Match Result
- Result: Galwegians Firsts 13 - Wanderers 46
- Venue: Wanderers RFC on Sat Oct 9th 2021
- Competition: AIL Division 2B
Match Report
Wanderers had a comfortable win over a young Galwegian side in AIL Divisdion 2B on Saturday.
The hosts started strongly and went ahead after five minutes with centre, Ben Mahon, scoring a try for a 5-0 lead. Galwegians hit back almost immediately when, in their first incursion into Wanderers territory, they were awarded a penalty that was duly converted by Conor O’Shaughnessy to leave it a two-point game 5-3.
Wanderers went back on the offensive and in the tenth minute, following a quick tap penalty by Conor McQuaid, flanker, Brian Vaughan scored a try which was duly converted by Conor Byrne. Wanderers continued to attach the pressure told again in the 17th minute when a flowing movement between back and forwards saw hooker Stephen Dunne score in to corner. Conor Byrne’s conversion came back off the posts. Wanderers now leading 17-3.
Whilst under pressure the young Wegians side were fighting their corner and in one of their few attacks managed a good try far out in the corner. O’Shaughnessy kick started a brilliant counter with a chip and chase he regathered, with his scrum half Kelvin Langan running a super support line to fend off his tackler and dot down near the left corner. It marked a purple patch for the away side, in which they showed they were looking for nothing other than victory.
A great conversion reduced the arrears to 17-10 and ‘Wegians grew into what was a ferocious contest in the second quarter. With WFC appearing to take their foot off the peddle ‘Wegians attacked and were rewarded with a successful penalty in the 28th minute to leave it a one try game 17-13.
However, in the ten minutes before half time the home side established their superiority scoring three unanswered tries. First after a very promising move winger, Cian Doddy. scored an unconverted try. Then following a series of rolling mauls Stephen Dunne scored close to the posts but the conversion was missed. In the dying minutes of the half the Wanderers backs and forwards combined to score a brilliant try by Conor McQuaid, converted by Conor Byrne, for Wanderers to lead 34-13 at half time.
A more physical and experienced Wanderers team used their strengths to their advantage in the second period, holding out a seismic effort from Galwegians with a clever combination of brutality and nous.
Within three minutes of the restart winger Eoin O’Shaughnessy sold a number of dummies to go in under the posts for a try converted by Conor Byrne and increase the lead to 41-13. With the match out of sight the game petered out as a contest until the last few minutes when second row, Mark O’Reilly, showed strength and skill in breaking three tackles scored a fine individual try and with the convert coming back off the posts Wanderers were worthy eight try winners, 46-13
