Match Report: 1XV vs Suttonians
Suttonians came out the better in this pulsating Leinster League clash in Donnybrook. Facing a 19 point deficit after the 1st quarter, injury effected Bective starting without 8 key players hauled their way back into the contest with a great 3 try 2nd quarter performance to lead 21 – 19 at one point. Highlights of the overall performance was the 3 try haul from Shane O’Meara ably assisted by some superb breaks from full back Tim Carroll.
Running rugby was the order of the day with both sides moving the ball at every opportunity.
Suttonians took first blood, after a fortunate lineout on the Bective 22, to set-up the maul for the first try from prop Walters.
With Suttonians looking for any kind of a win to ensure League 1A status next season, there was an urgency to their play and with the ball moved wide for winger Gallagher to blaze in under the posts for the 2nd try.
Bective’s fightback was cruelly denied when a harsh whistle from Referee Ian Thompson for a forward pass, disallowed the try for Shane O’Meara after a great phase of play. The Suttonians No. 10 Jack Usher, prominent throughout, was having a fine game, going through the phases, for Gallagher to burst down the line to touch down in the corner.
All credit to the Bective players behind into the 2nd quarter with a mountain to climb, and after a scrum on halfway saw Conor Halpenny feed Tim Carroll on the short side to make a great break and pass to Shane O’Meara to sprint away to touch down .
From another scrum this time on the Bective 22, a great flat pass from Gilsenan to Tim Carroll to run a great line up the short side and release Shane O’Meara, still to ride the tackle and sprint away from halfway to score under the posts.
The set piece was coming to Bective’s aid now and from one on Suttonians 22, Tiarnan McCloskey found a weakness on the openside to break a couple of tackles and barrel over at the posts for Bective to lead 21-19. Unfortunately, Bective were to suffer a massive blow just after with the loss of Tiarnan through injury replaced by Harry Hughes.
With Suttonians giving as good as they were getting it wasn’t long before another try for prop Walters put them back in front back and gave them that vital try bonus point.
Bective hit back and a score looked on, after a great chip down the line from Shane O’Meara bounced kindly and Suttonians survived.
So the nip and tuck nature of the game continued into the 2nd half and after great play by Conor Halpenny and Bobby Holland carved the opening for replacement winger Conor Murphy to touch down in the corner, alas to be denied, called back for a forward pass and Suttonians survived again.
The Bective pack were working overtime stemming the excellent carries by the Suttonians pack but it was one of the forays up the middle from Capt. McConnon and No. 8 Chase, that led to the try in the corner to put further daylight between the teams.
Bective needed a score and after a promising move off a lineout were nearly in but for a turnover.
However, the Bective score did come after some great carries by big men Tadhg O’Dwyer, Ronan Cregan and then Shane Ryan, setting up quick ball for Matthew Gilsenan to throw the long pass for Shane O’Meara to race over for his 3rd try. Unfortunately, we were to lose Shane after to injury, replaced by Angus McCallum. On also came replacements David Kealy and Titapau Pairama-Lewington. Suttonians were making sure that the match was theirs and with Bective tiring, Capt. McConnon was on the end of another forwards move to get the touchdown.
But the Bective players were not for giving up with O’Dwyer, Bennett, Dever, Cregan & Callanan still leading from the front and after a great cross kick from Matthew, collected by Ben Garrett, to get the touch down. ‘Bective down but not out’ had the last say of a pulsating 11 try game.
Final Score Bective 31 – Suttonians 41
