On Sunday last our U15s made the short trip to Coonagh to take on Shannon RFC in the 8th round of the North Munster Conference. On a nice dry morning conditions were ideal for rugby. The ground was a little sticky but held up well. Our panel is small and with an ongoing injury to 1 or 2 and we had only 2 subs. The game started in a business-like fashion, with both teams scoping each other, probing for weakness etc. Following some good pressure inside their 22, Jack Mac powered over under the posts for our first try, which was duly converted by Zac. Shannon then got in for a try of their own following some poor defending by Nenagh, and they followed up with another unconverted try to leave the score 12 7 at half time. Nenagh upped the ante in the second half, and Mason was rewarded with a fine try, which was converted by Tristan who took over the kicking duties following an injury to Zac. Shannon then scored a converted try with 10 minutes to go to leave them 5 up going down the home straight, however this Nenagh team are nothing if not resilient. The forwards powered into the game, and hooker John Mulvihill touched down with a fine try about 10 yards from the corner – this levelled the game at 19 each, and Tristan stepped up to take the very difficult conversion. In any circumstances this was a difficult kick, but with the added pressure of knowing this might win the game, Tristan could have been forgiven for not converting. But cometh the hour, cometh the man he struck it sweetly and it sailed over the black spot to put us 2 up. Some terrific defending, and no less then 3 turnovers in the final few minutes ensured we finished with a hard fought win. Operating at full back Alex Moloney was rock steady and made a number of try saving tackles. This was a good team performance, especially in the second half, where we began to impose ourselves on them. Special mention, not for the first time this season, to our big powerful lock Mikey Morgan. In the final few minutes, as both teams tired and with the game on a knife edge, up stepped Mikey and took the game by the scruff of the neck and with his menacing physicality almost single handedly drove Shannon back time and time again. We wish all our injured players a speedy recovery from the knocks picked up in this tough game.
Team: Dylan Schweitnitz John Mulvihill William Fogarty Dylan Dorris Mikey Morgan Calum O’Shea Jack MacNamara Fintan O’Keefe Zac Keller Mason Cawley (Capt) jack O’Callaghan Tadgh Gleeson Sean Ryan Tristan Madden Alex Moloney. reps Darragh Spillane for Zac Keller (inj) Cillian Ryan for Jack MacNamara (inj)
