Firsts 23 – Greystones 27

Galwegians contrived to lose this game despite playing some of the best rugby they have played this year at the beginning and end of this match. They need to learn how to maintain the high standards they have shown they can reach for full matches.

On a bright, crisp autumnal day in Dr. Hickey Park, Wegians made light of the breeze in their face as they blasted out of the blocks to dominate the first quarter of the match.

Outhalf Tadhg Leader slotted an early penalty as the Wegians forwards blew thier opponents away in an early scrum and in rucks and mauls. 3 mins Greystones 0 – Galwegians 3.

The Sky Blues continued to dominate their opponents in every facet of the game and they were rewarded when centre Brian Murphy powered through a couple of tackles to dot down under the posts after an excellently executed move off a line-out. 9 mins Greystones 0 – Galwegians 10.

The home side were struggling to contain the visitors high tempo play and were conceding a string of penalties that eventually led to flanker Darragh Duggan being binned on 14 minutes.

The vocal travelling Wegians support were in great spirits at this point and the team looked like they could have the game sown up by half time.

However the sin binning galvanised the home side and Wegians went off the boil. Greystones started to gather momentum as they forced a number of penalties through their fierce counter-rucking. They won the sin bin period 6-0 thanks to two well struck penalties from full back Andrew Kealy. A third successful penalty on the half hour brought them to within a point of the visitors. 30 mins Greystones 9 Galwegians 10.

Galwegians steadied the ship and stemmed the flow of penalties as the half ended but then a catalogue of errors and mishaps left them stunned at half time as they conceded a try right on the half-time whislte.

A penalty touchfinder from halfway missed its mark and went dead. From the ensuing scrum Greystones No. 8 Alan O’Toole picked from the base of a rapidly retreating scrum and charged 30 yards into the Wegians 22 where fullback John Cleary managed to halt his progress. Greystones managed to recycle the ball a couple of times and wing Kennedy outflanked the retreating Wegians defense to score. Half-time Greystones 16 Galwegians 10.

It got worse for the visitors early in the second half. Greystones worked the ball into the Wegians 22 but looked to have run out of options as the defense forced them backwards. However a pass to nobody in particular landed in open space where a retreating Kealy picked it up and had the pace to outstrip the covering defense to crash over in the corner. 46 mins Greystones 21 Galwegians 10.

The game ebbed to and fro and the sides traded penalties as the final quarter progress. 63 mins Greystones 24 Galwegians 13.

Wegians raised the tempo and their dominant scrum as really causing the home side problems. From a series of scrums they got their second try as No. 8 Jonathon Gardiner monstered over from close range. 72 mins Greystones 24 Galwegians 18.

A silly penalty, and there had been a number of them for Wegians during the match, put two scores between the teams a minute later. 73 mins Greystones 27 Galwegians 18.

Wegians stormed back and after a number of phases Leader jinked his way through the cover to get their 3rd try of the match. 76 mins Greystones 27 Galwegians 23.

In a frantic finale the home side secured enough possession to deny the visitors the chance to snatch the victory and Wegians suffered their second defeat of the season on the road.