Match Report: 1XV vs Ashbourne
Back to League duties for 1XV last Saturday with Ashbourne our visitors in another vital Leinster League Div 1A clash for the Bective at home.
Bective were almost back to full strength except for injuries still to Jamie Lawless, Benji Kealy and Titapu Pairama Lewington.
From the kick off Ashbourne tore into Bective and were camped inside the Bective 22 for the first 10 mins and were unlucky not to be ahead only for a hold up tackle over the line by Matthew Gilsenan to deny Ashbourne. Unfortunately, during the earlier play Scotty Barron was harshly penalised with a yellow and Bective were down to 14.
Having lifted the siege the Bective backs unfortunately got themselves isolated and from the resulting penalty outside the 22 , Ashbourne deservedly took the lead.
8 min | Bective 0 – Ashbourne 3
Referee Cathal Roddy Connacht Branch , from Dunmore RFC was working overtime as the penalty count rose unfortunately not always in Bective’s favour. Cathal was applying the new tackle law to the letter, below the Sternum. i.e. Belly Tackle = Safest Tackle.
Bective upped their game, but Ashbourne were dogged in defence and briefly threated the Bective defence again. A great turnover by Capt. Mattie Keane on the Bective 22 putting a stop to a dangerous attack from Ashbourne. However after a lineout inside the Bective half, a great leap by Ger Warde and a maul and go by the pack brought Bective to the Ashbourne half and after a couple more phases first by Connie Campher , then a great blind side break by Tiarnan McCloskey with Mark Bennett in support, superbly offloading to Bobby Holland to touch down for a great opening try , converted by Mikey O’Hare.
20 min | Bective 7 – Ashbourne 3.
Bective back to 15 were hoping to build on this score in the 2nd quarter but Ashbourne had other ideas after 9 phases inside the Bective half, yielded a penalty in the Bective 22. Ashbourne opted for a pick and go and after 3 further good mauls looked likely to score at the posts only to be denied by a brilliant Tiarnan McCloskey turnover and Bective survived.
As the 2nd quarter headed for the whistle the Bective pack put pressure on the Ashbourne scrum and from the resulting attack went through the phases with Connie Campher nearly over resulting in a penalty and a similar yellow for deliberate knock on to the earlier Bective card for Ashbourne. Another 4 scrums with penalties didn’t change the scoreboard. Finally from another penalty ( 5 in total ), a pick and go by Connie Campher and quick ball for Shane O’Meara to touch down out wide, excellently converted from the touchline by Mikey O’Hare.
Half time | Bective 14 – Ashbourne 3
Bective got off to an unfortunate start with the Referee applying the new tackle law , so Connie Campher was unfortunately carded for 10 mins. However, all was forgotten after tremendous play by all the backs led to that man again, Tiarnan McCloskey breaking the tackle to touch down at the posts to leave Mikey with the easy conversion.
44 min | Bective 21 – 3
Adam Leavy and Ronan Gregan joined the fray and Bective’s counter attacking was beginning to tell, and after brilliant play by the pack and then slick passing by all the backs , Mikey O’Hare showed his pace to race over for the bonus point try.
60 min | Bective 28- Ashbourne 3.
Bective were now able to empty the bench with Cormack Walsh and Tom Dever coming in for the last quarter
With Ashbourne chasing the game , mistakes were creeping in and when Tim Carroll fielded a kick on half way, he went on another of his great runs to feed Shane O’Meara and Shane showing deft footwork, beat his man and the cover then cut inside to touch down under the posts with Mikey popping over the conversion Bective were now completely in the driving seat.
68 min | Bective 35 – Ashbourne 3
Nevertheless Ashbourne didn’t throw in the towel and had a consolation try before Tiarnan McCloskey closed out proceedings barging over for his 2nd and Bective 6th try with Mikey adding the points bringing his tally to 17 points.
So the halfway point in the league has been reached and Bective keep up the pressure on our rivals, 6 points behind leaders Seapoint with a trip down the N11 next week to Wicklow RFC.
Final Score | Bective 42 – Ashbourne 8
Bective Rangers FX – 1XV 15 Tim Carroll, 14 Mikey O'Hare, 13 Ben Garrett, 12 Daithi Murphy, 11 Shane O’Meara, 10 Matthew Gilsenan, 9 Bobby Holland, 1 Shane Ryan , 2 Scott Barron, 3 Connie Campher, 4 Tadgh O’Dwyer, 5 Ger Warde,6 Mark Bennett, 7 Tiarnan McCloskey, 8 Mattie Keane Capt.
Replacements: 16 Daniel Byrne, 17 Tom Dever, 18 Ronan Cregan, 19 Cormac Walsh, 20 Adam Leavy.
Head-to-Head – Leinster League Division 1A - Bective Rangers FC vs Ashbourne
Played 9, Won 6, Draw 0, Lost 3. Points vs Ashbourne – 163 pts (19 T) – 120 pts (12 T)
