ROCKED BY CASHEL
Greystones’ woes continue as fightback falls just short
CASHEL GREYSTONES 20 18
GREYSTONES’ troubled season continued away to Cashel last Saturday with another narrow defeat this time going down 20-18 in a game of the proverbial two halves.
Cashel, by far the bulkier and heavier side from 1 to 15 started the game with tempo and aggression Greystones found difficult to live with.
This early pressure brought penalty opportunities that were eagerly accepted by the home side to open a comfortable 6-0 lead, thanks to the boot of outhalf Daragh Lyons.
The lead was extended to thirteen points after just ten minutes following sustained Cashel forward pressure resulting in a touchdown by flanker Ed Leamy, brother of Cashel Coach, former Irish International and Munster star Denis Leamy.
Greystones achilles heel this season has been their inability to get into the game before conceding early points and facing a battle to fight back. I
t was no different in Cashel and they only really got going after conceding this early deficit.
Cashel on the other hand are a big physical side both in the pack and in the backline, something this Greystones side lack and the visitors spent much of the remaining period of the first half repelling the physical challenge presented.
This resistance was broken close to the half time whistle when Cashel centre Conor Cashman broke through a series of tackles to touchdown with the conversion extending the lead to 20 points. It could have been more but for some poor decision making by the home side who spurned further scoring opportunities.
With the Greystones scrum in retreat close to their line what looked a certain score was passed up when Leamy chose to pick the ball from the base of the scrum only to cough up possession and Greystones cleared.
With Cashel on the hunt for tries rather than points a kickable penalty was passed up in favour of a kick to the corner but the resulting lineout turned over by Greystones and another opportunity lost.
Despite facing a twenty point deficit Greystones looked a different side in the second half and began to take the game to Cashel.
Youthful second row pairing of Barry Fitzpatrick and Eoin Marmion were particularly effective in the loose against their more experienced opponents while prop Conor Pierce put in a storming display around the park.
A penalty from Andrew Kealy put three points on the board within two minutes of the restart and their brave defending, never taking a backward step forced Cashel into retreat and as the half progressed confidence grew.
Aggressive line speed in defence was a feature of Greystones second half display and was rewarded when scrum half Andy Roberts stole an intercept from his own 22 to score under the posts to halve the deficit close to the hour mark. Andrew Kealy reduced this further with his second penalty as Greystones dominated the final quarter with the Cashel players visibly tiring.
With the clock approaching 80 minutes and Greystones driving at the Cashel line probing for gaps it looked like Greystones were not going to break them down but quick thinking by outhalf Killian Marmion who switched play and spun the ball out to the wing allowed Jack Keating to acrobatically touchdown by the corner flag.
The referee and touch judge had a long conversation ignoring the protests from the Cashel coaching team who were vocal throughout the afternoon before agreeing the score was good.
Kealy’s conversion from the touchline would have levelled the scores which was the least Grey- stones second half performance warranted, however while the ball looked good in the air the wind pulled it just right of the post and their fight back was denied.
The match saw the first start of the season for Greystones captain Dan Mannion who has struggled with a knee injury since the summer but his comeback was to end mid way through the second half when he was helped from the field with what looked like a recurrence of the same injury.
A further blow to the depleted resources of Kevin Lewis’s squad came when flanker Robin O’Sullivan left the ground with a heavily strapped leg following a hamstring strain while wing Padraig Geoghegan failed to make the starting 15 after suffering his own hamstring strain in training.
Next Saturday Greystones host Galwegians in a match that also marks the eightieth anniversary of the club’s first fixture in November 1937 when they faced Railway Union going down 8-3.
With so many first team regulars unavailable, head coach Kevin Lewis has to reach deep into the clubs playing resources promoting some of the U20’s to the challenge of All Ireland League rugby.
With just three league point gleaned from their first five matches a first win is badly needed and while whatever side is fielded next week is likely to have a youthful glean to it they will be prepared and ready for the challenge.