Seconds 18 – Buccaneers 15

On a beautiful spring day in Galway, Galwegians and Buccaneers 2nds put on a ding-dong battle of a cup match. At no point in the match did either team lead by more than 3 points.

Both defences were on top in the early part of the match and the scoreboard was unbothered until the 30th minute when Buccs were rewarded for a period of domination with a penalty from Robbie Henshaw. 0-3.

However their lead didn't last long as Galwegians hit straight back with a penalty from Darragh Leader as Wegians upped the pace to bring themselves back into the match. 3-3.

The home team kept up the pressure and Leader knocked over another penalty two minutes later to take the lead for the first time. 6-3.

Buccs bounced straight back and forced another kickable penalty which was once again knocked over by Henshaw. 6-6.

The ball was being pinged from one end of the field to another as both sides tried to break the deadlock by dominating the territory game without either ever quite succeeding for more that a few minutes at a time.

Bang on half-time Wegians were give a penalty from some distance out, but the howitzer boot of Leader split the uprights to give Wegians a 3 point lead. 9-6.

Buccs started the second half on the front foot and really pounded the home team defense, which held out for 20 minutes before conceding a penalty, and receiving a yellow card for a hight tackle, which was converted by Tim Clifford. 9-9.

Wegians worked their socks off to limit the impact of being down a man and gathered enough momentum to get back in front with Leaders fourth successful kick of the day not long after the sin bin was completed. 12-9.

In keeping with the ebb and flow of the match, Buccs got back on level terms immediately with another penalty from Clifford and we were in for a tense last 10 minutes. 12-12.

Both defences were tiring now leading to some exciting running from both sides, but the breakthrough for a try just kept eluding both teams as the scramble defences kept both trylines safe.

But the stinginess of the defences was partly down to their propensity to give away penalties in kickable zones on the field. Wegians were nudged in front by Leader when gratefully accepting one of these penalties with 72 minutes on the clock. 15-12.

Buccs bounced straight back and levelled things up again when Clifford slotted his kickable penalty, extra time loomed as there was less than 5 minutes left. 15-15.

The tension was palpable as both sides looked for the killer blow and it eventually fell to Wegians as Leader continued his excellent kicking form of late and he slotted the winning penalty with virtually the last kick of the match. 18-15.