Match Result
- Result: Galwegians U21 24 - UCG/NUIG 12
- Venue: Sportsground on Wed Apr 18th 2012
- Competition: Connacht U21 Cup
Match Report
On a cold blustry spring evening on the side pitch in the Sportsground Galwegians made heavy weather of defeating a spirited UCG side that they had comprehensively defeated in the league earier in the season.
UCG started well and controlled possession in the early stages, but the sky blues defense held strong as the students came at them in waves.
Wegians eventually lifted the siege with their powerful scrum demolishing the opposition and providing go forward ball for No.8 Calum O'Connell to bosh his way over under the posts. Outhalf Padraig Jennings converted. 7-0.
From the kickoff Wegians took the game to UCG and worked their way down field where, after a number of rumbles from the pack, scrum-half Conor O'Rourke sniped over the line at the side of a ruck. 12-0.
The game got very scrappy as the wind blowing across the field accompanied by some squally showers impacted on the handling of both sides. The defense of both sides were dominating at this stage and the match stuttered to half-time. 12-0 HT.
Both sides came out determined to run the ball and a couple of searing runs from both fullbacks sparked the crowd to life. The game was very loose at this stage before Jennings took control of matters with mazy run that left tacklers flailing at thin air before he managed to get the ball down as 2 UCG defenders converged on him. 17-0.
Wegians were in complete control at this stage with the pack providing quick ruck ball which the backline were making good use of as they kept the pressure on the students.
Wegians 4th try came from some of this good quick ball and had a touch of the Sonny Bill Williams about it as prop Martin Fox slipped a beautiful back-door offload to 2nd row Eoin Tarmey who stormed over the line. 24-0.
The score seemed to sate Wegians attacking ambitions as they took their foot off the pedal. This was a mistake as UCG were far from finished and they scored 2 quick fire tries, one for deep, the other from sustained pressure and with 15 minutes left it was very much game on. 24-12.
However Wegians gathered their wits with captain Ger Fahy laying down the law and they dominated the remainder of the match eventually forcing a penalty right on full time that Jennings converted. 27-12.
