U13s runners up in Connacht final
SLIGO’S U13 squad had a very tough encounter with their first visit to Connacht Rugby’s headquarters when they squared up against Corinthians last Sunday in the cup decider. They came up against a very physical side in Corinthians who won the toss and decided to play against the wind in the first half. Sligo kicked off to the Galway team who dominated possession and owned the ball for most of the opening 10 minutes. Sligo managed to disrupt Corinthians’ attack on many occasion with some ferocious tackling and got into the Galway half of the pitch. They missed a penalty midway through the first half, the wind proving difficult for both kickers on the day. Corinthians broke the Sligo cover shortly after and should have scored the first try of the game in the corner, if it had not been for excellent covering tackling from Sligo’s defence. This however gave Corinthians great field position and following a number of penalties on the Sligo line, their big no.8 got in for the game’s first try. Corinthians were up 5 nil. Sligo were settling better at this stage of the game and they showed some very slick and enterprising running rugby out the backs with a move that saw Sligo’s full back Ronan O’Hehir hit the line at speed. Corinthians stepped up with their defence and kept Sligo at bay from this attack but it gave the lads great position deep in their opponents 22. Following a number of infringements from Corinthians, Sligo’s prop forward Kealan Schoen drove over the line with a great pick and go bring the side’s level, which is how the first half ended. These were the first points Corinthians conceded in the cup! Sligo received the ball from the restart and really started to run at Corinthians with some great inter play between backs and forwards. The Galway outfit had the wind at their backs it was like having an extra weapon when any balls were turned over.
This was how the second half played out. Sligo again showed some great slick passing out the backs, bringing in the full back on one occasion, and also trying to punch through the centre, but Corinthians were good at the breakdown, got possession and kicked downfield, keeping both wingers and the full back turning to collect the ball. It was following one of these kick chases that Corinthians got their hands on the ball and applied serious pressure on Sligo, which resulted in Corinthians’ second try, leaving the score 10-5. Sligo got back into the Corinthians half again and, on another day, they might get the bounce of the ball or the rub of the green, but lady luck was not with the boys last Sunday. They played extremely well in a very entertaining game of rugby in tough, windy conditions.
The coaching staff, lead by Joe Walsh, were extremely proud of each and every squad member, not only in their last competitive game of the season, but all throughout the season. They will be back in action next Satur- day, April 28th in Hamilton Park, when they host St Mary’s RFC of Dublin and North Kildare RFC in an end of season rugby festival starting at 12:30pm. SLIGO: Kealan Schoen, Aaron Gilgan, Arann Platt, Ross Clifford, Tom Walsh, Malachy Lovett- Cullen, Max Hunter, Ambrose Bamber(c), Jacob Kilcoyne, Oisín O’Neill, Conor Creaven, Stefan Roche, Oisín Conlon, Robert O’Kelly Lynch, Ronan O’Hehir, Keelan Boyle, Tom Carter, Conor Clinton, Luke Harrison, Alex Harte, James Horan, Matthew Hunt, Bryce Scales, Lochlann Jordan, Colm McGonigle, Oliver O’Riordan, Declan Brennan, Jarlath Gonelly.