Match Result
- Result: Galwegians Firsts 27 - Dungannon 21
- Venue: Crowley Park on Sat Oct 11th 2008
- Competition: AIL Division 1
Match Report
Galwegians won a very entertaining encounter at a sunny Crowley Park when they outscored their Northern visitors by four tries to two to claim all five points on offer.
The hosts took the lead in the very first minute when winger Brian Murphy scored a try in the left-corner. And although John McGuckin soon responded with a penalty for Dungannon, the hosts looked to be out of sight early on when another two well-worked tries from lock Liam Scahill and centre Chris Briegl put them 17-3 in front. But an intercept try from Dungannon flanker Derek Hall on the half-hour and a well-struck drop-goal from replacement out-half James Shiells reduced arrears to 17-11 at half-time.
Wegians resisted some early Dungannon pressure after the re-start to maintain their lead, and they secured the bonus point courtesy of a converted scrum pushover try on 54 minutes by Liam Casserly. But credit the visitors who never gave up, and a converted try under the posts from captain Michael Rainey on the hour mark kept them in touch.
A 65th minute penalty from Wegians’ impressive young full-back Robert O’Beirne put them nine points clear, but another injury-time penalty from McGuckin gave Dungannon a deserved consolation bonus point.