Young Munster overcome Blackrock College in the UBL
Match report by Aidan Corr from limerickrugby.ie:
ONE win from their last three Ulster Bank AIL division one A fixtures may notbe the form of champions but Saturday’s victory over Blackrock edges YoungMunster into a challenging third position as the leading bunch moves intocontention for the finishing straight.
It was, however, a result that pleased their player/coach Mike Prendergast:“It’s good to get back to winning ways again. It was a strange kind of a game,stop and start and a lot of injuries, but we’ll take the win. Hopefully when weget back on the training ground on Tuesday we can rectify some of the mistakeswe made out there. In the first half we should have had a few more scores. In conditionslike we had out there and the fact that Blackrock were so committed, the bonuspoint was always going to be difficult.”
Prendy’s confidence that they can still win the title will be well received bythe black and amber fans: “Absolutely. I’m fully confident that we can. Thereare eight games to go, we have four away and four at home but the next threefixtures are going to be crucial for us and could mould our season withConstitution at home this coming week-end, then Shannon away and Garryowen athome.”
12-3 up after 20 minutes courtesy of three penalties and a drop goal fromWillie Staunton gave ‘Munsters’ the perfect platform in this game but failureto create try chances gave early indication that the bonus point could be outof their reach. Leading 6-0 ‘Rock had replied with a penalty on 13 minutes whena cheeky break by scrum-half Alan McGinty out-foxed Mike Prendergast and LiamOg Murphy to set up the penalty that reduced the home lead to three points, butthat was as close as the visitors got to a surprise result.
The Young Munster pack, mauling the ball 25 metres during one assault, wassuperior at the set-piece but it was a slice of good fortune that gifted theblack and ambers their first try of the game. Referee John Carvill must have beenthe only one not to spot a blatant knock-on as Mark Doyle finished off amidfield move four minutes from the break but the home side had to wait fortheir second touchdown until nine minutes from the finish: replacement back-rowShane Hassett getting over following a fine drive off a lineout by the pack.Staunton missed both conversions and while Blackrock never gave up the fight,their penalty, try and conversion all coming from out-half Darragh Fitzpatrick,the Dublin visitors were well beaten at the finish.
“Darragh Gallagher and Mark Doyle were outstanding today,” said the YoungMunster coach, “and this win will give us renewed confidence.” He could alsohave added centre Mike Kelliher as well as the performance of hooker GerSlattery, whose absence from representative rugby remains a mystery.
Young Munster: Aaron Carroll; Craig O’Hanlon, Andrew Burke, Mike Kelliher, MarkDoyle; Willie Staunton, Mike Prendergast; Ger Flaherty (Hugh McGrath 51,Flaherty 60), Ger Slattery (Cathal O’Connor 77), Alan Cotter; DarraghGallagher, Sean Duggan (Shane O’Neill 55); Liam Og Murphy, James O’Neill (ShaneHassett 55), Neville Melbourne (James O’Neill 74).
Blackrock College: Andrew Latham; David Rowan (Brett Thompson 69), Jan SimonByrne, Rob Keogh, Mark Scott Lennon (Dylan Symonds 60); Darragh Fitzpatrick(David Boland 78), Alan McGinty; Sean Byrne, Ryan Fisher (Colin Coyle 69),Arthur Lyons; Peter McCague, Alex Dunlop; Tyrone Moran, Gavin Greene, RichardMarsh.
Scorers, Young Munster, tries Mark Doyle, Shane Hassett; four penalties, dropgoal Willlie Staunton. Blackrock College, try, conversion, penalty DarraghFitzpatrick.
Yellow card, Ger Flaherty, Young Munster.
Referee, John Carvill, IRFU.
(Aidan Corr)
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Pre-Match Lunch for Cork Con game this Saturday
Young Munster take on Cork Constitution this Saturday ingame 11 of the Ulster Bank League. Why not make a day out of it and come to thePRE-MATCH LUNCH from 1pm? €25 includes admission, 2-course lunch with wine andmatch programme. All are welcome. For bookings contact Brendan Collopy at086-6062606 or Fergal Deegan 086-2265692.
