TRINITY LOSE TO TOP OF THE LEAGUE!
05/02/2011

Ballyahinch 32pts Trinity 28pts

 

Trinity travelled north to Ulster on Saturday to play undefeated Ballynahinch, who have been hammering all comers this season. The bookmakers had Trinity as 29 point underdog, so it seemed nobody gave the students any chance of a result.

 

The way the game started it looked like the bookmakers knew something, as the Ballynahinch backs carved through the reshuffled student back line for an easy try within two minutes of the start. Trinity then put together possibly their best rugby of the season to dominate the rest of the half.

 

Full back James O’Donoghue kicked a close range penalty to get his team on the board. This was followed by some uncompromising forward play from close in to put the students surprisingly ahead with a try by second row Pierce Byrne .

 

The home team came back with another try against the run of play, but Trinity answered with another after #8 Alan Mathews started and finished a superb movement with James O’Donoghue converting. Trinity led going into half time 20-15.

 

In the second half Trinity faced a slight breeze but continued to take the fight to the league leaders.  They lifted their game above the somewhat pre-conceived and rather inconsistent refereeing decisions that plagued the game, and continued to play their part in a well played game.

 

Trinity inevitably had a player sin-binned (they had two players harshly binned during the fourth quarter) and the quality Ballynahinch outfit came back to draw level with another well taken try in their backs. They then forged ahead shortly after, and the game looked up for the students with a man in the bin. But they came back and attacked with forwards and backs combining well. They did get a rare penalty which O’Donoghue converted – to close the game to four points.

 

In an exciting and frantic finale, replacement and U20s wing Niyi Adeolukan looked to have broke free for Trinity as he sped past three or four defenders on a great run, only to be tap tackled by the “Hinch” hooker in a despairing dive as he looked set to score from 70 metres out as only he can. This would have most likely iced the game for the Dublin students. But on full time the home team scored another try to take the students out of a deserved bonus point.

 

This was a disappointing result for Trinity in a performance which they proved they can compete with any team in the league. Next week they face Clonakilty who are one place below them in the league.

 

Trinity team; 15 James O’Donoghue, 14 Neil Hanratty, 13 Tim McCoy, 12 Ciaran Wade (Niyi Adeolukan 50), 11 Peter Zarafi, 10 Dave Joyce, 9 Mick McLoughlin (Sam Bell 70), 1 Ian Hirst (Paddy McCabe 50), 2 Mark Murdoch (Craig Telford 70), 3 James Gethings, 4 Scott LaValla, 5 Pierce Byrne, 6 John Iliff (Colm MacDonnell 15), 7 Eamon Guinan, 8 Alan Mathews.

 

Other news; Both Trinity U21s game were cancelled due to wet weather.

 

The J1s play tonight Monday on the back pitch of Lansdowne road v Lansdowne RFC at 8pm

 

The J3s beat Monkstown with a last minute try on Friday night to win 19-17.

 

 

---