Match Report: Wicklow vs 1XV
A strong looking Bective line up, Tom Dever deputising for injured Shane Ryan , Adam Leavy at 13 and scrum half , Connor Halpenny starting his first game for Bective.
Bective started the stronger and were out of the traps early and after a few good attacks , with patient build ups yielded a lineout on the Wicklow line . A Great catch and go by Tiarnan McCloskey, then the maul and drive, the try was on , but with Wicklow bringing down the maul , Referee Jack McNeice from Clontarf FC had no hesitation in awarding the penalty try and a yellow to Wicklow No.7 Daniel Byrne.
10 Min | Wicklow 0 – Bective 7
One would have thought Wicklow may backed off with 14 players , but to their credit they brought the game to Bective with their influential centre Farrar in the thick of things and all of a sudden after great handling No. 10 McKenzie touched down for a converted try.
13 Min | Wicklow 7 – Bective 7
Wicklow continued to build their attacks and were awarded with a penalty, on the 22 , popped over by Paddy McKenzie.
18 min | Wicklow 10 – Bective 7
Bective continued to show some good attacking play but a combination of a few mistakes and good counter attacking by Wicklow kept Bective scoreless for the rest of the 1st quarter .
A great counter attack by Bective yielded a penalty on the Wicklow 22 and Mikey popped it over to level the game.
30 Min | Wicklow 10 – Bective 10
When it looked like Bective were about to score , Wicklow brought play to the Bective 22 after a great break out by centre Watson , Wicklow won a penalty with Referee McNeice showing yellow to Jamie Lawless, McKenzie converting the penalty.
35 Min | Wicklow 13 – Bective 10
Bective kept up the their excellent play and were rewarded with an easy penalty on Half time converted again by Mikey O’Hare to level the match .
Half Time | Wicklow 13 - Bective 13
Bective started the 2nd half well , and after a serious of lineouts in the Wicklow half starting with a great lineout take from Ger Warde , great carry from Connie Campher , with phase after phase for Matthew Gilsenan to touch down out wide , with the difficult conversion missed.
44 min | Wicklow 13 – Bective 18
After a another good lineout inside the Bective half , the maul brought play up to near halfway and another super box kick from Conor Halpenny put pressure on the Wicklow defence leading to Bective possession on the Wicklow 22 from where the ball was moved right to Tim Carroll on another of his great runs to set up the ruck and a further phase led to Scottie Barron nearly in under the posts , then with quick hands by that man again full back Tim Carroll popping a great pass for Adam Leavy to touch down near the posts , with the conversion kicked over by Mikey O’Hare,
49 min | Wicklow 13 – Bective 25
Wicklow were now up against it and needed a score quickly , but a great tackle by Mattie Keane on Wicklow No 10 McKenzie stopped a dangerous attack inside the Bective 22. Bective were able to move the play into the Wicklow 22 and after Wicklow clearance was blocked down by Jamie Lawless, freeing up Mike O’Hare to touch down for the bonus point 4th try with the difficult conversion missed.
58 min | Wicklow 13 – Bective 30
A feature of the Bective play now was keep the game in Wicklow’s half aided by some great box kicks from Conor Halpenny. After some great play Wicklow somehow kept Bective out , however after a knock on by Bective , Wicklow had to give way to the excellent scrum turn over from the Bective pack with Jamie Lawless crashing over and Mike O’Hare converting.
62 min | Wicklow 13 – Bective 37
All credit to Wicklow after losing one or two of their best players they stuck at it and from a few phases, with the deft feet of their excellent Fly Half Paddy McKenzie, who went on a great solo run to touch down out wide, with the conversion missed.
65 min | Wicklow 18 – Bective 37
From the kick off Bective were awarded a penalty out wide and opting for 3 points , Mikey O’Hare kicked a great 3 points to put further daylight between the teams.
69 min | Wicklow 18 – Bective 40
With time running out Wicklow never gave up , nonetheless great defence from Bective closed out the game with no further scores.
Full Time | Wicklow 18 – Bective 40
Head to head P6 W4 D0 L1 - Pts F 149 (T20) Pts A 73 (T9)
