U21s 13 – Highfield 15

Galwegians suffered an agonising 2 point defeat when Highfield scored a penalty with the last kick of the game in Cork on Sat.

The visitors were underpressure from the off, as the huge home team put pressure on with some monster rolling mauls. Their control led to their first score of the game from the boot of their full back who drilled one over from just inside the Wegians half. 3-0

Highfield then almost scored a try in the far corner but a superb double tackle from wing Ronan Burke and fullback Paudge Jennings held the home team at bay.

The sky blues upped the tempo and worked their way down field. Wegians scrum had their opponents under all sorts of pressure and it led to their first score of the day from the boot of Darragh Leader. 3-3.

Highfield were defending very well as Wegians attempted to run round them and the visitors failed to make their superiority count when Leader missed a penalty attempt. It was to be a bad day with the boot for the normally profilic kicker with a number of opportunities spurned.

The home side took encouragement from their solid defending and worked their way upfield where they forced another penalty which was converted. 6-3.

Wegians were trying to force the game a little and not earning the right to go wide which played into the hands of the home side who defended were good aggression. A couple of minutes before half time Highfield worked the ball up the field and forced another penalty which they slotted. 9-3 at half-time.

Higfield started the second half brightly and stretched their lead to 9 points with another well taken penalty from distance. We were now going to see what this Wegians team were made of. 12-3.

The sky blues appeared unfazed by their daunting task and fashioned the first try of the match when some direct running from the forwards created space out wide and stand-in captain for the day centre Gary O'Brien scorched in to score. 12-8.

The game was now on and although the pack were dominating the scrums, not every decision was going their way including the conversion of penalties which eluded the Wegian kicker.

Highfield worked themselves to within 5 metres of the Wegian line as the game appeared to be going their way, but a tremendous scrum from Wegians releived the pressure.

Digging deep as everything continued to go against them, including the clock, Wegians marched down the field with backs and forwards interchanging as they brilliantly kept the ball alive and eventually wing forward Isaac O'Grady boshed his way over the line. 12-13.

Wegians had 5 minutes to survive as the home side did everything in their power to get the score they required, and it appeared that they had kept the threat at bay when they conceded a penalty on their 10-metre line, somewhat harshly it has to be said, and the home team kicker slotted from distance with what was the last kick of the game. 15-13 full-time.