TRINITY U20s COME BACK TO BEAT UCD !!
12/02/2006
 

Trinity U20s 16pts UCD 12pts

For the second Sunday in Succession College park was witness to an epic cup-tie. Last week Trinity 2^nd XV narrowly defeated Lansdowne this week it was the U20s turn to beat their Belfield rivals in the highly prestigious McCorry cup.

 

 

 

The game was always going to be a tight encounter, UCD (in Trinity’s opinion!) had sneaked in the back door to win the U20s league (on bonus points) even though Trinity were undefeated in league play. Trinity had also beaten their rivals twice already this season in the Conroy cup in Galway (in October) and in the league 11-10 back in November. UCD team was packed with five current Irish U19s internationals and a U21s international plus many more Leinster academy players, Trinity had five guys either injured or up with the 1^st XV. Too add extra spice was the fact UCD were holders of the McCorry cup and Trinity the reigning All Ireland champions.

 

 

 

UCD played with the light wind for the first half and dominated field position. Trinity scored first when Micheal Boland kicked an early penalty. Trinity ran the ball and opened the UCD defence but the sticky conditions and good scrambling defence snuffed out any chance of scoring. UCD then took over the game for the second quarter of the game. They scored two well-taken tries to take a 12 – 3 lead. Crucially trinity did manage one sustained attack and after several drives at the UCD line Boland kicked another penalty.

 

 

 

In the second half with conditions deteriorating, it was vital that Trinity would get a score and this they did when off the kick off UCD infringed. Trinity kicked to the corner, and the forward made no mistake from close in to close the lead to one. The mood of the game totally changed UCD were now on the back foot and the Trinity forwards were rampant smashing through their opponents with ball in hand and smashing their opponents back in the tackle. Midway through the half Trinity ran the ball off scrum. The backs ran a decoy move to suck UCD in this created a 3 on 2 out wide and right wing Shane Monahan finished the move from thirty metres out for an exceptional try considering the conditions and opposition.

 

 

 

Trinity continued to attack moving the ball at every opportunity. The Trinity back row led by skipper Shane Young was ‘mighty’ as they supported tirelessly. UCD simply could not get out of there half. Trinity closed the game out hotly pursuing another try with the forwards camped on the UCD line.

 

 

 

This was a significant win for Trinity. They now face Blackrock in the quarter final of the McCorry cup, and Lansdowne in the play off for the All Ireland league final eight.

 

 

 

15 Paul Gillespie (Johnny Watt 60), 14 Shane Monahan, 13 Robert Green, 12 Eoin Fleck, 11 Killian Stafford, 10 Micheal Boland (Micheal Kavanagh 75), 9 Eddie Hamilton (Joey Burns 50), 1 Graeme Murphy, 2 Cian Culliton (Ben Cunningham 70), 3 Craig Telford, 4 Ciaran Condren, 5 Roger Young, 6 Max Cantrell, 7 Shane Young, 8 Brian Coyle.

Elsewhere; Trinity 1^st XV travelled to Queens University for a Dudley cup game. Due to Leinster A, Ireland Clubs XV and injury only five 1^st XV guys travelled. Only two of whom were on the field in the second half. The team was full of 2^nd XV and U20s B players. The team played amazingly (considering) well dominating the game but losing 23-19. The game was played in Great Spirit with both teams running the ball at every opportunity.

 

 

 

Trinity 3rds; lost 27-13 at home to Suttonians.

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