Rathdrum off to super start in league campaign
RATHDRUM RFC 18 SKERRIES RFC 5
RATHDRUM began their Metro League Division 4 campaign with a home clash against Skerries on Sunday morning.
The home side were without some, but not all, of their GAA contingent due to the upcoming county final for Ballinacor in the Intermediate football championship. On top of this, an injury crisis in the front row has resulted in some positional changes in the offseason with several key players expected to miss a significant chunk of the season.
Despite this, the home side were confident of getting off to a winning start on their home patch. ‘The Drum’ threatened early on but a misfiring lineout resulted in some superb attacking field positions going to waste.
Indeed, this inefficiency in the lineout appeared to be contagious because Skerries also wasted an excellent attacking opportunity inside the opposition 22 due to a poor lineout in the early stages. Rathdrum’s woes in the set piece were not limited to just the lineout with their struggles in the scrum a clear side effect of the wave of injuries which have resulted in a somewhat makeshift front row appearing.
Despite this, there were positives for the Rathdrum front five. Robin Wood, playing in his first ever game in the unfamiliar position of head prop, enjoyed an excellent first half.
The young gun put in a superb shift and tirelessly cleared out and secured ball at the breakdown at an impressive rate. The other members of the front row, John Conway and John Davitt, also impressed in the loose and began to get to grips with an impressive Skerries scrum as the game progressed.
After holding off the Skerries drive on one particular scrum, Rathdrum pounded against the Skerries try line for a sustained period.
This included some superb ball carrying from John Conway and Shane Burch but the Skerries men clung on. Rathdrum were awarded a penalty under the posts after an infringement at the breakdown and Conor Parsons put his side three ahead with the boot.
It wasn’t long before Rathdrum were threatening the Skerries tryline again, with an impressive jinking run from flying winger Sean Kinsella coming up just short and another attack ended with a Conor Parsons penalty to double his sides lead.
Skerries did come close on one occasion towards the end of the first half but in truth, the Dublin side struggled to have any significant territory on a consistent basis due to the superb tactical kicking of Conor Parsons.
Early on in the second half the home side should have extended their lead even further but Parsons somehow contrived to miss a drop-goal from close range right in front of the posts, but it has to be said this was possibly the only mistake the outstanding out-half made all game.
The away side failed to make Rathdrum pay for this error as, within a matter of moments, possession had been turned over after an infringement at the breakdown. Parsons, eager to atone for his error, took a quick tap and handed the ball off to Ciaran Phelan who beat two tackles before finding John Conway on his shoulder.
The energetic hooker looked like he could have made the line himself with only one man to beat but he passed to Liam Walshe who had the pace to beat the cover. Parsons converted with style to extend the lead to 13 points.
When Dean McReary, who enjoyed an excellent game for the away side, was sent to the sin-bin after attempting to slow down Rathdrum ball the door opened for Rathdrum to extend their lead.
Superb work from their forwards lead to yet another period of sustained pressure on the Skerries line. The pack eventually beat down the Skerries door but it was Sean Kinsella, the winger, who stole in to take advantage of their good work.
Rathdrum were keen to hold out for a clean sheet but in the dying moments, after a somewhat dubious call from a linesman, Skerries found themselves in good position and worked an excellent move which allowed Conor Lennox to break the defensive line before finding the fastest man on the field, Daniel Downing, to slip in for a consolation try.
Rathdrum’s line speed was impressive throughout and this, coupled with their intensity at the breakdown, was the real winning of this game.
Rathdrum RFC: Robin Wood, John Conway, John Davitt, Matt Binnions, Diarmuid O Briain, Philip Snell, Michael Dowling, Shane Burch, Marcus Walshe, Conor Parsons, Niall Fennell, Shane O Neill, Ciaran Phelan, Sean Kinsella, Fiach O’Toole. Subs: Danny Tuke, Liam Walshe, Shane Byrne, David Burke, Brian Burke, Karl Kennedy.
Skerries RFC: Neil Foster, Dean McCreary, Vincent Watson, Darragh Joyce, Tom Mulvany, Sean Attley, Davi Goodman, Evan Sherlock, Robbie Jenkinson, Sam Toft, Daniel Downing, Barry Caldwell, Conor Lennox, Mark Oliver, Gordon Ross. Subs: Callam Boyle, Joe O’ Brien, Colin McMahon, Ben O’ Keefe.