A GALLANT EFFORT
Lansdowne prove too strong for brave Greystones
DESPITE Greystones best efforts, Lansdowne’s top-tier quality and powerful scrummaging proved too much as they won this Leinster Senior Cup clash by 10-36 in Dr Hickey Park on Saturday afternoon.
Greystones couldn’t have been given a harder opponent in the Leinster Senior Cup as they faced Lansdowne who play in the top division, AIL 1A, three leagues higher than the Wicklow club. Lansdowne weren’t taking this challenge lightly as their starting line-up included former Ulster player number eight Clive Ross and former Ireland U20 and Saracens hooker Tadhg McElroy.
The home side started brightly with plenty of front-foot ball. Out-half Killian Marmion looked threatening with ball in hand, always looking to find space for a little half-break. In the early stages Marmion was getting some nice width on the ball, bringing in his right wing Andrew Lynch who looked lively.
The ’Stones attack was met with very quick line-speed as their opponents were trying to force the errors. However, Marmion spotted a gap behind the on rushing defence, chipping it over the top before a cruel bounce of the ball stopped winger Padraig Geoghegan from gathering the ball and scoring what would have been a certain try.
’Stones continued to build phases in the opposition half, before they were given a penalty as Marmion kicked a deserved three points after a well-sustained period of possession. It was 3-0 with nearly nine minutes gone.
Lansdowne then began to get a foothold in the game as their forwards began to impose themselves and their power on the game. Scrum-time would prove to be a major source of success for the Dublin club as the hosts couldn’t get to grips with the contest in that area, conceding around half of their penalties at scrum-time alone.
The Lansdowne front row put in a big shift. Their two opening tries both came through set-pieces. The first a penalty try at scrumtime and a powerful rolling maul at the lineout scored by McElroy was their second try, a missed conversion meant they led 3-12 at the water-break.
Lansdowne would continue to dominate possession, scoring one more try before the end of the half. The try was scored by dangerous winger Ed O’Keeffe, he was on the end of a ball that was spun out wide, starting from a good platform at the scrum. It was 19-3 at the break.
Despite trailing 19-3 at halftime, credit had to be given to the ’Stones defence as they had to
withstand relentless attacks from the lads in black, red and yellow. Their tackle count still remained impressive led by the backrows Mick Doyle and Eoin Marmion, with fellow backrow Cormac O’Donoghue making a nuisance of himself at the break-down.
The green and white started the second half with more promise as they got some well-needed possession, second row Chris Simmonds making some good carries. They earned a penalty, Marmion would fail to make touch, missing the opportunity to give his team a perfect platform for attack.
This small mistake would cost the hosts as opposition out-half Stephen Madigan would break down the pitch in a speedy counter-attack, some lovely handling would put their scrum-half James Kenny in for a try. It was 24-3
Stones showed real resilience as they kept searching for a try of their own despite trailing by twenty-one points. Their opening try almost came just before the water-break, from an attacking lineout, the ball was thrown to substitute Ronan Mannion who set the maul. It was stopped short of the line. The forwards were knocking on the door of the try-line with some pick and goes before the ball was eventually lost forward. It remained 24-3 at the water-break.
The last quarter of the game saw the introduction of two former Wicklow RFC lads onto the pitch for the visitors, out-half Peter Hastie and hooker Patrick Nixon. Hastie would set the wheels in motion for Lansdowne’s fifth try, he took a quick tap from a penalty, running down field, Lansdowne would use the full width of the park in this attack before fullback Sean Galvin scored the try. It was 29-3.
Lansdowne were probing in the ’Stones 22 before substitute Nick Quirk made a massive hit on
their out-half as he was passing the ball, the ball was intercepted by fullback Matthew O’Brien who ran the length of the pitch to score the try. The conversion was struck over the sticks, reducing the margin. However, the men beside the Aviva would finish the game with another penalty try at scrum-time.
The game finished 10-36 as Greystones were over-powered in the scrum.
Their discipline will need to improve after conceding 19 penalties. Although their defensive effort and glimpses of good attack will be a positive they can take into the league season.
Matthew O’Brien, Andrew Lynch, James Dempsey, Mark Myler, Padraig Geoghegan, Killian Marmion, Alex Ryan, Ivanhoe Takatai, Michael Douglas, Conor Pearse, Mark Smith, Chris Simmonds, Eoin Marmion, Cormac O’Donoghue, Mick Doyle. Subs: Ben Pentland, Daniel Norse, Barry Treanor, Ronan Mannion, Jack Dooley, Nick Quirk, David O’Brien