TRINITY GET RARE 'OXBRIDGE' DOUBLE!
18/03/2011

Cambridge University 17pts – Trinity 37pts; Friday 18^th March 2011.

Trinity travelled to Cambridge on Friday to play the famous University XV. After defeating Oxford University the previous week 46-16, Cambridge were more than ready for the game and brought back the majority of their Blues team from December. They were captained by former Trinity stalwart loose-head prop Niall Conlon.

Cambridge came out with their forwards really taking the game to Trinity. Trinity looked completely uninterested early on and struggled to stay with the home team’s aggression and enthusiasm. Cambridge quickly scored two easy tries to go 12-0 up and it looked like it was going to be a long hard day for the boys in white.

Trinity did however dig in and Full back James O’Donoghue kicked a penalty to get the visitors on the board. Trinity then began to get into their rhythm/pattern and it was clear that when they played at a fast tempo the Cambridge defence struggled to keep up. Trinity attacked wide,  centre Conor Mills broke the line, then passed on to James O’Donoghue who in turn passed to right wing Neil Hanratty who beat his man and then stepped inside the Cambridge full back to score a glorious try. James O’Donoghue kicked another penalty on half time for Trinity to lead 13-12.

In the second half with the early 4 am start out of their system, Trinity turned their game up a notch and dominated in every facet of the game. The forwards worked hard at the point of contact recycling quickly and getting vital turnovers on defence. The backs ran good angles,  passed well and always looked dangerous on the ball. The first score of the second half came when from a scrum, scrum half Mick McLoughlin sniped around the base to score out wide.

This was followed by a breath-taking try when from turnover ball the forwards carried the ball wide right, after two quick rucks the ball was moved from the right touchline to the left with blistering speed and accuracy. Conor Mills fed O’Donoghue who sliced through the first line of defence at pace, he committed the full back and wing Colm Moore (Ard Scoil Ris) scored his first try for the 1st XV out on the left wing.

Cambridge were clearly on the ropes, and Trinity followed this up with flanker Dermot O’Riordan crashing over from close in after multiple phases. Conor Mills finished off the last try after some more super handling by backs and forwards. Cambridge did come back to score from a line out close in.

This was an impressive win for Trinity who had travelled over early that morning. It is a rare occasion for Trinity to beat Oxford and Cambridge in the same year, especially in such emphatic style. Special thanks must go to Cambridge captain and former Trinity player Niall Conlon who went out of his way to make the Irish lads feel at home, late into the night!

Trinity now return to the AIL play when they travel to DLSP on Friday night, 8pm Kick off.

Trinity XV; 15 James O’Donoghue, 14 Neil Hanratty, 13 Ciaran Wade, 12 Conor Mills, Colm Moore (Peter Zarafa 50), 10 Dave Joyce (Harry Murphy 65), 9 Mick McLoughlin (Sam Bell 65),1 Ian Hirst (Colm Goode 55), 2 Mark Murdock (Tim O’Mahony 65), 3 James Gethings, 4 Colin MacDonnell, 5 Julian Mackey, 6 Dermot O’Riordan, 7 Dominic Gallagher, 8 Brian Hanratty (Jack Dilger 40)

Other news; Trinity had a disappointing day on Sunday, when the J1s and Pennant XV lost in the Metro Cup and JP Fanagan U20s play offs to Bective and Naas respectively.

On Friday the Junior Club played Kew Occasionals captained by Trinity old boy John Purcell (“JP” to his many friends!). The game was fast and open and the final score of 58-31 to the visitors was a great reflection on the play. The Visitors had former Trinity players Hugo Walford and Rob Mahon in their ranks alongside former All Black scrum half Mark Robinson.

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