Out-of-sorts Galwegians have lost early season swagger

Galwegians 3    

Shannon 18

GALWEGIANS early-season form appears to have suddenly deserted them as they suffered a third straight defeat and their second in the UBL Division 1b at home to a fired-up Shannon on Saturday.

The Blues came into this game determined to get back to winning ways after the Christmas break, but it was another bad day at the office as they never got going against their determined visitors.

Shannon started the brighter and took an early lead courtesy of a second minute penalty from out-half Tadhg Bennett. However Wegians were soon on level terms when their first incursion into opposition territory led to a 30m penalty which was slotted over by full-back John Cleary.

Unfortunately, the table toppers were getting on the wrong side of referee Will O’Connor who was blowing them off the pitch at the breakdown, and with the first quarter barely up, the official lost patience and binned Wegians tight-head prop Doran McHugh.

Shannon opted for a five metre scrum penalty but Wegians turned it over and relieved the pressure, although Bennett soon restored a three-point lead with his second penalty.

Wegians were struggling to find any rhythm, although they were somewhat unlucky not to grab the opening try when returning centre Brian Murphy burst through the middle, only to be pulled back for a forward pass.

The turning point of the game came on the half-hour mark when Wegians were camped deep in opposition territory and looking set to add to their scoring tally. Shannon had forwards Lee Nicholas and replacement prop Kevin Griffin binned in short succession, and the home team, unsurprisingly, opted for a succession of five metre scrum penalties.

At one stage, a penalty try looked a formality, only for number eight Anthony Ryan to pick and go too soon. And from the next scrum play, the seven-man Shannon scrum somehow dug deep and turned the ball over to relieve the pressure.

It was a game-changing moment, and it got even better for the visitors on the stroke of half-time. With the Wegians lineout misfiring, the visitors stole lineout ball near the Wegians 22, and although they had just 13 men on the pitch, they still found numbers out wide.

Winger Colin Conroy gambled on a hit but missed his man, and Shannon left-wing David O’Donovan was sent over for the opening try of the game, giving them an 11-3 lead at the break.

Wegians came out fighting at the start of the second-half, but they wasted an immediate opportunity when a five metre line out was again coughed up allowing Shannon to clear their lines. Cleary missed a 30m penalty shortly afterwards, and the confidence appeared to visibly drain out of the home side who had been free-scoring in the first half of the season.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.