Honours even in Limerick as Sligo draw with Bruff

BRUFF RFC SLIGO RFC 20 20

SLIGO’s unbeaten run in the Ulster Bank League division 2c continued with a hard fought draw with Bruff RFC at Kilballyowen Park on Saturday.

Sligo now sit in second place in the table a single point behind current leaders Omagh Accies who travel to Strandhill next Saturday.

In calm conditions ideal for open running rugby Sligo kicked off and tried to set camp in Bruff territory.

Defences were on top in the early stages with both sides struggling to make the first breakthrough.

It was the locals who opened the scoring with a penalty on 22 minutes but Sligo’s Jack Keegan cancelled the advantage with an equalising score 3 minutes later.

Bruff regained the lead on 35 minutes with a touchdown under the Sligo posts following a strong burst through the centre.

The successful conversion from outhalf David O’Grady moved the score to 10-3 in favour of the hosts.

Sligo were stung into action and worked their way into the Bruff half. A line out win on the 22 gave Shane O’Hehir the opportunity to dash down the blindside and the Hooker made no mistake finishing off to the right of the posts.

Keegan converted to level the scores going into the interval.

Following the resumption it was Sligo that took the initiative with another Keegan penalty before moving 10 points ahead with an excellent team try.

The move started deep in Sligo territory, the ball travelled left to right with team captain Shane Boyle involved three times before Bruff halted the move five yards short of the try line.

Young Sligo prop Kuba Wojtkowicz was picked from the ruck and drove over the line to touch down under the posts. Keegan again converted to bring Sligo’s total to 20.

Bruff responded and picked up their own second try to put three between the teams with twenty minutes remaining and the match was set for a grandstand finish. Despite their best efforts Sligo failed to add to their tally and their task became more difficult when reduced to 14 with a second yellow card offence with 15 minutes remaining. Bruff equalised with another penalty with 10 minutes remaining and Sligo had to withstand a nervy final flurry. Good defence in particular from Ryan Feehily, Mike Wells and Mark Rooney kept the line intact and when the referee signalled for full time both sides had to be satisfied with 2 match points.

With Omagh flying high at the summit of the league Sligo will need to be at their best at Hamilton Park next Saturday. The match kicks off at 2.30pm.

Sligo RFC: Jack Keegan, Callum Goddard, Mark Rooney, Mike Wells, Graham Kerr, Niall Gray, Ryan Feehily, Mark Keegan, Shane O’Hehir, Conor Mitchell, Shane Boyle (C), James Wilson, Manu Parkin, Diarmuid O’DowdHill, Matthew Cosgrove, reps James O’Hehir, Kuba Wojtkowicz, Matthew Davey, Matthew T Davey, Sean Mullan. INSET: Sligo RFC’s Mike Wells on the attack.