UCD J1 35 - 20 Greystones J1
After 1,200 minutes of league rugby in the Metropolitan Section B League, it came down to the final 80 minutes for UCD J1 who were sitting in second place going into the match.
With the incredible carrot of a play-off with colours rivals Dublin University to play for the enthusiasm was evident throughout the squad going into the fixture.
Much of the talk before the game resolved around Shane Geraghty and his esteemed friend and fellow legalite Frederick Gilligan’s petition to have Hartigan’s opened on Sunday afternoon. Fred, who puts the steam into esteemed, spent several days converting his disused election posters into workable petitions aimed at flagging burgeoning public support around the four court area.
The game kicked off into the beautiful official summer sunshine to a roar of applause from the many representatives of fellow college players who came along to support.
UCD started the brightest with the effervescent Maurice Deasy and tallish James Mc Allister working well in tandem. It is great to see to players, who epitomise college spirit applying themselves so well to the game, considering their very different socio-economic backgrounds.
Maurice from the vicious Eglish village in County Tipperary, stems from the Deasy Clan meaning “to steal”, and Mc Allister from Yearoysh town centre in the Eastern Belfast region, only found himself in the college when a former servant of the household, David Jibbs recommended it.
College found themselves with some excellent go forward ball through committed rucking from the tight five ably led by the lanky, bearded East17 enthusiast Arthur Houlihan and Conor Rocky Mitchell. After several good phases of ball retention Ja Mez Murray found a gap smaller than Ian Wyse’s school trousers to evade the onrushing defence and score UCD’s first try. Simon “Ah Pistol” Gillespie added the first points of what was a near perfect kicking display.
A few lapses of concentration put Greystones in a position to come back into the match, but thankfully for Collidge only one attempt for four was converted.
UCD’s second came from the young impressionable Second 5/8ths Peter Condon who changed gears well to swerve through the oncoming traffic. Condon looked to be in cruise control as he dived over the line to put UCD into a great position with an Astra-nomical score. Simon “seriously pistol” Gillespie added the extra, as well as two other penalties to leave the scores twenty points to three. Half-time called.
Greystones took to the field after half-time intent on raising the stakes physically meaning UCD would really have to work hard and dig deep to finish this game out.
Excellent energy from scrum-half Mark Jennings meant that the pace of the game was always likely to favour the more athletic collidge outfit, and as the game wore on in the lovely weather, most of the college team were able to take advantage of it. A special mention must go to Dave Gibb’s who, expecting the worse, was seen taking ice-baths BEFORE the game. He managed to struggle on in temperatures which reached highs of 10c at some points “I was just thankful of the tireless work of Peter Riordan and William Hutch who kept the ice-packs and water flowing throughout the match meaning I could keep my considerably swelled head in the proverbial game” said a panting Gibbs moments after the match.
Playing in his preferred right wing slot, Robbie Ensor was able to use much of the constructive advice which former incumbent Peter Riordan was able to dispense during their concurrent injury hiatus in the weeks previous. Back-three partner Doug Orme-Lynch with his flowing black locks, boyish charm and school-girl innocence managed to support the back play throughout like Little-red riding hood carrying a basket of cookies to the door, unfortunately this week no-one was buying, and Orme-Lynch remained try-less, remaining behind Riordan in the scoring stakes…on-the-pitch.
Barry “the power” Taylor-Lynch set up an excellent platform along with the superb James “Stretch-Armstrong” Hayes who caught everything within three-screeches of him to maintain UCD’s and disrupt Greystones aerial set-pieces. The third UCD try finished by Mossy Deasy was born and bread in the forwards, with Captain Ger Moran leading the charge …in between cramps, and the rooster-block Stephen O’Dwyer backing him up at every opportunity. The St Michaels man O’Dwyer was playing in an unfamiliar back-row position, no doubt leaning on the first-class rugby tuition received at the school, and was able to slot in with ease. Simon “GAV!” Gillespie added yet again another two points to take his tally to 15 points.
All that was left it seemed was to finish the game off with a bonus point score, to assure UCD of that coveted play-off spot The scene was set, almost like a story from Roy of the Rovers only with a much more handsome and technically-able hero, when a scrum was awarded five metres out in the middle of the pitch. Scrum-half Mark Jennings was down injured after taking a considerable knock from a stray cat which scurried across the pitch, coach Daragh Geraghty had only one-option left (literally, there was NOONE else he could’ve asked; Vincent Hammond wasn’t interested & Peter Clarke had no boots with him), local hero and veteran of the J1’s Joseph McGinley was summonsed to begin a vigorous warm-up routine.
Every care had been taken to protect the fledgling and shy McGinley who is on the comeback from an injury sure to end the careers of lesser men, but now was no time for protection. As McGinley stripped himself of his inhibitions and Ulster U-16 tracksuit, the stage was set for grandeur. Unfortunately Jennings by now was back up on his feet and scored the easy try, whatever.
Gavin Telford, Will Hutch and Laurence McKenna took to the pitch on the 60 minute mark, with Hutch leaving the pitch on the 70 minute mark, having found the pace too much to keep up with. Telford brought some considerable bulk to the front row, and were it not for him being held captive in the Molesworth Street passport office since Wednesday could well have made an impact from the start.
Notices
If anyone is hiring engineers in the Dublin region please contact Lar McKenna who assures us that he is much smarter than you or anyone who works for you.
Special thanks to Peter Riordan who helped out at the weekend, his attitude is a credit to him.
This week’s club lotto was won by Doug Orme-Lynch who won a signed St. Columba’s college rugby jersey donated by former coach Mark Flynn.
If anyone has seen a black bow tie with several white ducks in the Camden Street area could they please contact L Mc Kenna in the strictest of confidentiality.