Latest 401 Winners:
€401 Brendan McCourt €100 John McEneaney €100 Donal Clare
€401 Simon Byrne €100 John McDonnell €100 Joseph Hamill
€401 Paul Meegan €100 Pat O’Callaghan €100 John Hennessy
€401 Brian Crosbie €100 Vivion Brennan €100 Declan McCabe
Dundalk v Cobh Pirates 25/10/14
ALL IRELAND JUNIOR CUP (Round 1)
DUNDALK RFC 51 : COBH PIRATES RFC 8.
Dundalk hosted Cobh Pirates in the first round of the All Ireland Junior Cup at Mill Rd on Saturday last. Dundalk were simply a much better side and too strong for the Munster men. With little knowledge of the Cobh side other than they play in a similar league to Dundalk in Munster, Dundalk could only prepare as best they could and make sure they took their best game to the field.
From the off Dundalk looked very focused and eager to get a grip on this game. Cobh had the kick off and the ball was secured by the home side and carried into contact. Rucked again and contact again, it was evident that physically the Dundalk pack was the stronger side. Dundalk maintained control of the ball and made good ground keeping the ball tight in the forwards, and after only 3 minutes of play Dundalk were over the line with Lotu Nuku, the Dundalk hooker, scoring the first try of the game. While Ultan Murphy narrowly missed the conversion, Dundalk were 5 nil up before many of the spectators had realised.
From the restart Dundalk attacked again , this time the ball was spread wide and a blistering run from Rory O’Hagan covering half of the pitch brought play back inside the Cobh 22. Set up and rucked again, Lotu Nuku took the ball under his arm and surged forward, piercing a hole in the Cobh defence. Only some committed tackling prevented another early Dundalk try. Dundalk were dominant for the first 30 minutes of the game with Cobh scarcely getting a touch of the ball and living off Dundalk mistakes.
Persistent pressure from Dundalk saw Mike Bentley rampage up the park to cross the line almost unopposed for another magnificent try, converted this time by Ultan Murphy. To be fair to the visitors they did after a time shake off the long bus journey and got into the game. They managed to stifle the Dundalk attack and broke loose with some good moves of their own. Tackling from Dundalk however was faultless. Johnny Grey, Paul Meegan and Thomas Campbell tackled everything in tight play while MJ McKevitt, Chris Scully and Owen McNally put a stop to Cobh’s attempts to penetration out wide.
At this stage Stephen Murphy was carving through the Cobh defence every time he got the ball and scored two tries form tremendous solo efforts. Dundalk’s ability to retain control of the ball and recycle again and again made life difficult for the visitors. Without the ball they got frustrated and even with the best laid plans they could do little other than put in tackle after tackle. It was painfully evident from the sideline that Cobh could only sustain so much of this relentless Dundalk pressure. With an occasional penalty Cobh cleared their lines and brought play to the half way line but with aerial superiority in the line outs and better organisation on the ground Dundalk found their way to the Cobh 22 time and time again.
From a simple maul Dundalk passed the ball through the hands of the backs in what is a simple training ground move to allow Chris Scully over for a try. Returned again and gathered by Rory O’Hagan who again couldn’t be caught for pace and sliced through the Cobh defence, laying off to Derek Williams who scored another try.
With a brace of tries from Tiernan Gonnolly, converted by Ultan Murphy, pride was all the Cork side had left to play for. After 70 minutes an uncharacteristic mistake in the Dundalk defence allowed Cobh steal a ball and get over for a try of their own, allowing them return to the southern shores with at least one try on the board.
Ultan Murphy scored a try and converted in the dying minutes to bring the Dundalk score to 51 points to Cobh’s 8.
While it was a difficult game to measure Dundalk against, it must be said that ball control was good and the ability of the pack to work as a unit proven again. Dundalk’s backs also worked very well, but against a much weaker opposition this team will face greater tests.
Next week Cill Dara at home should prove to be much stiffer opposition.
Team: 15 Owen McNally, 14 Stephen Murphy, 13 Chris Scully, 12 MJ McKevitt, 11 Rory O’Hagan, 10 Ultan Murphy, 9 Thomas Campbell, 1 Jonathan Gray, 2 Lotu Nuku, 3 Ciaran Brannigan, 4 Enda Murphy, 5 Michael Bentley, 6 Paul Meegan, 7 Stephen Martin, 8 Ene Fa’atau.
Replacements: Robbie Shields, Robbie Farrell, Derek Williams, Tiernan Gonnolly, James McConnon
Next Saturday 1st November : Dundalk V Cill Dara at Mill Rd.
KO for 2nd’s match is 1pm.
KO for 1st’s match is 2.30pm
Sunday 26th of October : Mill Road, Dundalk
Dundalk U9’s first home blitz of the season, and the visitors to Mill Road were Westmanstown and Boyne.
Each club had sufficient numbers to field two teams each, which led to a fantastic day of competitive rugby.
Both teams from Dundalk put on a great show, in what turned out to be very close, hard fought games. Some wonderful attacking play in each game from Max Ward, Tomas Quinn, and Carl Meegan saw Dundalk score some brilliant tries. At the other end, there was ferocious tackling by David Crilly and Daira Thomas which saved what would have been certain scores for the visitors.
The Dundalk U9’s continue to improve with each and every week. Training is on every Saturday morning and new players are always welcome.
Dundalk 34; Clondalkin 17. Mill Road. 04/10/14
Having beaten newly promoted Ashbourne and relegated Suttonians,
Clondalkin it could be argued were to be Dundalk’s hardest test to date. The
Dublin side performed well and with a large catchment area with no shortage of
recruits they should be a step up in terms of opposition. Dundalk have a
battle hardened side and should be well positioned to deal with the
visitors. MJ Mc Kevitt the team captain returned to the centre after a
shoulder injury which kept him out of last weeks action. McKevitt’s return
saw Ultan Murphy move to the wing and last weeks wing sensation Rory O Hagan
dropped to the bench. In the pack a leg injury sustained during training
forced Ene fa Atu to miss the game giving Tiernan Gonnelly his first start
in the no 8 position with the first team. Clondalkin kicked off in ideal
rugby weather, dry, cool and with a light breeze in front of an average
crowd at the Mill Rd. The kick off was returned with interest from Stephen
MC Gee placing the ball in the Clondalkin 22. Returning up the field and with
some early passing interaction between the Clondalkin forwards and backs
play was brought to the Dundalk 22. In the ensuing ruck, Dundalk were deemed
to have come off aside and a penalty awarded to Clondalkin , which they duly
missed, after only 2 minutes of play.the kick was returned and well placed
into open space by Stephen McGee, recovered by James McConnon and laid
off to Jonathan Williams by Thomas Campbel and rucked again. Campbell off-
loaded to Mike Bentley taking the ball into contact but unfortunately the referee
deemed Bentley to have held the ball on the ground and awarded a penalty
against Dundalk. It wasn’t long before the Dundalk pack settled into the
game and imposed themselves on the opposition, forcing Clondalkin to try and
move the ball in their backs. Again the partnership of MJ MC Kevitt and
Chris Scully in the centre tackled everything coming their way with the
support of the back row of Tiernan Gonnolly, James McConnon and Stephen
Martin. Clondalkin found it very difficult to find space from which they
could establish a platform. A penalty to Dundalk was just past the posts by
Ultan Murphy and a let off for Clondalkin. From the 22 dropout a line out
to Dundalk was won and offloaded quickly to Stephen MC Gee who carved his
way throught the Clondalkinn backs with his trade mark steps and jinks, off
loaded to James MC Connon who was in support and powered
his way forward to set the ball up for Mike Bentley, Dundalk were now up on
the Clondalkinn 5 metre line. The ball was retrieved by Clondalkin who
failed to find touch. Owen Mc Nally gathered and scored Dundalk’s first try
of the game after 14minutes. A well worked backs move after sustained
pressure from the forwards allowed the winger to slice through the defence.
Ultan Murphy converted. Some six minutes later Stephen McGee found himself with
ball in hand and open space in which to operate. A powerful burst from
McConnon and wonderful offload before he hit the deck enabled the full back
to score Dundalks second.try. Again converted by Ultan Murphy and after 20
minutes Dundalk looked relatively comfortable. Play reverted to a forwards
style battle with the visitors hoping a sustained pick and go approach would
see them puncture a hole in the Dundalk defence but to no avail. The Dundalk
pack, to a man, tackled everything that came their way and held out Clondalkin.
Just before half time a turnover from Dundalk allowed Thomas Campbell to let the
ball out to Jonathan Williams who with a perfectly timed pass released Chris
Scully who turned up the pace and bypassed the Clondalkin defence and score
for Dundalk. Again Murphys accuracy with the boot picked up the extra two
points and going into half time Dundalk were comfortably ahead.
Coming out for the second half Clondalkin were determined to get back into
the game and set about right from the off. As if to prove their pack was
equal to Dundalks they focused their attack and were rewarded with a
converted try five minutes into the second half. Dundalk continued to
exercise control of the game but persistent Clondalkin pressure, at 14
minutes into the second half, was rewarded with another try from their
centres which was converted. All of a sudden the visitors could see light
and with some 22 Minutes left on the clock Dundalk would need to up their
game and put this game to bed. Tackling from David Whatley, who had replaced
Stephen Martin at half time, held the Clondalkin pack while Jonathan Williams
and Chris Scully were resolute in defence. With 15 minutes left on the clock
a reoccurrence of MJ McKevitt’s shoulder injury forced his retirement,
Ultan Murphy moved to 10, Jonathan Williams to 12 and Rory O Hagan came on to
the wing to inject some pace into the Dundalk attack. Dundalk upped their
game. McNally, Grey and Bentley combined down the right touchline, Campbell
moved the ball quickly from an ensuing ruck and Meegan offloaded to Robbie
Farrell 5 metres from the line. Unstoppable from that distance Farrell
crashed over the line, right under the posts, in the 62nd minute to score a well earned try.
Converted by Murphy, Dundalk were back in a comfortable lead. A penalty in
the last minute of the game had no bearing on the final result of 31-17 to
Dundalk
Three wins from three, and picking up a 4 try bonus point Dundalk are
beginning to establish a pattern of play that oppositions will find hard to
deal with. Next week the league leaders play Monkstown away. The useful
Dublin 4 outfit put 30 points passed Ashbourne in their league match and
will test Dundalk in next Saturday’s contest.
Team 15 Stephen McGee, 14 Owen McNally, 13 Chris Scully , 12 M J McKevitt,
11 Ultan Murphy, 10 Jonathan Williams, 9 Thomas Campbell, 8 Tiernan Gonnolly, 7
Stephen Martin, 6 James McConnon, 5 Mike Bentley, 4 Paul Meegan, 3 Robbie
Farrell, 2 Lotu Nuku , 1 Johnny Grey. Subs David Whately, Rory O’Hagan, Enda
Murphy, Will Lauaki and Paddy Reilly.
Dundalk RFC Under 11 Sharks kicked off their 2014/2015 campaign against Boyne away at Shamrock Lodge on a lovely Sunday morning in Drogheda. After several ding dong encounters last year the sharks would have been forgiven for wanting an easier fixture than this to kick off the current campaign. They needn’t have worried, as what ensued was a rugby master class from the Mill Road men that was as good as anything they have produced over the last couple of seasons. Every facet of the game was in fine fettle, from powerful forward play at the scrum, ruck, breakdown and mauls, sublime ball handling, passing and incisive running that was a joy to behold. There were 2 equally skilled Dundalk teams who faced Boyne and both performed equally as well as the other, but unfortunately due to budgetary constraints three was only 1 reporter present on this occasion.
Up front there was aggression and power in the scrum, at the breakdown and in the ruck from Eoghan Staunton, Laurence Jones, Joseph Pheifer, Ronan McDonnell, Robert Malone, Lorcan Ticehurst and Liam Dorian. This was matched fantastic incisive running and passing from Kieran McArdle, Cillian Halpenny, Conal O’Callaghan, Ciaran Tiernan, Aaron McGuinness, Luke Andrews, Brian McCahill, Riain Rafferty and Luke Clarke.
The highlight of the day was the overall quality of the play which really was a joy to behold in addition to tries from the likes of Kieran McArdle, Eoghan Staunton, Ronan McDonnell, Kieran Tiernan, Joseph Pheifer, Aaron McGuinness and Conal O’Callaghan. However, the moment of the match was a fantastic try for Brian McCahill. Following ferocious counter rucking by Robert Malone which forced a turnover, the ball was passed to Brian and the smallest man on the pitch with the biggest heart set off at blistering pace, with over half of the pitch to run and with numerous Boyne men in pursuit doing their best to spoil the party. But this was Brian’s moment, and nothing was going to stop him as he beat off a valiant effort to stop him and scored a wonderful try.
Overall the coaches and parents could not have been happier with a brilliant display and the Sharks will look forward to training on Thursday night buoyed by a brilliant first run out against one of their strongest rivals.
Called into Ireland youth squad
Well done to Stephen McGivern & Tadgh McElroy, two of our current under 19’s.
They start training with the Ireland squad in Naas this coming Monday.
Hopefully two more representative jerseys to hang in the Club.
3rds McGee Cup v Boyne on Sun 5th Oct 2014
This match is postponed to a later date.
Spread the word please.
