Nenagh U18.5 team completed the phase 1 of the Plate competition in Munster with another way trip to Tralee last Sunday. With a bit of illness in the camp we travelled with only 8 forwards and were keen to start well to set a marker in the game. After we kicked off, only 2 minutes later we lost Jack O Callaghan to injury which required a reshuffle in the backs. Unperturbed, the boys scored a try after some good attacking on the left hand side through Mason Cawley, converted by Darragh Gleeson. We had the best of the elements even though the conditions were excellent and remained on top for most of the first half. There was some good attacking play and Mason scored his second try after a good outside break start on the half way, leave the score 14-0 to the visitors. Then after an attacking penalty kick to the corner was batted back in by Tralee, a good chase by the Nenagh boys saw Jess Robbins and friends tackle the Tralee lads over their own line to give us an attacking scrum. From the scrum a simple 8-9-15 move saw Darragh Gleeson stroll over, the conversion was wide to give us a 19-0 lead coming up to half time. Unfortunately we received another yellow card for a high tackle just before half time and this gave Tralee something to fight for at the start of the second half which was mainly played in the Nenagh half. The one chance we got to get into the Tralee 22 after a superb maul from an attacking lineout, the ball was inexplicably kicked away and the home team cleared their lines. Half way through the half after multiple penalties were awarded by the local associate referee, Tralee got a try wide on the left which was excellently converted to leave the score 19-7. Nenagh were under pressure and struggling to exit their 22, the will need to be a lot of work on this aspect in training. However, the boys showed great fight to defend their lines and the game finished with a 12 point win, considering the forwards all had to play a full match without fresh legs and the yellow card in the middle. We finished the pool stage with 4 wins and a loss so await the final group games to see where we end up. Some pleasing work again this week, but another yellow card and poor penalty count will not work in knock out rugby, so a real effort will be needed to change those behaviours in the coming games.

Luke Grey, Dylan Crowe, Nickie Nie , Jess Robbins, Dylan Doris, Sam Lancaster, Cillian Ryan, Fionn O’Meara,  Ryan Imhoff,  Diarmuid Coleman, Jack O’Callaghan , Mason Cawley, Sean Tormey, Darragh Gleeson, Cathan Gaffney, Tristen Madden, Tommy Wilkinson , Oisin Moloney. Injured/Unavailable  Jack Meagher Mikey Morgan , Josh Powell, Dylan Schweitnitz, Luke O’Callaghan, Dan Keneally.