Bective stay clear of the chasing pack after overcoming the Ashbourne pack
A View from the ‘side-line’ by OMAHD
Leinster League Division 1A
Saturday 28th January 2023 @ 2.30pm – Milltown House
Ashbourne RFC 09 – 17 Bective Rangers FC
Bective edge Ashbourne in Division 1A clash in added time.
Photo Credits: BH Photography(Ashbourne RFC)
With a dull drizzle prevailing throughout this game, round 11 of the Division 1A Leinster League saw Bective pip Ashbourne, at the final seconds of added time, in a very close and entertaining game of rugby. Bective had one change from their last outing, with Shane O’Meara moving to the centre and Tim Maloney on the wing, and the return of Rodrigo Gens to the bench.
To say this league is anything but competitive is an understatement as every club has the potential to beat another on any given day. Ashbourne kicked-off, with Dan Wallace ARLB IRFU from Terenure RFC in charge, and immediately put Bective into high defensive mode, and for the next 10 minutes continued to pound the Bective line. In these early exchanges, Ashbourne had the edge as their lineout was consistent and as they drove over the Bective line only to be held-up. The resultant line kick relieved the pressure on Bective and a kick deep, by scrum half Jack O’Carroll found touch on the Ashbourne 22. From the line-out, won by Ger Ward, the back line moved the ball wide and with some slick passing be Bobby Holland and Shane O’Meara, assisted by Tim Carroll, created an opportunity for Jack O’Carroll to break the Ashbourne defence to score a wonderful try. Matthew Gilsenan added the points and Bective were 7 - 0 up after 15 minutes of play.
Immediately from the restart Ashbourne went on the attack and in Bective’s effort to nullify the high midfield pressure from the Ashbourne defence, conceded a penalty from which their scrum half kicked the points on 18 minutes to reduce the score to 7 – 3. But Ashbourne were in no mood to relax and immediately attached the Bective defence with the same extreme furiousness, but for some great work on the ground by Mark Bennett and a resolute back-row of Mattie Keane, Tiarnan McCloskey and Jamie Lawless kept the Ashbourne attack at bay. However, the Bective line-out began to miss-fire and with the defence under pressure, forced to concede a penalty on 33 and 39 minutes. Ashbourne’s scrum half duly converted to leave Bective trailing 9 – 7 at half time.
Half Time – Ashbourne RFC 9 – 7 Bective Rangers FC
After the half time team chat, Bective kicked off and went on the attack down the left hand touchline, Ashbourne were put under pressure defensively and they conceded a penalty. Bective kicked to the corner and from the resulting lineout, they setup a driving maul which took them to the Ashbourne line. Ashbourne concede another penalty and Bective, with their dominant pack opted to scrum. This resulted in a 15-minute series of 12 scrums, 7 penalties and 5 scrum resets, all on the Ashbourne line. But Ashbourne’s veteran tight-head prop Mark Behan, with 36 seasons under his belt, at 51 years of age, used all his experience to disrupt the Bective scrum and at any chance of a Bective pushover, wheeled or stood up for a scrum reset. Finally, the referee Dan Wallace penalised Bective for some back-chat, but a certain Mark Behan may have influenced his decision. The resulting celebrations by the Ashbourne team, one would think that they had scored, and it roused them into a frenzy of sustained attack, to which Bective, to a man, withstood. Mark Bennet was replaced by Tadgh O’Dwyer and Scott Barron by Dan Byrne. Bective continued the sustained pressure and penalties followed but as Bective had no joy from their route one approach with the Ashbourne defence holding firm, following a penalty on 75 minutes to Bective, Mickey O’Hare taped it over to give Bective the lead at 9 points to 10.
Ashbourne restarted in determined mode and regathered possession from the kick-off. Their out half combined well with their scrum-half and placed a deft kick over the on-rushing Bective defence but for Tim Carroll to collect and punt the ball deep back into the Ashbourne 22. Bective contested the resulting lineout and managed to disrupt any clean ball for Ashbourne which then resulted in a sustained attack by Bective which was halted by a frantic scrambling Ashbourne defence. There were heroes throughout the Bective side, and the pack continued to dominate in committing themselves into every tackle. Both teams now threw everything into the fray and provided their respective supporters with some exciting hard rugby. But this was the second week in a row, when the clock was in added time, the true character of this Bective team and squad was in full display, they stuck to their task, and what seems an endless day/afternoon of rucking and driving, Connie Camper crashed over for a late try with Mikey O’Hare converting to lift the mood of the Bective faithful. Final score 9 points to 17.
With a welcome break for the 6 Nations, next up in the league is Suttonians RFC in Donnybrook on 18th February @ 3.00pm. With 3 league matches remaining, this will not be an easy fixture, but a win will keep Bective clear of the chasing pack.
Full Time - Ashbourne RFC 9 – 17 Bective Rangers FC
Bective Rangers FX – 1XV 15 Tim Carroll, 14 Tim Maloney, 13 Bobby Holland, 12 Shane O'Meara, 11 Mikey O'Hare, 10 Matthew Gilsenan, 9 Jack O’Carroll, 1 Colin Jackson, 2 Scott Barron, 3 Connie Camper, 4 Mark Bennett, 5 Ger Ward, 6 Matthew Keane, 7 Tiarnan McCloskey, 8 Jamie Lawless.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dever, 17 Dan Byrne, 18 Tadgh O’Dwyer, 19 Rodrigo Gens, 20 Seb Berti Jun.
Head-to-Head – Leinster League Division 1A Bective Rangers FC vs Ashbourne RFC
Played 8, Won 5, Draw 0, Lost 3. - Points vs Ashbourne RFC – 121pts (13T) – 112pts (12T)
