Match Report: Tullow vs Bective 1XV

Tullow RFC 28 - Bective Rangers FC 27

Black Gates  – 1 March, 2025 – A view from the ‘side-line’ by OMAHD 🐕

VIEW 1XV MATCH PHOTOS & CUP CELEBRATIONS

Round 14 – Leinster League Division 1A – The trip south to Tullow was made with the knowledge that one point was all that was required to take the league title, with our opponents needing a win to hopefully stay clear of a relegation play off.

On a pleasant spring like day the fixture had a tense cup match feel about it as the sun shone on the new 4G pitch.  Bective were welcoming back from injury Capt Tiarnan McCloskey but were taking to the pitch without injured prop Rory Mulvihill and No.8 Jamie Lawless.

The opening half was to be a challenging time for the Bective scrum as Tullow asserted their dominance.  However, Bective were more than able to make up for their shortfalls at the scrum with some fine open play and were rewarded after an excellent Scotty Barron break for Conor Kelly to maul over for the opening score, converted by Mikey O’Hare, to leave Bective in front 0 - 7 after 18 mins.  Bective were to suffer the first injury blow with the loss of prop Luke Mion replaced by David Kealy.  Unfortunately, with the penalty count rising David Kealy received a yellow on 25 minutes.  Tullow took full advantage of the situation and after a fine backline move, Burgess touched down in the corner, with the difficult conversion missed 5 -7 after 30 mins.  With the penalty count still mounting, a further harsh yellow card was issued, this time to James Gallagher and from the penalty the Tullow 10 Alan Johnson popped the kick over to give the home side the lead at the break.   

Half Time Score: Tullow RFC 8  -  Bective Rangers FC 7

The half started well for Bective with Scotty Barron again prominent in the move and further carries by Tim Carroll and sub Donagh Lawler for Mattie Gilsenan, to touch down with the O‘Hare conversion, Bective were back in front 8 -14.

Unfortunately, although back to 15 on the pitch, Bective were to suffer a further blow with the loss through injury of prop Conor Kelly.  Bective were able to stretch the lead after a great break by Mattie Keane was thwarted by a high tackle under the posts for Mikey O’Hare to increase the lead 8-17 after 52 mins.  Nonetheless, the big Tullow forwards were asserting themselves around the pitch with locks Gorry and Cole prominent and an easy penalty on the Bective 22 by Johnson brought the score to 11 – 17.  However, Bective responded and with a further Tullow infringement giving Bective another penalty under the Tullow posts, with O’Hare kicking the points, the lead was now 11 -20.  This was becoming a feature of the second half,  persistent Tullow infringements at Bective scoring opportunities .   So as the match headed for the last quarter, it was Scotty Barron on one of his many fantastic breaks throughout the game who brought play into the Tullow half offloading to Donagh Lawler, who found Mattie Keane on his shoulder to barrel over with Mike O’Hare adding the points 11 - 27 to Bective.

Amazingly, it took 27 mins for the first scrum of the second half and inevitably the penalty was harshly awarded to Tullow for Johnson to punt the big Tullow pack to the Bective line and from the clean take and maul brought the try from prop Caldbeck.  The easy conversion from Johnson made it a 10 point game now.  18 - 27.

With the momentum now with Tullow, it was at a ruck on the Bective 40 metre line that one of the more controversial moments of the game took place.  A Bective player was dangerously taken out of the ruck and had to leave the pitch with his head injury to be assessed.  Unfortunately, the referee awarded the penalty to Tullow and Johnson made no mistake to make it a one score game 21 - 27.

With the clock now into injury time and the Tullow players having a go, it fell to Caldbeck to touch down over the line after the ball was spilled in the passing movement and for Johnson to seal the win with the last kick of the match.     

Bective Rangers 1XV: 15 Tim Carroll, 14 Mikey O’Hare, 13 Ben Garrett, 12 Bobby Holland, 11 Shane O’Mara, 10 Matthew Gilsenan, 9 Conor Halpenny, 1 Luke Mion , 2 Scott Barron, 3 Connor Kelly, 4 Gavin Kelly, 5 Ger Warde, 6 Tiarnan McCloskey ©, 7 Mattie Keane, 8 James Gallagher.
Finishers: 16 David Kealy ,17 Tadhg O’Dwyer, 18 Donagh Lawler, 19 Craig Cantwell, 20 Benji Kealy.
Scorers: Bective: Tries: Gavin Kelly - 1, Matthew Gilsenan -1 Mattie Keane -1 Cons: Mikey O’Hare, - 3, Con : Mikey O’Hare, - 2 Pen.                                                         

Referee: Berney White  – Enniscorthy RFC.