January 7th, 2013 
Hulk Cill Dara 20 Tullamore 14
Leinster League div 1a, 5/1/13
Let me set the scene, early January fixture, Runaway leaders arrive to demolish the second from bottom, on a mild winters night with the pitch in great condition. Earlier in the day, Newbridge and Enniscorthy had played out a 10 – 10 draw, thus giving Tullamore an opportunity to open a 13 point gap with a win, or a 14 point gap should they get the bonus point. It would also have left Tullamore needing just 7 more points at the most from their remaining 4 games, which includes a trip to the very out of sorts Garda (where everybody is picking up 5 points). Cill Dara arrive with not a lot to play for other than pride and preperation for the Towns Cup, and probably a play off match to avoid relagation. They are 17 points behind 6th in the league, with 5 games remaining, including this match against the Leaders, and an away fixture against the in form Wanderers. However, Tullamore are overconfident, Cill Dara are fired up and the ref is nervous.
The game started favourabley for Tullamore as they carried well and made some good forays into Cill Dara’s 22. Their indispline cost them though, as they gave away a penalty 2 metres from the Try line, when in control of a ruck for going off their feet. Tullamore missed a straight forward penalty from in front of the posts, on the 22. They also butcherd another opportunity when they had an overlap of 2 v 1 with a lot of space, when the last pass, was high and the winger failed to collect. Tullamore did score a try from a 5m lineout with their hooker getting the touchdown, the conversion was missed. You might have expected Tullamore to steam on from here, but it was Cill Dara, who upped the tempo, and took control of the game. This was helped by a Tullamore Red Card after 22 min. Cill Dara were exerting pressure and their no8 made some good ground from the back of the scrum. Their effort paid dividends as they got 2 penalties to go in at half time with a 6-5 lead.
Tullamore have not been winning games by luck this far into the league, and they showed their mettle in the second half. They played most of the 2nd half with the ball and in Cill Dara’s side of the pitch. They were dominating the lineouts and shading the scrums. Their indisipline cost them though, as they were penalised on several occasions when 5m or less from the Cill Dara try line. They did take the lead after about 10 min, with a penalty, to go 8-6 up. Cill Dara defended superbly, as they didn’t give the tullamore backs any space to open up, and line breaks were quickly recovered. They then took advantage of a tullamore error, and ran the ball from well inside their own half, and with good interlinking in open play, they scored a try under the posts to regain the lead 13 – 8. Tullamore dug deep and again started to exert some pressure, but all they had to show for it was another pen, which left them trailing 13-11, with 13 min left. That pressure again paid dividends, when Tullamore took the lead with a penalty with 5 min left 14-13. This is where Cill Dara deserve huge credit. They hung in and when Tullamore had missed another penalty and a drop goal attempt, they were in position to pounce. Around the 80 min mark, Tullamore dropped a ball on the Cill Dara 22, The home team hacked it forward, and put up an excellent chase, Tullamore just about won the race to ball, but ended up kicking it behind their own try line to conceed a 5 metre scrum. From the scrum a series of penalties ensued, with the referee eventually losing patience and giving a penalty try. The final whistle sounded after the successful conversion, and was greeted by scenes of jubilation by Cill Dara and a scoreline of 20-14.
What a game this was, physical, skilfull, exciting, entertaining,and nail biting.The show of emotions both excileration and dejection after the game, show what it means to win or lose a tight contest.
The questions I take away from this game are;
1. Did Cill Dara not trust their kicker, to win the game with their first penalty from the scrum?
2. Why is it, that when teams have a scrum 5 meters out, they become so dominant? I see this regularly, where scrums that are evenly matched at almost any other part of the pitch, tend to be dominated by the attacking team.
3. How big an impact was the red card? Tullamore still had enough posession and territory to win the game.
What I learned from the game;
1. This league is hugely competitive. This game proves that the difference between top and 2nd from bottom is not huge. This was not a poor performance from Tullamore, nor was it an under strength team. For sure, Tullamore didn’t play aswell as they did in some of their other games, but that shouldn’t take away from Cill Dara’s win.
2. Place kicks are so important. Tullamore left 8 points behind them on the pitch. Cill Dara could have won the game without taking the risk of 5 scrums.
3. The clubhouse in Cill Dara was warm and inviting, it’s a pity there wasn’t more of the home support in there afterwards.
4. The Towns Cup is a lot more open than many people think. Cup rugby is about attitude on the day, and upsets are regular. I cant wait!
Tullamore have only lost two games this season, both of them away from home, and both of them in injury time. They’re still the class team in Leinster junior rugby, you can’t argue with the league table. This win will give great confidence to Cill Dara, who’ve lost a number of tight games this season. On this evidence it’s difficult to see the 2nd placed team in 1 b winning the play off, but as said earlier, it’s all about attitude on the day.
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I think on the night Cill Dara were missing their 1st and 2nd choice kickers and the 3rd choice left the pitch after 50 mins. Their 4th choice 10 who played as a scrum-half with their 2nds was sin binned and hadn’t had a kick all night, in hind-sight it was strange but the right decision. Also I think Cill Dara had an edge in the scrums but you’re right Tullamore totally dominated out of touch but from thw 10th minute onwards Cill Dara’s maul defence was outstanding I thought. The last break wasn’t a hack on but good inter-play between Cill Dara’s 8, 9 and 6 with the 6 chipping forward out of hand. Think tactically Cill Dara had their starting row on at the end after rotating them through the match, one of the few clubs with that kind of strength in dept in the front row. Still on the balance of play Tullamore should have won but it will be a good experience to lose that kind of game and bring that experience forward to the more important games over the next few months.
hulk overall your knocket is quite good and an interesting read. i would have to pull you up on a few things though.
On what basis would you say tullamore were ‘over confident’??
Im quite sure tullamore treat every game as it comes and take nothing for granted. You do realise tullamore have not won in cill dara in over 10 years? So they knew it was going to be tough.
Also i thought cill dara edged the scrum battle all day but their lineout was a complete shambles. I thought apart from the scrum the tullamore pack played well but their backs were poor, taking the wrong option several times and blowing three clear cut try chances. Also they made a huge mistake when trying to hack the ball into touch 22 metres out and instead it went loose and was carried over their own line, this led to the 5 metre scrum which ultimately won cill dara the game.
i would agree that cill dara will gain confidence from the win, i thought their scrum was very solid ansd their back row very organized in defence but they offered nothing in the backs and played better without the ball!! In fact both teams gave away as many penalties while in possession and going forward as they did in defence which led to a very disjointed and scrappy game.
For me cill dara will be hard beaten at home but will have to drastically improve the lineout and back row to give the cup a serious crack.
Maybe it was Tullamores supporters that were over confident, I heard a few of them talking about whether or not a bonus point was needed, all of them assuming the victory. I have to admit that I hadn’t talked to any of the players, and I dont know how they felt, or how they approached the game. AS regard the penalty count, I think Tullamore gave away 19, and Cill Dara 10? not a hundred percent sure on that statistic, but Tullamore definitly gave away considerably more.
Fair enough Hulk, there are always a few supporters that get a bit carried away! Yes tullamore gave away a lot of penalties, by my count between penalties and free kicks they gave away over 24 which is unaccepatable at any level. The disappointing thing from a tullamore point of view was that nearly half of these where when they had the ball and were on the attack. It’s something they will need to work hard on and get right for the remaining games.
Brightside you are right, cill dara’s back row had a serious game and their hard tackling and serious workrate won them the game in my opinion
I thought Cill Dara’s back-row were the best unit on the pitch, their number 8 was a serious athlete. For the record Tullamore won in Kildare in 2005 when they were runners up in the league that season but have loss 4 in a row since but up until a couple of years it was a bloody tough place to go to.
Mr Brightside,
Just ask Tullamore how easy it is to win in Cill Dara? It’s still a tough place to go! Tullamore will win the league The Chaps will finish second and Newbridge 3rd. I think Tullamore will struggle in the round robin. Particularly if they don’t prioritise it.
Tullamore will win the league, won’t win the round robin. They will want the towns cup 3 final losses since they won it, I’m sure it will be on there mind!! There also the argument that if they do go ail what will they be competing for? Absolutely nothing bar mid table in ail 2b!
Word comin from the camp is that they have alot of injuries notably Cathal feighery, Ivor deverell, Adrian Hanley, Tom Bennett and ger molloy, that’s 5 of the starting pack.
Aaron deverell picked up a knock in cill dara too. I think Tullamore over the next 4 weeks are goin to be really tested as a squad!
oh really? so who would your money be on for the round robin then? monivea – tullamore have already put 47 points on them?
richmond? over rated pack who newbridge easily beat?
clogher valley? dont think so!
the league is still the priority, anything after that is a bonus.
Would love to see Monivea push on but can’t see it happening!!! I think clogher valley have a good shot at it! Couple of good decent players, I don’t think Tullamore have the depth in the squad especially in the front row and if the info is correct that I got, that is the whole front row gone and if Aaron deverell is out they will struggle without him.
Bojangles, your arrogance is duly noted. Your beloved Tulliers will win the Leinster League, but without a half decent place kicker, and with Adrian Hanley losing his earlier season fitness, Monivea, Richmond and Portadown (not Clogher – detail is important) may very well push you into the play-off for the AIL. You very well may win this, but your far from guaranteed AIL status.
I feel that this is a fair report of the game having only seen tullamore twice both when Cill Dara played them they are the best team in the legue. We will call it like it is nothing went right form them on the night a man sent off in the first 20 an open try missed a few kickable peneltys missed not sure of the penelty count but it was huge. I think tullamores pack was matched but not bullied by any means i think now not a 100% sure but both sides lost a scrmb each against the head nottting huge. Tullamore lineout was better i feel. But the tullamore backs diddnt fire the last day we played there full back just ran around us he thankfully never realy got ball in open ground and the last ball was fumble by tullamore after some good cill dara play.
Great reading ,keep up the good work
What was the sending off for guys ?
Can anyone confirm the news I heard in the club last night, apparently the teams that are in the all Ireland junior cup are havin their players cup tied for the towns cup? Meaning the players that have played all Ireland junior cup cannot play in the Leinster towns cup??? Is this true???
Nonsense, the ail junior cup is a completely different competition to the LL. It has no bearing or effect on determining a players eligibility. A junior leinster club could start the entire 15 players who started in the ail cup in the 2nds towns cup the following wkend, provided they havent started more than 5 games in the LL.
Yes, that is true
Very accurate and detailed read, well done. From a Cill Dara perspective we had a few key players missing, especially in the backs with our 10/13/15 and winger. Good game to watch which eventually came down to the last play of the game to decide the outcome.