Knock On

Westport 6
Sligo 14

Westport Scorers: Eddie Walsh 2 pens
Sligo Scorers: Paddy Pearson 1 try, Jack Macklin 1 try and 2 cons.

Caption: Sligo’s Adrian McHale on the charge. Pic sligorfc.ie

A try in either half helped Sligo maintain their unbeaten start to the Junior League campaign and reaffirmed their status as title contenders in wet conditions on Sunday.

This was Sligo’s first away win at Carrowholly since the two sides returned to Junior rugby from the AIL back at the start of the last decade and to Westport’s credit, they made the league’s form side work hard for their victory.

Westport started well and used the boot in open play to good effect pinning the visitors back in their own half. A penalty within kicking range ensued providing the home side with an early chance which Eddie Walsh duly took for a 3-0 lead.

On ten minutes Sligo turned up a gear. Jamie Bowes robbed a lineout and Sligo drove forward releasing the back line. Paddy Pearsons spread it wide through the hands of Jordan Farrington and Jack Macklin who, while being tackled, fed the looping Pearsons for a fine try. Macklin converted for a 7-3 lead.

That was the kind of spark that has seen Sligo climb to the top of the pile this season but Westport were not rattled and continued to work tirelessly without the ball in an effort to force penalties and turnovers. It worked before half time but Eddie Walsh’s well struck penalty came back off the post.

The Westport pack put in their best effort of the campaign to date even in the absence of hooker Alan Cusack.  Props Martin Kennedy and Pat Conway battled well in the scrums while Peter Corcoran, Conor Hastings and JP Walsh fought hard in the back row.

The early stages of the second half saw Westport battle well but the likes of Jason East and Trevor Sweeney were resilient in the loose for a Sligo side that didn’t yield throughout. Westport did narrow the gap however on the hour with Walsh slotting a penalty after an isolated Sligo forward was penalised for not releasing.

That made in a one point game but Sligo’s answer was emphatic. A lineout and maul set a platform and Pearsons linked with Gavin Foley whose straight line created the space for Macklin to burst through, score and add the straight forward extras.

For coach Simon Galvin this was another step forward for his emerging side. He was last in charge of a Sligo side against Westport three season’s ago when they lost the league play off in extra time to the Bulls so this will have been some solace.
Westport continue to develop though and they can hold their heads high after this display.

Westport: D Keane; E Joyce, J McHugh, A Kilroy, J O’Malley; E Walsh, C Southgate; M Kennedy, P Kennedy, P Conway; R Martin, E Mullowney; P Corcoran, C Hastings, JP Walsh.

Replacement: M O’Brien, B Prendergast and M Dillon

Sligo: J Macklin, T Mulvaney, J Farrington, G Foley, D Gerrity; P Pearson, B Leahy; A McHale, G Conneely, J East; J Wilson, J Bowes; P Mullan, C Culhane, T Sweeney.

Replacements: M Feeney, R Mannion, A Feeney.

Knockon prediction on Friday: away by seven; Reality: one off! we knew the bulls would make it tough but Sligo had the class.

Corrib 34
OLBC 0

Corrib Scores: Brian McDonagh 2 tries; Barry Lee 1 try, Alan Bane 1 try, Ronan Browne 1 try; Mike Monahan 1 pen and 3 con.

Corrib’s incredible start to the season continued on Sunday when the disposed of OLBC in fine style in Headford.

A barrage of early scores did the trick in wet and miserable conditions as the OLBC pack just didn’t have the answers and the home back line found top gear once again.

The most impressive and striking aspect of this high flying Corrib side has been their ability to turn possession into points and put teams to the sword more clinically then they would have in the past. This was a prime example.

They were missing a number of key front line players including last year’s knockon.ie young player of the year Darragh Higgins along with Martin Lee, Brian Lynch and Kevin Reilly from the regular starting list.

This didn’t phase the Paul Donnellan coached side in the slightest. They started at a rate of knots and were out of sight in the first quarter. Alan Bane at loosehead made his first start of the campaign and scored a try to mark it.

Back row stalwart Brian McDonagh managed two tries in the contest. Barry Lee was back at scrum half and crowned a fine display with a try while new winger Ronan Brown seems to be settling in well and he also got on the score sheet with Mike Monahan adding a penalty and three conversions.

Corrib: M Monahan; R Browne, Thomas Lee, J Gavin  R Casey; C Sullivan, B Lee; A Bane, C Moylan, J Murphy;  S Walsh, B Audley; D O’Connor, D O’Connor, B McDonagh.

Replacement: Ml Higgins; E Craddock, L Casserley.

Knockon prediction on Friday: home by 4 Reality: Does this count as a failure on our part? probably, we thought Corrib would struggle here and just scrape home at the end. We’ve been wrong all to often with Corrib this year, much like Tuam last year.

Ballina 20
Galwegians 0

Ballina Scores: Michael Clarke and Robert Forbes 1 try each; Andy Moynihan 1 drop goal, 2 con and 1 pen.

Ballina have now won four from five and sit in fourth place in the league table after another comfortable victory on home soil last Sunday against a hard working but limited Galwegians.

They led 13-0 at half time and scored two tries in total. Andy Moynihan had kicked an early drop goal and penalty to set them on their way before the out half was involved along with David Newman in a fine move that  led to Michael Clarke’s try.

Impressive full back Robert Forbes added a second try in the second half, both were converted by Moynihan. Paul Newell and Tom Tolan were in fine form up front as were all the back row with Aidan McNulty once again to the fore.

Ballina: R Forbes; N O’Malley, M Clarke, D Newman, C Quinn; A Moynihan, M Murphy; P Newell, R Kelly, T Tolan; M Healy, D Carribine; C Forde S Loftus, A McNulty.

Replacements: J Cawley, S Dolan and C Rouse

Knockon prediction on Friday: Home by 10. Reality: Not miles out, Ballina only managed the two tries but were much the better side. .

Corinthians 24
Ballinrobe 6

Corinthians Scorers: Niall O’Shea, Cian Begley, Ronnie Ferguson and Barry McCann 1 try each; Baden Morley 2 con.
Ballinrobe Scores: Trevor Nally 2 pens

Corinthians are still very much in the title hunt after this fortuitous bonus point victory over Ballinrobe on Sunday. While the overall result wasn’t in doubt Corinthians didn’t look like they were going to secure that fourth try bonus point for much of the contest.

Nialll O’Shea had scored early but two brilliant long range penalties from Trevor Nally had put Ballinrobe in front with half time approaching. Just before the break however Cian Begley got in for a second try to swing momentum towards his side with Baden Morley slotting the conversion.

Ballinobe still appear to be improving however and they will take solace from the overall display with Brendan O’Toole returning at hooker and performing well and Stephen Rochford excelling at scrum half. Second half tries from Ronnie Ferguson and a late one from Barry McCann however sealed the win for the reigning league champions.

Corinthians: R Ferguson; S Cafrey, M O’Boyle, C Begley, N O’Shea; B Morley, M Roche; C O’Shea, D Barden, D Small; J Dileen, R McInearney; M Burn, C Williams, B McCann.

Replacements: A O’Toole, A Walsh, K Russell.

Ballinrobe: P Cosgrove; B Lynskey, P Flannagan, A Golden, J Gill; T Nally, S Rochford; D Burke, B O’Toole, C McHugh; M Joyce, A Coleman; S Kelly, D Madden, D Costello.

Replacements: M Mikolajewski; T Watson, P Moylette.

Knockon prediction on Friday: home by 14 Reality: home by 18.  Not a bad call here, some derided us for suggesting Ballinrobe’s good record at Corinthian Park and fine showing in the cup last year meant something. Well this one backs up our prediction that the robe wouldn’t be outclassed. Corinthians needed a defensive lapse to secure a bonus late on. Better team one for sure but Ballinrobe are improving.

Monivea 47
Castlebar 8

Monivea Scorers: Rory O’Connor 2 tries; Ger Divilly, Darren Blade, Cathal Divilly and Pat Devane Eoin Rooney. Ger O’Connor 4 cons, Seamus Fahey 2 cons.
Castlebar Scores: Finton Casey 1 try; Robbie Cuasck 1 pen.

Monivea led 28-0 at half time and had the bonus point wrapped up at that stage, In total they they had seven tries including two more for the prolific Rory O’Connor. This was as straight forward a win as they could of hoped for twelve months after losing to the same opponents away from home.

Castlebar were well beaten by the league title favourites at the Castle Grounds on Sunday. The injury ravaged Mayo men will welcome the break in hostilities for three weeks after a tough start to the campaign.

Among the players missing on Sunday were Kevin Cox, Liam Molloy, Ger Prendergast, Nigel Byrne, Paul Coady, Tadgh Kirby and Richie Feeney, all regular starters. Castlebar’s points on Sunday came from a Finton Casey try and a Robbie Cusack penalty.

Monivea: R O’Connor; G Divilly, D Prior, K Higgins, B McDonagh; G O’Connor, D Blade; C Divilly, P Devane, G Fitznaurice; B Murphy, W Parker; S McHugh, K Concarr, E Rooney.

Replacement: R Coughlin, S Fahey and J Culkin.

Castlebar: R Conway; P Yue, L Staunton, M Staunton,  F Casey; R Cusack, C Cusack; R Flynn, L Coyle, R Hughes;’ S Wotten, T McCauliff; P Flannely, D Staunton, E Murphy

Replacements: A Gavin, M Moran.

Knockon prediction on Friday: home by 16 Reality: We thought it would be one sided but didn’t envisage such a heavy defeat for Castlebar.