Bruff RFC 17-31 Skerries RFC
On a fine autumnal day Skerries made their way to Bruff after a good home win against Midleton last week. Skerries started brightly and after a dominant scrum Paul O’Loghlen converted a penalty. Bruff responded with a penalty after a high tackle. On 30 mins, after fine work by Eoghan Carron, Ross Gordon scored in the corner and left Skerries leading 8-3. On 32 minutes, after great interplay between backs and forwards, Conor Lennox scored a fine try to leave score 13-3 to the away team at the break. The front row of Con and Cormac Marrey and Johnny Sherwin performed excellently in this half and set up a good platform for the backs.
After 44 mins, O’Loghlen again converted a penalty and Skerries led 16-3. Then Bruff had a period of pressure and scored a converted try, crucially O’Loghlen scored another penalty to leave the score at 19-10. Skerries lost Tom Mulvaney to a yellow card after a high tackle (he was also injured in this play) and Bruff again scored a converted try to leave the match delicately posted at 19-17 to the away team, with ten minutes left to play.
Skerries then showed huge resilience and after a great take by Thomas O’Hare, who passed to O’Loghlen who grubber kicked through for McGrath to score. O’Loghlen excellently converted from the touch line to leave score at 26-17 with 6 minutes remaining. Skerries now sensed an opportunity for a bonus point try and a brilliant cross field kick by O’Loghlen was expertly taken and finished off by Lennox in the corner, to leave Skerries with a win on a score line of 31-17.
This was an awesome display by Skerries full of grit, honesty and adventure and they thoroughly deserved their victory. As said above, the front row was excellent, Fay Watt and Mulvaney worked really hard and the back row of Jenkinson, Turvey and McAuley worked tirelessly and tackled right to the end. O’Loghlen had a super game and his game management was excellent, the rest of the backs Carron, Lowndes, Captain McGrath, Lennox, Jones and Gordon all contributed hugely to the result. The five subs also made an impact, none more so than O’Hare who put in a big shift.
Onwards and upwards to another big test at home to Bangor next week, but after two impressive wins confidence is high.
1.Cormac Marrey
2.Conn Marrey
3.Johnny Sherwin
4.Paddy Fay Watt
5.Tom Mulvaney
6.Michael Turvey
7.Ben Jenkinson
8.Ross McAuley
9.Eoghan Carron
10.Paul O’Loghlen
11.Conor Lennox
12.Dara Lowndes
13 Kevin McGrath (c)
14.Lorcan Jones
15.Ross Gordon
16.Kieran Leonard
17.Cormac Murphy
18.Thomas O’Hare
19.Mark Oliver
20.Ruairi Woods