Rathdrum rock on!
UCD RATHDRUM 21 24
RATHDRUM continued their good league form in 2018 with a deserved bonus point win at Belfield on Friday night. This was also their last regular league fixture of the season.
This was Rathdrum’s first game since the disappointing loss to Tullow in the Towns Cup three weeks ago but they were full value for their win and came away with maximum points through tries from Danny Dowling, Conor Parsons, Dean Franey and veteran Morgan Sheridan.
The night couldn’t have started much worse for Rathdrum as they were 7 points down within 10 minutes. After dominating early possession, Rathdrum conceded a try from a UCD scrum inside their own half. The UCD scrumhalf picked and made a blind-side break from the scrum and passed to his winger and he duly touched down under the posts. The try was converted and the Rathdrum players feared the worst.
To rub salt in to the wounds, Rathdrum lost their experienced full back Sean Kinsella at this point as he suffered a nasty looking knee injury.
But credit to Rathdrum, they knuckled down from the resulting re-start and applied the pressure on the students to force their way in their 22 with Aonghus O’Bhrian and Fiach O’Toole to the fore with some strong carries.
The forwards made the hard yards from an attacking lineout and got themselves within 5 metres of the try line with big ball carrying from Danny Tuke, Shane Burch. With fast ball from man of the match Steven Dowling to outhalf Parsons, Danny Dowling ran a lovely line off his shoulder and he ghosted in under the posts. Parsons converted to bring the scores level at 7 apiece after 20 minutes.
10 minutes later, the Rathdrum forwards again got Rathdrum in to try scoring territory. Hard carries from Ronan Smith and Calvin Swords gave the away side some go forward ball and off this Steven Dowling made a lovely break and was tackled 5 metres short where Parsons scooped the ball up and crashed over the line to put Rathdrum in front for the first time. The conversion was missed but Rathdrum now had their tails up and dominated the remainder of the first half.
Dean Franey scored Rathdrum’s 3rd try of the night and what a try it was! Starting with possession in their own half, each player touched the ball at least once as the play went from left to right and was passed from forwards to backs and back again. Openside Calvin Swords gave the final pass to Franey who dived over the line to score his second try of the season. The conversion was missed but Rathdrum held the half-time lead 17-7.
Rathdrum will be disappointed with their second half display but UCD were never going to lie down at home in their final fixture of the season and the students dominated the second period.
UCD got their second try of the night through a rolling maul off a line-out and the subsequent conversion really lifted the spirits of the home side who were now right back in the game with the score 17-14.
The next score was going to be crucial and Rathdrum got the break they needed. Crafty winger Morgan Sheridan read a pass off the UCD out-half and intercepted the ball 40 metres out and he sprinted/jogged in under the posts to score the bonus point try. Parsons converted to give the away side some breathing space with the score 24-14.
But typical of Rathdrum this season, they love making things hard for themselves and conceded a try within five minutes of their own. A well worked back move by the home side saw their winger go in unopposed in the corner and with the out-half landing the side-line conversion, this meant we were in for a nail-biting finish.
UCD were camped in the Rathdrum 22 for the final ten minutes of the game but big defence from the away side; in particular Henry Bradshaw, Ciaran Phelan and Matt Binnions, meant that Rathdrum were to hold on to the lead and finish the game and their season with the win.
It was a great result for the Rathdrum players and in particular coach Neil Short who has got them playing some entertaining rugby.
Rathdrum: Ronan Smith, Dean Franey, Danny Tuke, Matt Binnions, Shane Burch, Henry Bradshaw, Calvin Swords, Danny Dowling, Steven Dowling, Conor Parsons, Aonghus O’Bhriain, Ciaran Phelan, Shane Byrne, Fiach O’Toole, Sean Kinsella, Morgan Sheridan, Ray Cooke.