U21s 10 – Cork Con 15

Galwegians travelled to Cork on a wet miserable Saturday morning with a determined outlook to make amends for the heavy defeat they had suffered at the hand of Cork Con last season.

The dirty wet day broke just in time for kick-off and Wegians had to defend like dogs as the home team threw everthing at the Sky Blues in the early exchanges. Wegians defense was strong and matched the slick handling of Con as pounded into tackles. Eventually the pressure from Con led to a penalty for coming in from the side which was duly converted.

The score just made Wegians all the more determined to get into the game and the pack started to edge it in the scrum as the momentum swung their way. With the back now getting some good front foot ball they started to make good incisions in the Con defense and it was only desperate defending from Con which prevented Wegians for forcing their way over.

An unfortunate clash of heads meant that centre Matt Dever, who was becoming the major attacking force for the Sky Blues, had to leave the field to go and get 5 stitches.

This substitution had a major impact as although out-half Darragh Leader kicked a penalty for offside from earlier in the move, they had lost the momentum as half time approached and the half eventually finished 3-3.

A very harsh sin-binning of second row Aidan O'Sullivan for a an alledged delibate knock-on (it looked like it went back to this observer) in the middle of the field with plenty of cover was a major turning point in the game. It was only 5 minutes into the second half and although Wegians defended bravely while down to 14 men, the pressure eventually led to a try in the corner right at the end of the 10 minutes, leaving Con with a 10 - 3.

With Wegians back to 15 men the game swung this way and that as both side played an entertaining running game, however a botched Wegians lineout led to Cons second try as they swept the ball wide and got over in the far corner to give them a 15-3 lead with 10 minutes left.

Wegians showed their fighting spirit by hitting back immediately with a 3 and a half yard horse of a run from prop Paul Griffin to score under the posts after taking a brilliant offload from replacement Shane Thompson who had scooped up the loose ball which had been dislodged by a monster hit from Leader as the home team tried to clear their lines.

However time eventually ran out for the visitors as Con played a good territory game for the remaining minutes of the match to run out winners, with Wegians relatively happy to get the losing bonus point.