Birr V Clondalkin
Match report 25/09/01
Birr Gain Revenge And Clinch Away Victory
Birr 20 Clondalkin 8
Two years ago Clondalkin gave Birr a lesson in how to play rugby and
Birr received a comprehensive hiding. Sunday was the third time the
sides have met since. Birr triumphed in both legs last season,
Clondalkin finishing second to Birr in the Leinster League Division 4.
Once again Clondalkin tried to teach Birr a lesson. The Liffeysiders
scrum pushed Birr over the pitch all day. However Birr showed them how
to play ball and importantly, how to score.
Clondalkin played downhill in the first half with their forwards
dominant. It's a testament to Birr’s defence that they couldn’t
break
Birr’s tryline.
Birr’s first scrum was wheeled through 90 degrees by Clondalkin and Birr were to live on scraps in the scrums. Scrum half Simon Rudd along with his number eight Marcus Kenny had excellent games. Their endeavours allowed Birr’s backline to run at Clondalkin.
Out half Robbie Kenny had a huge impact on his return to rugby and along
with Andrew Lally formed the platform on which Birr’s victory was
achieved.
Birr alternatively ran at Clondalkin then would chip over their heads,
anything to keep Clondalkin unsettled. Birr’s forwards fared better
in
the line outs, the fast maturing James Fanning had a super game, both
in
attack, in the line out and in defence. His opposite number got little
change out of James all day, such was the timing of the tackles.
From one of James’ lineout takes Birr created a rolling maul and
Ciaran Campbell duly scored in the corner. Unfortunately the referee
did not see the ball being grounded so Ciaran’s try will live only
in
the memory not in the history books.
Excellent catching from Michael Lyons, John Kerins and Stephen Boyd
helped greatly to stifle Clondalkin’s dangerous attacks. Birr earned
two quick penalties both of which Robbie Kenny kicked. The touch judge
couldn’t agree on either kick and the referee had to have the casting
vote. One success and one narrow failure.
Almost immediately Birr conceded a kickable penalty, duly converted,
and it was 3-3 after a half an hour. A pulsating match was about to be
sparked into flames. After all Birr’s probing and battling it turned
out to be a forward who broke through Clondalkin’s defences.
Alan McGee crashed through and took his try clinically and Robbie Kenny duly converted. When your captain scores, you daren’t miss the conversion. It was 10-3 at the interval and the large crowd applaued both sides enthusiastically.
It was a game made more refreshing after watching the rubbish dished
out the day before by professionals at Murrayfield. Birr launched
themselves at Clondalkin with a vengeance at the restart and probably
would have scored with better handling. A couple of silly penalties
conceded allowed Clondalkin to get out of their own twenty two and
costly penalties they turned out to be.
From one of an endless sequence of excellent Clondalkin scrums their
backs finally outwitted Birr’s defence and scored a very fast try
in the
corner. The conversion came off the upright to give Birr two points
breathing space.
Alan McGee was unlucky not to double his try tally but Clondalkin held
him up inches from the line. Birr failed to convert an easy penalty kick,
but fortune smiled on Birr as Clondalkin conceded another penalty and
Robbie Kenny slotted a more difficult kick. Indeed Robbie had a mixed
day with the boot, some excellent kicks mixed with some indifferent, to
be kind, ones.
Both sides kicked with great drive and each side foiled move after move.
Scrum half Simon Rudd put the game beyond doubt with a superb individual
try. From the back of one of his own scrums, he picked and
eluded tackle after tackle, some through guile more through brute force.
A run of fully thirty yards and five tackles at least broken. A thing
of beauty, Birr have a fine new scrum half.
Clondalkin were foiled by John Kerins when their winger was released
up the touchline and ‘The Rock’ nailed his man with a ferocious
tackle.
From the resulting line out, Birr won the ball and started a maul which
rolled from Birr’s 5 metre line to just over half way. It could have
gone all the way but unfortunately the maul collapsed when one of Birr’s
forwards tripped up and brought the whole lot down. A thrilling finish
to a wonderful game.
Still in the Leinster league next week, Birr travel to Balbriggan.
All support is welcomed.
Birr: A. McGee (Capt) (Try), A. Gallogoly, B. Molloy, C. Camobell, C.
Hogan, J. Fanning, R. Joyce, M. Kenny, S. Rudd (Try), R. Kenny (2 pens,
2 convs), A. Lally, R. Hanniffy, S. Boyd, M. Lyons, J. Kerins, J.
Kennedy, R. Harte, C. Kennedy, S. Bergin.
Best for Birr were J. Fanning, S. Rudd and R. Kenny.
