Firsts 15 – Young Munster 10

Galwegians got back to winning ways when they recorded a much-needed victory at home to Young Munster in this All-Ireland League Division 1 clash at Crowley Park on Saturday.

Both sides came into this game on the back of some disappointing results, with the visitors lying second from bottom in the table and Wegians having lost twice on the bounce. And while they never hit top gear, the Blues improved sufficiently from last week’s implosion against Dolphin to run out deserved winners and go into the Christmas break in the relative comfort of a mid-table position.

The opening period was closely fought, and while neither side looked like taking the game by the scruff of the neck, Wegians certainly had the upper hand in the forward exchanges. This was especially the case in the scrums, and on 25 minutes they were rewarded when a powerful surge close to the line was illegally halted and referee Darragh McCormack awarded a penalty try. Out-half Matt Brandon tapped over the simple conversion for a 7-0 lead.

But the visitors responded well, and a penalty from full-back Matthew Costelloe opened their account soon after. Then on 35 minutes it got even better for the Cookies when they snatched the lead, courtesy of an intercept try by out-half Mike Prendergast. Costelloe’s conversion put them 10-7 in front, and they were looking good to take their lead into half-time. But Wegians showed great resolve as they fought back almost immediately, and just before the break hooker Conor Muldoon forced his way over the line to score a second try and restore a 12-10 advantage.

The second-half was again a tight affair, and while Wegians dominated possession and territory, they found scoring opportunities very hard to come by and rarely looked like adding to their tally. However it was the same for the opposition who are nothing if not dogged, and the closest they came to regaining the lead were penalty and drop-goal attempts by Costelloe, but the out-half was wide with both efforts.

Then after Wegians withstood a late period of pressure in the dying minutes, the game was made safe with a sublime piece of skill by substitute full-back Cormac O’Beirne, who struck a monstrous drop-goal from near the halfway line which sailed right between the sticks. This proved to be the only score in the second-half, as the Blues held on to record their fourth win out of seven games to date in Division 1, which resumes action in mid-January.