Mallow secure a deserved and badly needed win in J-League Division 2

A VERY quiet weekend on the Junior Rugby front from a local point of view saw just one North Cork team, Mallow, head into anything like competitive action.

Ballincollig made their way to St Joseph’s Road last weekend hoping to secure what many would have expected might be a handy four points. Mallow have struggled this season but there were signs in recent weeks that things were turning around – however that was before they crashed to another heavy defeat in recent weeks.

Mallow are a side with plenty potential however due to a migration of players in recent years they have been unable to field their most talented players in some key positions – that said, the Avondhu side still have all the attributes to suggest there is a title challenge in their near future – although that is unlikely to be this year.

A slow start has cost Mallow again this campaign but it really is never too late to put a run together and last Sunday may well have been the start of that run. The final score was 10-3 in favour of the home side as Mallow battled well to what was a well-deserved and desperately needed success.

A try from Sean Glynn set Mallow on their way to the win with Jimmy Glynn converting and adding a penalty. The visitors had to rely on the boot of John Sheehan for their moment of cheer as he kicked their only score – a penalty – to round off the scoring.

Mallow need to build on this result if they’re to first stay clear of the relegation battle and then find their way to the business end of the table. Mallow have the pedigree to achieve and with huge numbers now playing mini and underage rugby at the club it’s just a matter of time before the boys in green get back to anything like a side that can bring meaningful silverware back to their die-hard supporters.

Mallow have already played some of the best sides in the division so it may be fair to say that the second half of the season may well be less intimidating than the first – that said, there really are very few games in the J2 grade that a side can take for granted so Mallow’s players will need to be at their best if they are to avoid silly defeats that have often blighted a serious push for promotion.

A good Cup run can often be seen as a distraction but in the case of Mallow some tough knockout action may well be just the ticket for a side that have plenty ambition.

Mallow need to avoid losses and pick up bonus points, whether they are winning or losing ones, and if they can stay competitive from here to the end of the season they well make some of the bigger sides sit up and take notice.