Seconds 21 – Monivea 25

Galwegians lost a craicing match to the league champions on a crisp November day in Monivea last Sunday.

The game started at 100 miles an hour, and only slowed down for the impressive rumbling mauls from the home side.

Monivea drew first blood with their first foray into the Wegian 22 when their scrum-half darted through a narrow gap to score under the posts. 7 mins – Monivea 7 Wegians 0

Both sides were making the best of the excellent early winter conditions as the game ebbed and flowed.

Wegians got back on level terms when a trademark overhead chip from Marty Connolly was expertly gathered by hooker Ross Fitzgerald who fed winger Dave Butler. Butler was engulfed by the scramble defense on the goal line but Fitzgerald was on hand to pick and drive over the line. Outhalf Dave Clarke converted. 20 mins 7 – 7.

The home side hit back immediately as the moved the ball along the backline to score in the corner. 22 mins 12 – 7.

The home sides dominant lineout and almost unstoppable rolling maul ensured they dominated the rest of the half. It was from the destruction that one of these rolling mauls were causing that led to their 3rd try to stretch their lead to 12 points. 27 mins 19 – 7.

Wegians dug deep and prevented any more scores as the half progressed and keep their hopes alive of turning things round in the second half.

Those hopes looked to have been dashed when more Monivea resulted in a penalty to stretch their lead to 15 points. 45 mins 22 – 7.

However they were rekindled immediately when wing Shane Thompstone showed off some superb footballing skills to volley a ball destined for touch from the restart 20 yards in the air, gather it before it bounced and saunter, untouched, under the posts with the other 29 players rooted to the spot at the audacity and skill shown to execute such a move. 46 mins 22 – 14.

Monivea tried to wrest back control of the match with their rolling maul, but Wegians were getting more proficient at defending it.

Wegians broke out of defense and used their superior scrum to pile pressure on the champions goal line. After a couple of attempts at boshing their way over the line the Blues chose to use the rapier of centre Dave Symes who ghosted onto a sublime flat pass from Clarke and exuberantly dive under the posts. Game on. 65 mins 22 – 21.

Monivea showed their champions mettle and slowed Wegians momentum, in what was now a gripping encounter, with another penalty. 71 mins 25 – 21.

Wegians threw everything they had at Monivea in the remaining, pulsating, minutes but were unable to breach the home teams defense and had to settle for a losing bonus point. Full time Monivea 25 Galwegians 21.