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J1 vs. St. Mary's Match Report |
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J1 League Bective vs. St. Mary's 10th January 2011 Match report thanks to Conor Donnelly Bective suffered a heavy defeat by 29-8 at the hands of a daring and impressive St.Marys under the lights last Monday in Donnybrook. It was a frenetic game played in front of a strong turnout that included literally one man and his dog. Rangers were looking to carry the momentum of the strong performance enjoyed on Saturday by the senior team. Twelve minutes in and Rangers opened the scoring when they were awarded a penalty just outside the twenty-two after Marys jumped offside. The kick just missed but sometimes opportunity knocks at the most unexpected time. Marys had the twenty- two drop out blocked and some alert thinking and great work rate saw the home side seize the ball and score the opening try of the game through Trevor Manning to enjoy an early 5-0 lead. St.Mary looked to play the game at a breakneck pace throughout the game and sought to inject pace into their play whenever they had possession. They played with a style similar to that of Arsenal, creative and daring to watch but at times players sometimes over complicated matters for themselves and ran in to dead ends when perhaps a simpler option would have been the correct one to take.
However the visitors were rewarded for their adventure on seventeen minutes when a well worked backline move saw Mary’s winger, Conor Hogan, set free by a lovely reverse pass. He eluded two Bective defenders and raced in for a try in the corner .Hogan then converted his own try from a very difficult angle to make the scoreboard read 7-5 in favour of the visitors. They had a chance to extend the lead even further just before halftime when one of the Marys centre crossed the line only to be denied by the Bective defence who managed to hold him up. Mays put Rangers under pressure going for scrum after scrum to try and open the door but each time Bective stood strong and slammed the door shut eventually winning a penalty and clearing the danger to leave the scores at 7-5 at half time. Just like they had in the first half the home team opened the scoring after the break. After a high tackle by a Marys player Bective were awarded a penalty. It was duly slotted over by Simon Mitchell and Rangers regained an 8-7 lead. Bective struggled to impose themselves on the game throughout and although they enjoyed periods of possession, some poor handling let them down and difficulties at the lineout meant Rangers never really got into a rhythm. On fifty eight minutes some scintillating rugby from Marys saw them retake the lead. Bective turned the ball over at midfield when a quick pass to man of the match, Conor Hogan, saw the speedster shred the Bective defence with a burst of speed that would not look out of place at next year’s Olympics for his second try of the night to make the scoreboard read 12-8. Four minutes later Marys were held up over the line again after some sloppy defence by Bective in defence saw them turn the ball over. Marys but were unable to breach the Bective defence as another terrific goal line stand by Rangers saw Marys leave empty handed. The visitors would not be denied for long though. Poor kicking by Bective saw Marys collect the ball just outside the Bective twenty- two. A pass by scrumhalf, Philip Brophy, released the supporting runners and once again Marys pace proved too much for Bective as they ran in for try number three. Another loose kick by Bective from their own twenty -two failed to find touch instead finding the welcoming hands of Brophy who once again played provider when his pass found winger, Ray Crotty,who showed some sparkling speed of his own as he ran in for a try from 30 metres out to make the score 24-8. Marys completed the scoring and the rout on seventy- eight minutes when the Marys replacement wing, Ian O’Neill, picked up the ball in his own twenty-two and made a mesmerizing break down the wing. He passed it inside to the supporting player who ran it in for try number five. Bective had a chance for a consolation try in injury time when with play in their opponents twenty- two Bective spread the ball but it was just not meant to be as the ball was knocked on just when it looked like they would grab a late try much to the visible frustration and annoyance of the Bective players. |
