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TRINITY DRAW IN THE MUD!! 17/01/2009 In the 11 years I have been involved with the club these were the worst conditions I have seen in College park – and I have seen a few. Due to a strong gusting horizontal wind and rain straight across the pitch, almost the entire game was played on the one touch line in front of the subs benches. Only one line out took place on the other touchline. Rarely did any phase of play have more than one pass. Thomond got off to a good start when they kicked a penalty in the opening minutes. They then set out to defend that lead as they knew scoring would be very problematic. Trinity did get across the visitors line on two occasions in the first half when Richard Brady and Brian Coyle looked to have got over for crucial scores. The referee with both teams caked in mud was always going to struggle to make definitive decisions on the tight calls. As the game progressed conditions became increasingly impossible, and with games abandoned all over Dublin, it was incredible that this game made the eighty minutes and injury time. In the second half Trinity had most of the territory, but possession was near impossible to keep due to the extreme obstacles. The Trinity forwards really stepped up physically to push the big Thomond pack around with their low driving play. Interestingly Thomond went uncontested for the last four scrums of the game when their replacement prop had to go off after one scrum? Although clearly superior, any sort of score still looked a long shot. But to their credit, the Trinity forwards mounted a huge challenge on the visitors line and eventually were awarded a penalty 15 metres out just to the left of the posts. On any other day this kick would be easy for the frozen out-half Andy Wallace to kick, but with the underfoot conditions hazardous and the pressure of the actual kick itself, he did brilliantly to compose himself and put the ball through the poles. Trinity had one more attempt at the Thomond line but could not force another score. When the referee blew his whistle for full time both teams ignored the usual after match rituals and just sprinted for the showers. This game clearly should not have been played. The positive’s was the guts and determination that was shown by the student team against a ‘street wise’ and experienced team. Next week Trinity travel up to Kilternan to play DLSP. 15 Paul Gillespie, 14 Chris Jebb, 13 Hugo Walford, 12 Richard Brady, 11 Killian Stafford, 10 Andy Wallace, 9 Eddie Hamilton, 1 Colm Goode (Paddy McCabe 60), 2 Mark Murdoch (Alan Mathews 65), 3 James Gethings, 4 Colin MacDonnell (Pat Danahy 60), 5 Scott LaValla, 6 Max Cantrell (Eddie Molloy), 7 Shane Young, 8 Brian Coyle. The high flying Trinity 2nds had two games pencilled in, in four days. Sundays game V DLSP was cancelled due to an unplayable College park. But they did manage to play Bective in Donnybrook on Thursday night. In a very intense and well played game Trinity were only winning 12-10 with 12 minutes to go, but they scored two tries to win the game, and gain the much needed bonus point. They now top the league, but still have to play the other top teams in the division. Trinity U20s due to the unplayable Santry fields played their home ‘Super six’ match with Old Belvedere in Castleknock College. In very wet and windy conditions the game was summed up when Trinity scored a try in the third minute and that was the only score of the game. 5-0 Both teams came into the game on equal points, so this was an important win for the students. This puts them in good position to claim a ‘top three’ place to qualify for the All Ireland U20s championships in the spring. All other games were cancelled. |
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