Match Report: Suttonians vs 1st XV
A view from the ‘side-line’ by GPMK
Leinster League Div 1A - Saturday 22nd October @ 1.45pm – JJ McDowell Grounds
Suttonians RFC 19 – 36 Bective Rangers FC
Bective dug deep to sail to victory against Suttonians
The weather could not have been better below the Hill of Howth following the week of thunder and lightning and it was a pleasant day out on Dublin Bay. Bective kicked off into an ‘on-shore’ sea breeze. Immediately they were on the attack as the forwards went through the phases and the Bective mid-field 12/13 combination, Bobby Holland and Shane O’Meara, through slick passing broke the Suttonians defence, to send Mikey O’Hare on a sprint to the line for the opening try. With the difficult conversion missed by Matthew Gilsenan, Bective lead 5-0.
From the restart, Bective continued with their high tempo game and pressed Suttonians in attack, which resulted, after a series of penalties awarded against them by referee Andrew Cole, ARLB IRFU (a member of Old Wesley RFC), in a verbal warning being issued. However, this resulted in Suttonians upping their intensity and despite some brilliant defensive work by the Bective pack - chiefly by No.6 Duarte Costa Campos and Jamie Lawless - Suttonians big No.4 got in for a try, which was converted by their out-half to give Suttonians the lead by 7 points to 5.
With the Bective’s set-piece in command, kicking for touch was a little difficult due to the on-shore breeze but Matthew Gilsenan finally found touch with a delightful kick because of a Suttonians penalty. The resulting line-out was won by Tiarnan McCloskey to feed Jamie Lawless and to score a try. Matthew Gilsenan added the points and Bective lead now by 12 points to 7.
The final 5 minutes of the half saw Bective in defensive mode with the Suttonians big pack piling on the pressure on the Bective line to lead to the game’s first yellow card against Bective. With Bective reduced to 7 men, Suttonians opted to scrum, but a massive defensive play by the Bective pack resulted in a turn-over penalty, and it finished at half time Suttonians 7 – Bective 12.
Half Time – Suttonians RFC 7 – 12 Bective Rangers FC
Bective started the second half at lightning speed with the breeze at their backs and within 5 minutes of the restart, Bective lost Jamie Lawless through injury, to be replaced by Agustin Ortas. Suttonians then had their influential No 12 yellow carded as a result of persistent fouling.
Connie Champer was restored to the front row and the Bective dominant pack were awarded a penalty try on 46 minutes. The score now was Suttonians 7 to Bective 19. For the next 15 minutes it was all Bective, with the ‘evergreen’ Bobby Holland ‘doing the grunt work’ in mid-field to allow the ‘Speedy Gonzales’ Shane O’Meara to grab a brace of tries. With both conversions missed, it was then the turn of No.6 Duante Costa Campos to grab a try on 65 minutes. With the conversion secured by Matthew Gilsenan and the try bonus point in the bag, the score was suddenly 36 points to 7 in favour of Bective.
Following the return of Suttonians No 12 from the bin, their response was immediate and from some dogged plays by their big forwards and backs they got in for two late tries to bring the score to 36 points to 19.
Suttonians now had three tries and began to chase a fourth for a bonus point, but again some outstanding defence by the Bective pack resulted in a turn-over by Connie Champer. With time now up, Matthew Gilsenan took the kick to touch to leave the final score 36 – 19.
With 5 rounds of the Leinster League Division 1A completed, Bective stand one point behind league leaders Monkstown. A fast, high tempo, pressurised start to the game, belief in what they are doing, and a ‘direct’ approach will see this fine group of players bring success to Bective.
Next up next Sat 29th October, which will be a ‘first’ for Bective Rangers FC in their history - to play in the Energia All Ireland Junior Cup and to welcome their opponents for that game, Enniskillen RFC to Donnybrook with a 4 pm KO.
Full Time – Suttonians RFC 19 – 36 Bective Rangers FC
Bective Rangers FX – 1XV 15 Seb Berti Jun, 14 Mikey O'Hare, 13 Shane O'Meara, 12 Bobby Holland, 11 Tim Maloney, 10 Matthew Gilsenan, 9 Jack O’Carroll, 1 Colin Jackson, 2 Scott Barron, 3 Connie Campher, 4 Mark Bennett, 5 Tom Dever, 6 Duarte Costa Campos, 7 Tiarnan McCloskey, 8 Jamie Lawless.
Replacements: 16 Fox Fallon, 17 Rodrigo Gens, 18 Agustin Ortas, 19 Shane O'Loughlin, 20 Gwenegan Kiniveren.
Head-to-Head – Leinster League Division 1A - Bective Rangers FC vs Suttonians RFC
Played 5, Won 2, Draw 0, Lost 3. Points vs Suttonians RFC – 115 pts (15 T) – 100 pts (13 T)
