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Result: Tuam 0 Creggs 14
Competition: Connacht Junior Cawley Cup Semi-Final
Creggs Team: Austin Diffley, David Donoghue, Alan Glennon, Paul Turley, Joe Heavey, Kieran Egan(Captain), Pat Cunningham, Alan Ward, Mark Brandon, Noel Flynn, Mark Hestor, Daniel Keane, Colin Looby, Rory Leddy, Paul Bradley
Subs Used: Nigel Glennon
Match Report:
Creggs first team took a huge step towards re-establishing themselves as a major force in Connacht junior rugby with a resounding victory over Tuam in the semi-final of the Cawley Cup. It was a terrific team performance from ‘the village’ and they controlled the game from the first score onwards. One huge attribute of this young side of Creggs was that on the day every one of the 16 players used played well. As any sports person knows one would usually expect that a couple of players might freeze on a big occasion like a semi-final. However not with this team and this will give them renewed heart when they take on cup favourites Monivea in the final.
The match began with both sides going at each other hell for leather. Tuam were really up for the game and with former Galway footballer John Donnellan launching huge kicks upfield Creggs were under pressure early on. A stiff cross wind made dealing with any balls in the air quite diffficult. However Creggs dealt with the early pressure and it was noticeable that their front five did some excellent driving work. This sucked in the Tuam cover and set up the platform for Creggs to initiate their attacks. They were rewarded when a penalty was given for Tuam backs being caught offside. Noel Flynn converted the penalty from about 20 metres out to give Creggs a 3 point lead. Creggs continued to control the game with half backs Mark Brandon and Noel Flynn playing superbly. The scrums for Creggs were really solid with Austin Diffley relishing his tussle with Tuam prop Tom McNicholas who is a former Creggs player. The Creggs lineout was also very good with David Donoghue throwing in accurately and Pat Cunningham his main target. After 35 minutes Creggs drove on splendidly and Paul Turley finished off the move with a try in the corner. It was a score Creggs richly deserved and Paul Turley showed great determination to force his way over the line for the touchdown. Outhalf Noel Flynn was unlucky to see his conversion attempt drift narrowly wide. Tuam responded by forcing Creggs back into their own half and earning a penalty 30 metres out. The great Galway footballer John Donnellan took the kick but drove it badly wide. The score remained at Tuam 0 Creggs 8 at half time.
The second half was a half of ‘no nonsense’ rugby from Creggs. The pack drove on consistently giving good ball back to Noel Flynn. Flynn showed great intelligence in keeping Tuam pinned back in their own half with good probing kicks to the corner. Creggs were rewarded with 2 penalties that Flynn cooly slotted and despite late Tuam pressure Creggs ran out worthy winners by 14 points. Alan Glennon went off injured after 30 minutes and was replaced by Nigel Glennon. Indeed Creggs were lucky that their other prop Austin Diffley did not also have to go off. Austin suffered a nasty nasty injury that lets just say you would not spray Deep Heat on. However after a few very deep breaths he was able to continue.
The Creggs front five as already mentioned had a huge impact on the game and all were superb throughout (A few pints were reportedly drunk in the Thatch pub in Ballygar to celebrate Turley’s first try for Creggs!). The back row of Ward, Cunningham and Egan were immense and will need to be at their best again in the final where hard tackling will be crucial in curtailing Monivea. The half backs Brandon and Flynn made very telling use of the supply from their pack and it was good to see Mark Brandon back after his recent injury. Centres Mark Hestor and Daniel Keane played well and complimented each other’s style of play. Wingers Rory Leddy and Colin Looby were competent throughout with full back Tom Lyons having an excellent game particularly with his almost heart stopping counter attacks.
As a whole it was a victory carved out of good controlled rugby and fine team spirit. No player shirked his duty on the pitch and it was evident that this performance showed a far better pattern of rugby then that seen in recent weeks. A lot of hard work has been done by this team over the last few years and it is fantastic to see that rewarded by qualifying for the first major cup final since I believe 1993. Manager Martin Fallon has called for a gigantic effort over the coming weeks in a bid to bring the inaugural Cawley cup to Creggs.
Please note match reports and team news etc are available on the Creggs club website on www.creggsrfc.com.