Match Result
- Result: Galwegians Firsts 24 - Buccaneers 9
- Venue: Athlone on Sun Oct 10th 2004
- Competition: Connacht Senior League
Match Report
Galwegians are Crowned Connacht Senior League Champions
Galwegians regained the Connacht Senior League title in very impressive fashion when they outplayed pre-tournament favourites and their arch-rivals Buccaneers by outscoring them three tries to nil in Athlone on Sunday. This victory means that Wegians recorded four wins from four outings in their League campaign, and so they now go into the start of their AIL campaign at home to Trinity next Sunday unbeaten from five outings.
However this encounter was far from one-way traffic, as the visitors were made to work very hard by the home side who started with intent. With half and hour gone in the first-half, Buccs led 9-0 thanks to three penalties from David Connellan, which was a fair reward for their dominance. But significantly they were unable to breach the Galwegians rearguard whose defence held firm despite the territorial pressure from the home side. Then just before half-time Wegians opened their account with a penalty from full-back Patrick Noble.
This was a huge psychological boost to the Blues who came out much stronger in the second-half. And within ten minutes they put their noses in front when a block-down resulted in a try for Dave Rogers, with Noble adding the conversion for a one-point lead. Then ten minutes later and with another successful conversion from Noble giving them an 8-point cushion.
Wegians were by now clearly on top, and on the few occasions that Buccaneers managed to get into their 22, they again had no answer to the stoic Galwegians defence. Then on 70 minutes Wegians made the game safe and wrapped up the title with the best try of the game. Substitute winger Richie Murray started the move with a break up the right, and from the resulting ruck, some swift backline handling saw left-winger Stuart Meagher cross in the corner for a try against his former team. Another magnificent touchline conversion from the prolific Noble was the icing on the cake for Wegians who thoroughly deserved their win and are worthy League champions.
