All Ireland League, Clonakilty V Suttonians, Sutton, Co. Dublin, 2.30pm

OLD CRESCENT RFC, Courtesy of Frank Larkin

Old Crescent RFC and Garryowen FC play a friendly every year for the O’Donovan Cup. The fixture is played in memory of the late Tony ‘Butch’ O’Donovan who was a stalwart of both clubs. This year the fixture was played in Dooradoyle last Friday evening and it was won by Old Crescent by 21 points to 17.

Pictured in the Garryowen clubhouse after Old Crescent’s 21-17 win last Friday evening in the annual friendly match played between the two clubs for the O’Donovan Cup were, l-r, Frank Larkin (Old Crescent), Tony O’Rourke (Garryowen), Dave Ryan (Garryowen), Old Crescent Vice President Chris Cullinan, and Ronan Barrett, Dermot McGovern, and Michael Murphy (all Old Crescent).

YOUNG MUNSTER RFC:- courtesy of Olivia O'Sullivan

Danaher Sheehan Cup

In addition to our AIL Division 1A game in Cork this Saturday October 27th, both sides will compete for the Danaher Sheehan Cup. Michael Danaher Sheehan played for both clubs winning three Munster Senior Cup medals with Young Munster and a Charity Cup medal with Cork Constitution FC in 1931. He was capped for Ireland in 1932 in the company of Ter Casey also on that team was Noel Murphy. He died in 1974 and in 1975 both clubs decided to put up a trophy in his memory which is competed for every year.

– Johnny Brennan
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Left it behind us… the MSC semi-final

UL Bohemians will progress to meet Cork Constitution in this year’s Munster Senior Cup final after we fell 13-11 to Bohs in Annacotty last Saturday, and Con beat Cashel 26-15 in Cork. Despite starting well and going into the break 11-0 up, the second half was a half our boys will want to forget. Lack of discipline gifted Bohs penalties to get back into the game, and while our defence held strong until the dying minutes, we will remember this game as one we left behind us.

Brian Haugh scored two early penalties to give us a 6-0 lead in the first ten minutes, then came a fine team try from a great break by Dom Lespierre which saw Mike Madden make the eventual touch down in the corner. Haugh didn’t make the difficult conversion from the touchline and he missed a long range penalty just before half-time.
In the second half Bohs kicker Darragh Frawley, the second row, missed two of his own which, despite being good strikes, somehow managed to hit off the upright twice. Even this misfortune for the Robins wasn’t going to see us through however. Further infringements on our side allowed Frawley to slot over two other penalty opportunities in the third quarter.
We had Neville Melbourne sin-binned with five minutes to go of normal time, and Bohs managed to get in at the right corner in the dying minutes with a try by Darren Moroney after a succession of missed tackles from the Young Munster defence. Frawley got the crucial conversion before the final whistle.

Final score: UL Bohemians 13 – 11 Young Munster

SCORERS – UL-Bohemian: Darren Moroney try, Darragh Frawley two pens, one con. Young Munster: Mike Madden try, Brian Haugh two pens.

UL-BOHEMIAN – Darren Moroney; Finbarr Ryan, Martin McPhail, Mossie Lawler, Rory Whyte; Ben Martin, Tim Rafferty; Alex Simpson, Eddie Rossiter, Gary Walsh; Ed Kelly (Capt), Darragh Frawley; Conor Kindregan, Ian Condell, Sean Rennison. Replacements: John Sutton, Tom Burke, Will O’Brien, Brian Walsh, Jack O’Donoghue, Derek Farrell, Rob Buckley.

YOUNG MUNSTER – Declan Bannon; Dom Lespierre, Mark Doyle, Lukas Kuntz, Darragh O’Neill; Gareth Quinn-McDonogh, Brian Haugh; Ger Flaherty, Ger Burke, Hugh McGrath (Capt); Mike Madden, Darren Gallagher; Colin Liston, Gearoid Phelan, Mark Rowley. Replacements: Cathal O’Connor, Darragh Cantillon, Pat Fitzgerald, Luke Russell, Mike Prendergast, Craig O’Hanlon, Derry O’Connor.

REFEREE – Frank Butler (IRFU)

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Win for U21s & bonus point for 3rds

Our 3rd XV had a bonus point win over Old Crescent with tries for Keith Morrissey, Mike O’Brien, Paudie McMahon, Kevin Moloney, Dave O’Connor, Peter Payne, Conor O’Brien and Martin Doyle. Tommy Cronin scored two penalties and one conversion while another conversion was scored by Dave O’Connor.

The U21 squad had a great win over UL Bohemians in Tom Clifford Park on Saturday in the U21 South West Conference, winning 27 – 14.

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Martin O’Connell RIP

The death recently of Martin O’Connell has left a huge void in the Young Munster club. He was past captain of the club in 1954/55, began his playing career in 1950 in the Munster Senior Cup and finished in 1963 in the same competition.
During his playing days he wore the red jersey of Munster with his first cap against Connacht in 1957. He also played for various Limerick selections against visiting teams. He played on Tom Clifford XV against the Wolfhounds on two occasions. While playing for Young Munster he had the honour of winning the Munster Senior League 1951/52, he also won two Charity Cups 1950/51, and 1954/55.
After he retired he attended most games in the company of his family and a large circle of friends and one of his former teammates and close friend Arthur O’Riordan (RIP). To his wife and family we extend our deepest condolences, his presence at Tom Clifford Park will never be forgotten. RIP

– Johnny Brennan

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Club Membership 2012/13

Membership Fees for 2012/13 are now due. Membership renewal forms and membership application forms can be downloaded from the website or available by contacting John McLoughlin. The membership fee is still €;80. Please fill in the appropriate form and return with remittance to:
John Mc Loughlin, Assistant Treasurer, Young Munster RFC, 20 Cherry Avenue, Caherdavin Lawn, Limerick. Or if you wish to register for membership online and pay by laser/credit card go to the local lotto website: www.locallotto.ie <http://www.locallotto.ie> insert Young Munster in the appropriate box and then click on Registrations. You will receive confirmation of your payment and a membership card sent to you.

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Fixtures:

Friday Oct 26th
U17: Nenagh v Young Munster 7.15pm Nenagh

Saturday Oct 27th
AIL Division 1A: Cork Constitution v Young Munster 2.30pm Temple Hill
U21 North Munster Play-Off: Young Munster v Garryowen 2.30pm Garryowen

Sunday Oct 28th
Munster Seconds League: UL Bohemians v Young Munster 2.30pm Annacotty
U19: Young Munster/Ennis v Garryowen 12.00 Showgrounds
U15 League: Young Munster v Richmond 11.30 Derryknockane

Monday Oct 29th
U12 Keating Tournament: 10am Bruff

Sunday Nov 4th
U19 League: Young Munster/Ennis v Bruff 12.00 Showgrounds
U17 League: Young Munster v Ennis 12.00 Derryknockane
U14 League: Bruff v Young Munster 11.00 Bruff