Men’s Firsts 22 – UL Bohs 27

It was another disappointing defeat for Galwegians when they lost out to visitors UL Bohs in another close encounter on Saturday. Bohs started with a strong wind behind their backs playing towards the club house end. Out-half Oisin Fagan was wide of the target with an early penalty opportunity close in, but he found his range on 15 minutes to nudge the visitors ahead.

Wegians began to settle down and started to ask questions of the visiting defence in the second quarter. They had two excellent chances to score when they were knocking on the door, with Irish under 20 centre Finn Tracey looking certain to score only for a side step at the crucial wrong moment letting the visiting defence off the hook. It would cost his side dearly as Bohs punished the Blues when they went upfield from the restart. Shortly afterwards a quick tap and go penalty near halfway by scrum-half Luca Cleary punctured the rear guard, and although there was a suspicious looking knock-on in the build-up, no. 10 Fagan spotted a gap and sliced through the cover from the 22m line to score under the posts. His simple convert gave this side a 10-0 lead.

The Blues were being penalised too often in the opening period and Fagan tagged on another penalty just after the half-hour mark to stretch the lead to 13 -0. With everything going against them, Wegians needed a response and they surely got it moments later. It originated with a piece of brilliance from scrum-half Andrew Sherlock who fashioned a blind-side break through a forest of bodies to set up an attack deep in opposition territory. His forwards continued the hard toil and following some concerted attacking play, lock Rob Holian barged over impressively to score near the right for his third try of this AIL campaign.  In-form place-kicker Stevie Mannion made a nonsense of the extremely difficult crosswind with a simulated four-iron draw into the breeze which curled back perfectly over the bar.

Suddenly a 13-7 half-time deficit looked much more promising for the Blues, who started the second half with the wind at their backs. Within 6 minutes of the restart, Mannion went for goal with a penalty in front of the posts on the 10 m line, and he made no mistake to reduce the gap to 3 points. It looked like the hosts might kick on at this point, however Bohs had other ideas.  Unfortunately for Wegians the wind started to recede, and when the visitors worked their way upfield shortly afterwards, a series of attacking phases was finished off by prop Kian Regan who dived over near the posts. Fagan added the extras to give his side a 10-point lead.

However Wegians are nothing if not resilient, and they hit back just before the hour mark. It came from a strong determined break by winger Shane Mallon who took out three defenders before a sublime offload to Sherlock on his inside shoulder, and the young scrum-half scampered over under the posts. Mannion’s sitter reduced the gap back to three points once again.

The game was finely in the balance at this stage, and it was the Blues who suddenly had a pep in their step. They were very unfortunate to be pulled back for a forward pass minutes later when Mallon sent substitute winger Oisin McKee free down the right. Fine margins it was, and with their current run of luck it just wasn't to be for the Blues as the visitors capitalised. The Limerickmen turned on the pressure again and when they opted for a penalty to the corner, an overthrown lineout looked to have gone astray, only for a wicked bounce which sat up perfectly for centre Paul Clancy who gratefully collected and sauntered unopposed under the posts. Another Fagan conversion and the 10-point margin was restored.

Wegians had to throw caution to the wind with ten minutes remaining, and they duly did. They gave themselves a late chance when McKee did well to finish a clever skip pass from Mannion in the right hand corner, despite the attentions of three defenders. Mannion’s conversion attempt saw him miss his first kick in three games to leave a five-point margin. This set up a grandstand finale, and try as they might a sustained final passage of play saw the Blues work their way upfield, only for a final pass to end up going astray.

And so the frustration continues for this young side who are still searching for their first victory in the campaign. Next up for the Blues is an away trip this Saturday to face their age-old rivals, high-riding Dungannon in Stevenson Park.