UCD J4 20 – 10 Barnhall
And so it was that we came to the last league game of the season. A team that has come together in the face of adversity and united under the outdoor heaters of Hartigans. We faced Barnhall down in Parsonstown, an unnerving prospect made even worse by the 12 noon kick off. The first challenge of the day was finding Barnhall. While I thought I knew where I was going, Ken Forde’s in depth knowledge of Trevor Brennan’s book made me second guess myself and we ended arriving with 15 minutes to kick off but that was no problem and by noon on the button we were on the pitch and ready to kick off.
With John Shuttleworth and David Jones giving us great words of advice and Daragh Cahalane as our touch judge (Alain Roland watch your back) we kicked off. Immediately in typical Super 4’s style we pushed into the Barnhall 22 and set up camp. Our forwards led by Mick Barton and Matt Leonard drove relentlessly at the Barnhall line but all to no avail. Sam Duffy must have picked and ran with 20 or so balls from the bases of rucks but the try line was teasing us. A number of times the ball was moved through the hands, Ken Forde and Paul Reilly linking up very well in the centre. Eventually we put the ball through the hands, from Cockroche at out half, to Paul to Ken and then Padraic who was at Full back came into the line with perfect timing to draw in the Barnhall winger and open the way for myself to finish. Just as I put the afterburners on the Welsh Referee blew up for a forward pass. I was gutted. Yet again fate had dealt me a viscous blow as I went in search of my elusive first try of the season.
However we didn’t have long to wait as we prevented them from kicking out of their own 22 and Shubotham at scrumhalf let a beauty out to Roche, through Reilly and into the hands of the White Habanna who flew over the line. Collidge lead 5 points to nil with a try that puts O’Driscoll back in line for the top point’s scorer this season with one try more than roche and 3 points more than Gilly who was on the bench. However the Cockroche didn’t like that!! With 5 minutes to go in the first half the Blitz defence from Morgan Walsh at open side flanker, and followed up by an aggressive back line forced Barnhall into an error and the ball was spilled by their skilful out half. Roche seized the moment and kicking the ball along the ground, with no less than 3 kicks, he gathered the ball on their line and went over for a try. Roche and O’Driscoll joined top of the scoring table and Collidge lead 10 nil. Barnhall took a try on the half time mark, to make the score 10 – 7 at the break.
We began the second half well but lost Collins, the Mud Phoenix, to a bad bang on the head and I followed suit with a badly sprained thumb. Collins and Gilligan were replaced by Gilligan (Mark) and Hornshaw. Barnhall were awarded a penalty in the 66th minute and all of a sudden the score was 10 a piece. A stern talking to from the management on the sideline and the Super 4’s got ourselves back into the game. Ross Cahalane replaced Ken Forde. Ross went on to the wing and O’Driscoll into the center, and a few moments later Gilly came on for Shoey at scrumhalf, moving Padraic to outhalf and Roche to full back. We missed a relatively straight forward penalty kick and Barnhall seemed to take the initiative and came at us very hard. But a brawl down in our own half and a certain player on our team managing to talk his way out of a yellow card seemed to throw Barnhall. Within minutes the littlest Gilligan went over in the top corner for a try. This man consistently proves his attacking ability on the park, and the depth he lends to the Super 4 attack. The conversion was missed.
We had the upper hand now but a collapsed ruck saw Matt Leonard take a bad bang in the kidneys which seemed to rule him out but before Joe Moroney could collect his gumshield Matt was back on his feet all be it in pain. Joe replaced Niall McGoldrick instead and Ross McMahon was replaced by Bob Kaplan. All of a sudden from the base of the ruck and with his kidneys virtually ruptured Matt broke away and took off up the pitch like a hare at the Clonmel coursing festival. A great try at the death and Collidge win 20 points to 10. This leaves us fourth in our league, which is a huge improvement on last season where we finished bottom of the table with only two trys all season!
Normally at this stage I thank our backroom staff, Aoife the physio, Jonsie and our coach John Shuttleworth and that’s that. But I need to pay a tribute to the bravery and courage of Matt Leonard who you should recall took that bang in the kidneys before running half the pitch to score that great try. Matt ended up in the Beacon Clinic in Sandyford on Saturday afternoon suffering from a suspected ruptured kidney. He underwent an ultrasound and has been given the all clear. We look forward to welcoming Matt back into the fold when he has fully recovered, but it puts in perspective that every weekend rugby players all over the country get seriously injured and nobody should take for granted that while great fun rugby is a dangerous sport.
Our cup campaign starts on the 29th or 30th March and we look forward to welcoming a large support for that match which is at home against Millmount.
Fred Gilligan