Men’s Firsts 38 – Buccaneers 17

Galwegians got their AIL 2B campaign off to a flying start with a comprehensive 38-17 win on the road against provincial rivals Buccaneers at Dubarry Park on Saturday. Played in near perfect conditions, the home side started brightly keen to atone for a very disappointing Connacht Senior League campaign. They took an early lead through a penalty by fullback Dylan Duffy however Wegians showed the first sign of what was to come with the opening try on 13 minutes. It came following successive line-out penalties and at the second time of asking, captain and flanker Dylan Keane finished off a powerful driving maul. Stevie Mannion converted against his former club to put the Blues 7-3 ahead. However it was a short lived lead as Buccs responded almost straight from the kickoff. Having regained possession a smart move down the right saw scrum-half Leo McFarlane dive over for a well taken try, which Duffy excellently converted to restore a 3-point lead.

Wegians were stuttering early doors, having lost out-half Tiarnan Neville in the warm-up which seemed to unsettle them. In contrast the hosts were emboldened by their good start and following a 5m line out of their own, they soon stretched their lead to 10 points when flanker Paddy Egan grounded the ball. with Duffy again adding the extras. This served as something of a wake-up call for the Blues and following a spate of pressure on their hosts' line, centre Cian Brady ignored an overlap outside him to cut inside and score near the posts, with Mannion's conversion leaving a 3-point gap at the break.

Brendan Guilfoyle and his Wegians coaching ticket must have said the right words at the break, as the Blues came out firing on all cylinders at the restart. They were soon piling on the pressure and they regained the lead on 48 minutes when Mannion placed a peach of a cross kick on a sixpence for a winger Oisin McKey to dot down at the corner flag. Mannion's touchline conversion made it a 4-point lead. The visitors now began to assert themselves as their strong pack was taking control and their strength in depth off the bench was beginning to tell. Just after the hour mark, it was no surprise when they sealed the bonus point, when once again Brady opted to cut inside, selling a dummy to his opposite number to score under the posts. which he converted himself. It was a long way back for Buccaneers at this stage and try as they might, they met a rock solid Blues defence who held sway.

Wegians kicked on and although playing with a completely reshuffled backline, ending with two young scrum halves on either wing in AIL debutant Luke Casserly and Andrew Sherlock, it was the latter who would score a late brace of tries in the left corner following good switch play by debutant no. 9 Albert Lindner. So it ended a comprehensive win at the end which puts Wegians on top of the League table after the first game round. This weekend they host visitors Rainey Old Boys from County Derry, as they look to set out their stall as early promotion contenders.