Boyne hit ground running in league
BOYNE are preparing for Saturday’s first home game in the Leinster League with a spring in their step after a comprehensive win at Monkstown on the opening weekend of the season.
This was their first competitive match since being relegated from the Ulster Bank AIL and there wasn’t too much change in the playing personnel, although there was a new half back pairing of Alan Cox and Tom Francis who were very impressive. The return of Karl Keogh to the number 8 position was also significant and his reliable place-kicking is another big bonus for the team.
Whilst all these aspects are to be taken as a step in the right
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direction, it should be pointed out that their opponents on Saturday never rose to the occasion and on the evidence of their display will struggle in this league during the season.
Boyne posted their intentions within two minutes of the start when full back Eoghan Duffy fielded a long kick from the Monkstown centre and immediately took off with menace. He eluded two tackles before putting in a deft chip deep into Monkstown’s danger territory.
The opposition full back failed to field cleanly and Duffy snatched the ball to finish off what he had started to score under the posts. Keogh had little difficulty with the conversion and Boyne were 7-0 ahead.
This was to set the trend for the remainder of the match, with Monkstown making the odd incursion into the Boyne danger area only to be thwarted by the resilient visitors’ defence.
There was always a sense of excitement when the Boyne backs were in possession, with Duffy and Kevin McCleery two potent attackers throughout the game.
The incessant rain that commenced just before kick-off made handling difficult and resulted in many errors.
However, it failed to dampen Boyne’s enthusiasm and some excellent tries were scored, with the Boyne forwards gaining ample possession for half backs Cox and Francis to use with great effect.
The Drogheda side had to wait until the 16th minute before they registered another score, this time a penalty which Keogh converted from 35 metres following an offside by Monkstown.
The home side lost one of their props during this period, increasing the pressure on their forwards who were playing second fiddle to the Boyne eight. However, Monkstown did assert themselves in the 25th minute and a good spell forced a penalty from a lineout which the Monkstown centre kicked for what turned out to be their solitary score.
The Boyne forwards were using the ball well despite the wet conditions and they had the home side pinned in their own half for long periods, but they couldn’t penetrate the home defence and the scoreline remained 10-3 going into half-time.
Monkstown opened the second half in determined fashion and had Boyne under pressure when they forced several scrums inside the Boyne half. Their efforts came to nothing, however, and Boyne weathered the initial onslaught before taking control with the first try of the second half which was scored by centre Adam Brodigan.
This score was preceded by excellent handling initiated by out half Francis who moved the ball to the outside where several pairs of hands transferred the ball before Brodigan received the scoring pass. Keogh converted.
Boyne now had the sniff of the bonus point in their nostrils and they elected to go for touch with penalties. Their third try came in the 59th minute when a series of phases brought play beyond midfield to release the backs and saw centre Brian Howell score a try.
Brodigan, playing at centre for this game, then scored his second try of the afternoon and the visitors held sway for the remainder of the game and brought their scoring tally to 42, picking up the the bonus point try along the way.
This win saw a good workmanlike Boyne team performance, with some positive aspects emerging to give plenty of hope for a good league campaign.
The new half back pairing of English duo Cox and Francis gave a good impression of how to run a game from scrum and ruck situations. Cox is a livewire with an excellent pass, while Francis gave width to his team in distribution and tactical kicking.
But perhaps it was the performance of the younger Boyne players coming through which really caught the eye, including Patrick Mongey, Rory Hennessy and the returning Patrick Prendergast and Richard Keane.
However, it was the excellent performance of prop Jerry Onianwa in the set scrums and loose play which saw him earn the Man of the Match accolade.
Gorey, whose game last week was postponed owing to a bereavement, are the visitors to Shamrock Lodge this coming Saturday, with a 3pm kick-off. BOYNE: Eoghan Duffy; Richard Keane, Adam Brodigan, Brian Howell, Kevin McCleery; Alan Cox, Tom Francis; Jerry Onianwa, George Cooney, Patrick Shuttleworth; Richard Shuttleworth, Declan Moore; Rory Hennessy, Ciaran Smith, Karl Keogh. Replacements: Patrick Prendergast, Shane Campbell, Paraic Mongey, Kevin Wilson.