Weekend Match Reports March 24th & 25th
U14
The U14s played Killarney RFC in a friendly fixture on Saturday morning in Ballymalis. This provided valuable game time after a season badly disrupted by the weather, but it ultimately proved to be a mismatch as the strong and numerous Killarney squad had too much power and pace for an understrength home team. Killorglin held their own for the first fifteen minutes, by keeping possession and some heroic rucking, and the match remained scoreless. Eventually however the superior size and fitness of the visitors gave them an edge at the breakdown and they started to ask questions that the home team were unable to answer, scoring four tries by half time. Killorglin had brief purple patch in the second half when sustained pressure on the Killarney line led to Joe Cronin-Langham touching down for our only score of the game, but Killarney reasserted their dominance and went on to win comfortably. Killorglin got a stern test of defence which will hopefully prove to be better than any amount of training, and can take some positives from a fairly solid scrum and the individual performances of Joe Cronin-Langham, Donncha Crowley, Colin Griffin, Cathal Daly, Finnegan O’Sullivan and Mike Teahan. Next up the U14s will face Listowel in the semi-final of the West Munster Plate.
Team: Fergal O’Shea, Fionn Sheahan, Joe Cronin-Langham, Donncha Crowley, Finnegan O’Sullivan, Cillian Buckley, Colin Griffin, Mike Teahan, Peadar Whelan (C), Kevin O’Callaghan, James Prendeville, Cathal Daly, Ben O’Dwyer, Adrian Johnston.
U16
Seniors
The Seniors took the long drive to Dungarvan for the first round of the J1 division 3 playoff. Killorglin struck first when they earned a penalty in front of the posts. Luke O’Shea struck the ball well and put his team ahead 3-0. Dungarvan then had 2 chances to level the game with penalties of there own but both attempts went wide. Dungarvan were award a 3rd penalty and slotted the kick to level the game at 3 all.
Both teams were kicking for territory and making advances but neither could get over the line. Not long from half time Dungarvan made a break through the middle, Kyle Byrne made a brilliant tackle at the line to keep Dungarvan out but Dungarvan were quick to the ruck and spread the ball wide and crashed over in the corner. The conversion was wide leaving the score at 8-3 to Dungarvan, the score would stay this way at halftime.
Dungarvan struck again after half-time dotting down to the right if the posts and converting the try putting the score at 15-3. Killorglin kept pressing for their next score. Luke O’Shea found a gap in the Dungarvan defense and broke free nearly getting over the line. Killorglin battered the Dungarvan line until a professional foul from Dungarvan stopped the play and Dungarvan were shown yellow. Killorglin chose a scrum from the resulting penalty but couldn’t get over the line. Killorglin kept pressing and good break from Colm Conway saw the team inch closer and closer. Dungarvan then had a scrum on their own 5 meter line, a massive scrum from Killorglin pushed Dungarvan back over their own line, Brian Hayes had his thinking cap on an grounded the ball to give Killorglin a try. O’Shea added the spares to bring the scoreline to 15-10 in favour of Dungarvan. Killorglin pressed hard but ran out of a time the game finishes 15-10.
This was the Seniors last game of the year, they put in a great effort and it was a very entertaining game of rugby. They will take a well deserved break and look towards next season.