UCD J1 v Navan J1 – Abu Dhabi, 30th January 2010
60 - 0
After weeks of negotiation, vision and planning by the special fixtures committee in UCD, the first ever J1 match was played in the Fourthabays Stadium in Abu Dhabi this week. In an effort to spread the popularity of the sport across the world, collidge were chosen to represent the Northern Hemishpere, such has been their tenacity and flair in the season to date. 46 tries scored with only six conceded tells a great deal of the effectiveness and collective resolve within the unit this year.
In the last 24 hours there has been serious speculation of who is going out and who is coming in, given the transfer deadline is to close this evening. We are unlikely to relive the intensity and suspense of last summers deadline which saw the collective departures of Peter Riordan, Gavin Telford and James McAllister for undisclosed fees. However Coach Daragh Geraghty was slow to rule out absolutely any late changes when I spoke with him earlier. “I feel that as a whole we are pretty well balanced at the moment, the one area where perhaps we are a little light is in the second row after the shock departure of James Hayes last week. Try-scoring second rows are always a rarity and all credit to Stephen and Michael who came in this week, but they lack the killer instinct to get over the whitewash, that perhaps a Paul O’Connell or a Brian Cawley might give you, not to mention the kicking option”.
The game started in ferocious fashion, with collidge keen to clear out any cobwebs from the extended break they have had in the past few weeks since the first half of the league was finalised. It wasn’t long until they got onto the scoresheet either. After some fine work from the forwards and then from a selection of backs, for one of them to score in the try area, FIVE POINTS! (I missed the start)
Simon Gillespie, then did three big kicks for 9 points. I don’t really think the team tends to take account of the feelings of the reporters in these situations as in stead of having one try scorer and making it easy there were lots of try scorers, so I will pretend that everyone scored so we don’t miss anyone out.
After a super 15 metre burst and a wicked sidestep Kieran “Bull” Maloney smashed his way through the ginger haired scrum-half to bosh under the posts, this was converted by Andrew Pollard. Liam Hyland was next up to score as a super line out move went perfectly well, a swift ball to Keelan McKenna jumping at 6, was given off the top to Hyland who peeled around the corner and used his pace and aggression, mostly aggression to shout people out of the way, and touch down to score. This was converted by Stephen O’Dwyer. The best try of the match came next, after 2,3,4,5,6,7,8, nine phases of play Michael Cawley finally got back off the ground after having a rest. Cailbhe Doherty passed to him about 4.5m inside the 5m line for Cawley to score by falling over. This was converted by #6 Keelan McKenna.
Richie Bent, would you believe, was powerful throughout the match, I know, I couldn’t believe it either, I actually thought that Jack Hogan had dyed his hair, but I thought it was probably more realistic that Bent would play well than Hogan to dabble with the bleach. Anyways he did a try and Luke Hickey missed the conversion under the posts. Hickey was the only player who didn’t score on the day, including the subs.
James Murray’s try was pretty decent he sidestepped the onrushing defence, with 25 metres to go, ran over to his girlfriend Claire to give her a little peck on the cheek to score under the posts, Claire took the conversion. Mark Jennings, next to score swerved under four grown-up’s legs to touch down.
Eoghan Conron, Terry Jones and Simon Gillespie added to further scores in the second half. The fan’s favourite moment came when Laurence McKenna came on with five minutes to go, the game, any many of our stomachs turned. “He is as eager as he is hairy” I overheard one onlooker who wished to remain nameless, said James Finnegan.
McKenna took a great line inside the pillar defence to break through and with 25 metres to go, must have seen Murray show-boating earlier and went one step further by reading a poem to manager Shane Geraghty for his birthday. Things didn’t go quite to plan as several heavy set girls left in tears as they had been promised that they were the focus of the wordsmith trade in previous weeks. Tea and toast is sure to be at a premium in the next few weeks, and McKenna keeps them guessing.
UCD play Terenure next weekend, where win would put them in pole position to win the Metro Section 2 league for the first time Shane Geraghty’s lifetime, which is over THIRTY years!! I am reliably informed that when Geraghty was born there “New Anti-riot armour for troops in the north” was the headline in the Irish times that day, and everything was in Black & White!
- Kieran Moloney
- Andrew Pollard
- Liam Hyland
- Steven O’Dwyer
- Mike Cawley
- Richie Bent
- Keelan McKenna
- Luke Hickey
- Mark Jennings
- James Murray
- Terry Jones
- Rory Allwright
- Eoghan
- Cailbhe
- Simon
Reps: Robbie Ensor, Dan Clifford, Conal Cremin, Mike O’Sullivan, Lar McKenna..