v Blackrock
UCD U20B 7 - 31 Blackrock RFC
Collidge’s Under 20 B team came up against a very good Blackrock team who showed why they are unbeaten and top of the league in Stradbrook yesterday afternoon. However the score line is not a true reflection on how close a contest this was and it is also not a true reflection of the effort and commitment shown by Collidge.
The start of the game was delayed by the late arrival of the referee as the original referee allocated to the match had to cry off and a replacement had to be found. Playing into the breeze Collidge were under pressure for the majority of the first half but the defensive effort led by Jack Davison in the centre was superb. Blackrock created a number of chances but failed to take them thanks to a few handling errors and some effective scrambling defence from UCD. Collidge’s attacking opportunities in the first half were mostly of the long range variety including a good run out of defence by left winger Michael Anthony and a promising counter attack from UCD’s own 22 that was stopped by a deliberate knock on by the Blackrock number 13 and out half Ross O’Brien narrowly missed with a long range penalty attempt just before half time.
Blackrock’s lead at half time came from a well worked passage of play that led to Collidge running out of defenders on their left flank. Leading up to this score was a referee decision not to allow a Collidge advantage that would have taken play to UCD’s ten meter line. After a big tackle just in front of Collidge’s uprights, from UCD’s openside wing forward Philip Lewis, Blackrock knocked on and from the ensuing ruck Chris Spelman’s clearance kick found touch at the ten meter line. The referee deemed this not to be a sufficient advantage and from the scrum Collidge failed to clear the ball and after four or five phases of play Blackrock moved the ball to their right where they outflanked the UCD defence to touch down.
The first sore of the second half was going to be crucial but Rock started the second half much better than UCD and Collidge soon found themselves twelve points down. Collidge upped their game but from an attack deep in the Rock half the ball somehow emerged on the Rock side and their right winger showed great pace to outflank the UCD chasers to touch down in the corner making the score seventeen points to nil. To their credit Collidge stuck at it but their efforts were repelled by a very determined Rock outfit. Collidge’s only score came from a superb break by Ross O Brien and finished very well by Michael Anthony. O’Brien kicked the conversion but at this stage the score was twenty four points to seven. Rock finished off the scoring when their substitute scrum half took advantage of some poor ruck defence to ghost in for another score.
When playing against the better sides in the league we cannot make as many mistakes because any errors will be punished as was the case yesterday. Luckily we have an opportunity this coming weekend to get this disappointing result out of our system when we play Bective on Sunday in Belfield, all support welcome.
A special mention must be made of full back Joe Mackenzie who sustained a broken jaw in yesterdays match. We all hope Joe makes a speedy recovery.
Ian Wyse