February 9, 2008

100th WIN FOR BUCCANEERS
RUGBY with MICHAEL SILKE

BUCCANEERS were comprehensive 31-17 victors over Thomond in their AIB League Division 2 match at sunny Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday. Buccs really should have won this game more handsomely but, nevertheless, their four tries earned them a crucial bonus point. The win was also a landmark one for the midlanders, being their 100th All-Ireland league success, and moved them up another notch in the league table.

With Adrian Penzhorn deemed not fully fit following the injury he sustained against Suttonians, young Paul Harte made his first league start on the right wing with Alan Gaughan switching to centre. Buccs made two changes in their pack where Colm Rigney returned at No.8 and another young gun Conor Higgins started in the front row. Thomond, making their first competitive meeting with Buccs, fielded a fairly settled side on the first really fine day in some time when conditions were near ideal for rugby.

This was, however, a mixed showing by Buccaneers, encapsulated inside the opening three minutes. Thomond kicked off and straight away the homesters infringed, coming in from the side but Declan Cusask missed a tonic penalty chance for the visitors. Buccs responded with their more positive side after Thomond coughed up a penalty from the restart. Rigney quickly tapped and broke linking up with fellow Connacht backrower Ray Ofisa who made good ground before off-loading to Sean Carey and the winger dotted down for the opening try with just two minutes on the clock. Gaughan landed a fine conversion from wide on the left. Five minutes later, the visitors were caught offside and Gaughan added a penalty for an early10-0 advantage.

Thomond replied with an impressive maul that yielded a penalty close to their earlier placekick and Cusack duly slotted this one over to open their account after a mere ten minutes. Gaughan was off-target four minutes later with a lengthy penalty kick and the early buzz gradually evaporated, although Buccaneers continued to force the pace. They met with stout resistance, however, and did not display a sufficiently ruthless edge to their endeavours. But Thomond were coming under increasing pressure and their infringement count began to grow, eventually forcing referee Dudley Phillips to sin-bin Declan O’Connell on 29 minutes. Three minutes later, his fellow lock Michael Gallagher was yellow-carded after a touch-judge flagged him for stamping.

Buccaneers now went efficiently about reflecting their numerical superiority on the scoreboard, going through the phases in a more measured manner until Colin Watters forced his way over for a 37th minute try. Four minutes later, further good handling and patience yielded a Harte try, also on the right, and Gaughan comfortably converted both tries for a healthy 24-3 lead at the break. The sparse attendance, clearly affected due to the IRFU scheduling club league fixtures on Six Nations match days (indeed had the home team not sought and Thomond not acceded to an early kick-off, then there would surely have been less than 200 at this game), anticipated that Buccaneers would push on on the turnover.

This was a terrifically promising situation for the midlanders to really boost their ‘points for’ column but Simon Rolleston, just as happened last time out at Suttonians, was again too casual in attempting to clear with similar consequences. Thomond got a block on his kick inside the home ten metre line and Henry O’Neill put boot to the loose ball with Warren Kelly winning the chase to touch down for a 49th minute try which Cusack converted.

However, Buccaneers responded in the best possible manner, counter-attacking quickly with Garreth Halligan notching his third try of the campaign diving over a la Vincent Clerc at the posts to make Gaughan’s conversion a formality for a 31-10 lead after 53 minutes. This try also secured the valuable bonus point for the winners (their sixth this season) who, perhaps feeling that their job was now done, took a less encouraging leaf out of the France performance to drop their collective effort and focus.

Doughty Thomond, battling for survival in Division 2, hung in there and grittily dictated matters in the final quarter when Buccs should have been cantering. Now it was the home side’s turn to cough up penalties and prop Higgins headed to the sin-bin on 68 minutes. Thomond seized their chance to glean a second try when their captain O’Neill finished off some persistent pressure on 77 minutes with Cusack adding the conversion. But try as the Limerick side did in the remaining minutes, they could not salvage a priceless bonus point too.

Buccs really should have won this even more comprehensively but were not consistently clinical. But they were nevertheless full value for bagging the five points on offer and, if they win their game in hand, they will close in on the leaders. Ofisa was named “OYSTERhomes Man of the Match” following a sound display in the backrow where his colleague Watters was immense. Clifford Richardson continues to improve with game time and his contribution too was significant in a tough forwards battle. In the backline, Alex Hayman and Niall O’Hara had good showings while Mark Bruce returned to form. Rolleston too despite his blips put in a decent effort.

One minute’s silence was respectfully observed before the match as a mark of respect for John McNeill (club captain 1962/3) and James Higgins (cousin of prop Conor) who both died recently.

BUCCANEERS:- N.O’Hara (captain); P.Harte, A.Gaughan, A.Hayman, S.Carey; S.Rolleston, M.Bruce; B.Gilligan, G.Halligan, C.Higgins; A.TePou, C.Richardson; C.Watters, R.Ofisa and C.Rigney. Replacements used:- M.Diffley (for Gilligan, 47 mins), T.Conneely (for Watters, 56 mins) and M.Madden (for Halligan, 63 mins). Temporary substitution:- Gilligan (for Ofisa).

THOMOND:- N.McNamara; D.Guerin, W.Kelly, H.O’Neill (captain), D.O’Neill; D.Cusack, A.Hartery; T.Clifford, A.O’Donnell, E.Fraher; D.O’Connell, M.Gallagher; J.Sheehan, D.Clancy and P.Fitzgerald. Replacements used:- I.Fitzgerald (for Fraher, 62 mins), E.O’Byrne (for Gallagher, 62 mins), C.Bromwell (for Hartery, 63 mins), A.Airey (for O’Donnell, 76 mins) and D.Murphy (for Sheehan, 76 mins).

REFEREE:- Dudley Phillips (Leinster).