Galwegians timely turn of form set to secure status

Date Published: 28-Mar-2011

UCC 10

Galwegians 21

GALWEGIANS seem to have timed their form to absolute perfection in the season run-in as they recorded a crucial third successive victory on Saturday which has moved them off the bottom of the Ulster Bank AIL Division 1b league for the first time in four months.

And they did it in style, securing a League double against a plucky and talented UCC team at the Mardyke in Cork. Wegians came into this game on the back of a confidence-building winning streak, however they had to endure a disruptive four week break from competitive action.

It told in the early stages too as they struggled to gain a foothold in the game with the home side making an early impression. Indeed, it was the students opened the scoring in the first quarter when forward Andrew Cudmore got on the end of a forward rumble to ground the ball for the game’s opening try.

Out-half Johnny Holland kicked the conversion, and the UCC number 10 was kicking astutely from open play to keep his side on the front foot. Early in the second quarter, he also tagged on a penalty to give the hosts a deserved 10-0 lead.

Having absorbed nearly all the early pressure, Wegians finally got into the game after the half hour mark. Another powerful display from the forward pack was the foundation stone, including a rock solid set-piece.

And following their first serious incursion deep into opposition territory, once again it was their talismanic skipper John Cleary who provided the breakthrough when he finished off a strong passage of attacking play with a try under the posts. The try was converted by returning out-half Tadhg Leader to leave the game delicately poised at 10-7 in favour of the students at the break.

Leader and Holland each missed kickable penalties either side of the half-time whistle. But the right words were clearly said during the Wegians half-time team-talk, as it was the Blues who went on to seize control of the game and take a firm command of proceedings.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.