BACK WITH A BANG!
Greystones far too strong for Navan
42 7
ALMOST six months after the IRFU suspended all Rugby activities due to the Coronavirus pandemic, competitive Rugby finally returned last weekend for Greystones players but without their supporters as their first round Leinster Senior Cup tie against Navan was played out in Dr Hickey Park under the government restrictions preventing all spectators from attending.
The lack of vocal support was easily overcome by the desire to get back out playing rugby as Kevin Lewis’s charges put in a scintillating five try performance to overturn their Div 1B opponents by a scoreline of 42–7.
With some new or returning faces featuring on the starting fifteen the afternoons opening score was landed by the ever reliable Andrew Kealy with a third minute penalty. Navan responded with some concerted pressure that ended with a relatively soft try when the visitors right wing evaded several tackles to touch down under the posts followed by an easy conversion. Facing a side playing two divisions higher in the All Ireland League the portents for the remaining 70 minutes were not good but that wasn’t translated onto the field where the Greystones 15 responded with grit, determination and a skillful display.
John Campbell pushed the home side back into the lead crashing over from the base of a ruck for a try on the 23rd minute with Kealy following his conversion with a second penalty to put Greystones 13-7 to the good after 30 minutes. Five minutes later, Mick Doyle, back in green and white hoops after lining out for Wicklow last season, was on hand to finish a flowing move down the left wing by Captain Killian Marmion who popped the ball to Doyle as he was tackled just short of the line allowing Doyle to finish for his sides second try and an 18 – 7 half time advantage.
In the second half it was the turn of the backs to show what they can do with speedsters Ferdia Kenny and Andrew Lynch crossing three times between them with Kealy adding three more conversions and a further penalty for a personal haul of 17 points.
Kenny in particular looked lively after missing much of last season due to injury and repeatedly made ground against the Navan defence before taking the final pass to finish for his first try from close range five minutes into the second half. Kennys second two minutes from time was more of a trademark break from inside his own half to outpace the Navan defence. In between Kenny’s two efforts Andrew Lynch, returning from a stint away in Canada split the defence after running on to a Kealy pass on the opponents 22 to touch down.
Despite not threatening the scoreboard Navan continued to mount pressure on their hosts but as the half wore on it was evident the home side sported superior fitness as their visitors wilted in the
September sunshine. Greystones showed some great defensive organization to secure their line in a performance that will have been particularly pleasing to their coaches.
Indeed the overall match performance will have pleased Head Coach Lewis and his strength and Conditioning team led by Olan Savage who have really worked with to prepare their players after such a long time away from competitive action.
Their reward for this performance is a second round tie against Lansdowne, on paper a daunting prospect but this Greystones side are brimming with confidence and will be ready to welcome their lofty opponents to Dr Hickey Park next Saturday. GREYSTONES: Mark Meyler, Ferdia Kenny, Andrew Kealy, Jason Curran, Andrew Lynch, Matt O’Brien, Killian Marmion, Dan Mannion, Cormac O’Donoghue, Alan Dempsey, Chris Simmons, John Campbell, Barry Traenor, Michael Douglas, Iva Takatai. Replacements: Daniel Norse, Darragh Higgins, Eoin Marmion, Ronan Mannion, Michael Doyle, Nicholas Quirke, Jamie Dempsey.