Greystones move into second in Division 2B
Crushing defeat of Derry
GREYSTONES RFC 71 CITY OF DERRY 3
GREYSTONES continued their unbeaten start to the season in emphatic style with a crushing eleven try defeat of City of Derry at Dr Hickey Park on Saturday afternoon with a final scoreline of 71–3 leaving the County Wicklow side second in Division 2B of the Ulster Bank League, one point behind leaders Armagh.
Derry, last season’s runaway league leaders until a poor run of form saw them pipped for promotion on the final weekend on points difference came into the game on the back of two defeats and a draw clearly low on confidence.
Notwithstanding it was Derry who opened the scoring after just four minutes with a well taken penalty from outhalf Neil Burns for what was to prove to be their only score of the game. Shortly after Greystones kicked into gear and some running in their first four tries in a blistering 25 minute spell that saw the bonus point secured before the half an hour.
Wingers Paudie Geoghegan and Jack Keating opened the scoring with a try each as the home side spread the ball wide allowing the backs to attack with pace. Prop forward Conor Pearse added the third powering over from close range while back row Dan Mannion added the fourth for the bonus point. Andrew Kealy converting three out of four. That was never going to be enough for this side though and the scoring continued with a John Campbell try on 35 minutes following a line out drive again converted by Kealy to leave the score 33-3 at half-time.
Shell-shocked at the break Derry started the second half with a little more purpose and intent on keeping the score at least respectable by pressing Greystones back into their own 22 but whatever encouragement their coaching team gave at half time was shattered within minutes when Greystones winger Jack Keating grabbed control of a loose ball just 10 meters out from his own line and raced the length of the field leaving the chasing Derry defence for dead to score at the other end.
With this hammer blow Derry were well and truly beaten and Greystones looked like scoring every time they attacked and it took just another two minutes for Craig Hazelton to burst through the middle to add the seventh try of the afternoon. Andrew Kealy was busy from the tee and went on to run up a total of eight conversions.
Next up it was the turn of the forwards to show they too can play with fast hands moving the ball swiftly leaving the visitors chasing shadows as hooker Mike Lea scored the first of his two tries and followed with a second try for back row John Cambell who was on hand to support a mazy run from exciting young centre Con Callen introduced at half time for Barry Lynn.
Paudie Geoghegan added the penultimate try and his second of the afternoon with another blistering break away while the home side saved the best for last with nearly all 15 players involved in handling the ball in a move that saw Mike Lea in under the posts.
On a day that saw a travelling party of over 350 youth members from Greystones in the Aviva Stadium to witness Leinster v Munster and support the Leinster mascot for the day Jack Caffrey from Greystones a sizeable crowd still turned out to get behind this young Greystones side who are clearly going places. Despite the one sided result head coach Kevin Lewis was keeping his and his squads feet firmly on the ground and whilst still smiling at the eleven tries was not short of pointing out the need to reduce handling errors and missed passes that could have led to an even higher score line.
The squad now head into a two week break from All Ireland League action but will refocus briefly to prepare for a Leinster Cup semi-final on October 22 against Blackrock at Dr Hickey Park before the league returns with an away fixture to third placed Dungannon at the end of the month followed by a home fixture against last seasons nemesis Barnhall on Friday November 4. Clearly sterner tests await this Greystones side but with four wins from four heading into the first break the season is shaping up nicely.
Greystones: Andrew Kealy, Jack Keating, Barry Lynn, Craig Hazelton, Paudie Geoghegan, Killian Marmion, Andrew Roberts, Dan Mannion, Cormac O’Donoghue, Alan Dempsey, John Campbell, Barry Fitzpatrick, Conor Pearse, Mike Lea, Bobby Clancy (Capt’).
Rolling subs: Shane Mulvany, Kevin Moes, Eoin Marmion, Con Callen, Michael Kirk
Try scorers: Paudie Geoghegan (2), Jack Keating (2), John Campbell (2) Mike Lea (2), Conor Pearse, Dan Mannion, Craig Hazelton. Conversions: Andrew Kealy (8).
City of Derry: Tiernan Thornton, Ian Bratton, David Graham, Matther Kilgore, Josh Lewis, Neil Burns, Ben Barber, Stephen Corr (Capt’), Craig Huey, Richard Baird, Chris Cooper, Adam Bratton, Eoin Ferry, Cathal Cregan, Ross Harkin.
Rolling subs: James Fawcett, Gerard Doherty, Kevin McLaughlin, David Devine.
Penalty: Neil Burns (1)