TRINITY MOVE INTO SECOND PLACE
03/12/2011

Trinity 32pts – City of Derry 21pts;

 

Trinity played some enterprising rugby on a sticky College Park surface on Saturday  in a game where they dominated for long periods. They experienced a scare towards the end before they won out with a deserved four try bonus point.

 

Trinity started the match strongly dominating all the different elements of the game. The forwards were strong against a big set of forwards from Derry. Trinity’s defence was aggressive and managed to get several crucial turnovers. Both teams played wide open rugby which was a great spectacle for the supporters.

 

Trinity took some of their opportunities and it was no surprise when centre Ariel Robles beat his man to score by the posts. Captain and out half Dave Joyce kicked the conversion and followed this with a penalty. The students kept up the relentless pace and hooker Tim O’Mahony crashed over from close range off a line out with Joyce doing the honours again with the conversion.

 

The Trinity skipper Joyce then scored a try himself when he stepped inside the cover to score close to the posts. This gave a Trinity 24-0 lead at half time. On reflection of play Trinity possibly should have been further ahead as they had not finished several opportunities that were presented to them in a very one sided first period.

 

But the second half started badly when man of the match Dom Gallagher was sin binned, this was followed by Prop Paul McFeely being sent to the bin a few minutes later.

 

Suddenly City of Derry were  back in the game. They scored one try after a series of ‘pick and go’s’ by the forwards. They then got an interception a few minutes later. Trinity were under pressure for the first time in the game. Joyce kicked a penalty for Trinity. 27-14.

 

Trinity came under even more pressure when City of Derry scored their third try with ten minutes to go. The visitors,  to their credit,  played a nice brand of rugby to come back to 27-21. But the students regained their composure and in the dying minutes of the game centre Ariel Robles made a great break with some magical footwork to put wing Neil Hanratty away to score in the corner to get the much needed win with an extra bonus point.

 

This was an important win for the students who have moved into second place in Division 2. Next Saturday (2pm kick off not the usual 2.30pm) Trinity host league leaders DLSP in College Park who are one point ahead of the students. The winner of this contest will go into the six week Christmas break top of the league after eight games with seven to go.

 

15 James O’Donoghue, 14 Neil Hanratty, 13 Ariel Robles, 12 Rob Cruess Callaghan, 11 Niyi Adeolukan, 10 Dave Joyce (Cathal Marsh 55), 9 Michael McLoughlin (Billy Glynn 70), 1 Ian Hirst, 2 Tim O’Mahony (Warren Larkin 60), 3 Paul McFeely (Ed Tate 45-70), 4 Colin MacDonnell, 5 Jack Kelly, 6 Brendan O’Connell (Colin Goode 40), 7 Dominic Gallagher, 8 Jack Dilger;

 

On Friday night, Trinity U21s won a hard fought contest in Donnybrook with a well deserved 29-14 win over Old Wesley. Trinity did not have it all their own way and after a superb early try by Captain Nick McCarthy they fell behind 8-7 to an interception try.

 

In the second half Trinity scored two tries to one more from Old Wesley. Out half Cathal Marsh kicked a penalty, a drop goal and scored a try of his own. Nick McCarthy scored another try on full time after some good work by the forwards.

 

Trinity U21s Pennant XV lost out to Old Belvedere 27-7 in a game where they led right up to half time.

 

League leaders Trinity J3s lost a narrow game to third place Barnhall 14-13 in Santry, the students were unlucky in a game where they played most of the good rugby.

 

The Trinity J4s lost narrowly to Swords RFC 7-5.

 

The Trinity J1s (2^nd XV) play Old Belvedere on Monday night in Anglesea Road.

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