TRINITY WIN AT CARLOW!!
17/02/2007

Carlow 8pts – Trinity 30pts
Trinity travelled to Carlow looking for their second win in a row. They did this in convincing style against a very physical Carlow team who are playing for survival in Division two.

The students could not get off to a better start when in the first minute they kicked into the corner pressured the defender into kicking the ball out only five metres from the Carlow line. From this line out the Trinity forwards clinically drove over the far bigger home pack for an impressive early show of power to score with in two minutes – hooker Matt Crockett possibly playing his last game for the club, coming up with the try.

Carlow came back with some pressure of there own and after nine minutes kicked a long range penalty. Carlow continued to pressure and played some good running rugby using the width of the field. They moved the students around and looked to have manoeuvred a 4 v 1 overlap only for wing Killian Stafford to step in front of a long pass to sprint 70 metres untouched to deal a killer blow to the home teams chances.12-3 Trinity after fifteen minutes.

There were no more scores in the first half, as both teams tore into each other with the point of contact resembling a car crash! Trinity were happy to be leading 12-3 at the half.

In the second half Trinity had the slight advantage of playing down the slope with a light breeze behind them. Johnny Watt put the team in position constantly with long raking punts too the corners, leaving Carlow to attack from deep in their own half. Watt missed a penalty on forty five minutes but followed this up six minutes later with well struck drop goal after the forwards set up a very effective drive in front of the posts. Watt kicked another penalty in the fifty fifth minute as Trinity dominated field position.

Carlow to their credit came back hard and after what seemed a great goal line stand by the students, Carlow scored in the corner after a relentless set of pick and goes. 18-8 to Trinity.

Trinity killed the game off as a contest, when three minutes later Johnny Watt broke blindside, for centre Conor Donohue to run a superb line which took him through the defence for a well taken try. Johnny Watt Converted 25-8 to the students.

Into the last ten minutes Trinity pushed hard for a bonus point. Full back Paul Gillespie cut another superb line only for Conor Donohue to be caught on the line. The hard working forwards then took matters into their own hands and capped a fine day by an ever maturing pack by scoring their second pushover try from a line out, tight-head prop Andy King claiming his now trademark 3 inch lunge try – his third of the season from a similar distance!!

This was the second game in a row that Trinity have picked up a bonus point for four tries. The team seems to be developing well, although they have just come off playing the two bottom teams in the league – so would have been expected to win and win well. They now face a massive challenge, when in two weeks time ( March 3rd) they host high flying Greystones who look set for promotion to the big league. This will be the ultimate test for the fast improving College side.

Trinity team; 15 Paul Gillespie, 14 George Byron, 13 Brian Hastings (Bill Walsh 75), 12 Conor Donohue, 11 Killian Stafford, 10 Johnny Watt, 9 Joey Burns (Andy Dold 70), 1 Graham Murphy (Tristan Goodbody 60), 2 Matt Crockett, 3 Andy King, 4 Roger Young (John Byrne 65), 5 Max Cantrell, 6 Shane Young, 7 Ross Condren (Ben Cunningham 70), 8 Peter McFeely


Division Two Table;
Pld W D L pf pa bp1 bp2 pts
1 Old Belvedere 12 11 0 1 304 153 6 0 50
2 Greystones 11 9 0 2 327 146 7 2 45
3 Clonakilty 11 7 1 3 214 143 3 1 34
4 Barnhall 12 7 0 5 277 248 4 2 34
5 Dublin University 12 7 0 5 241 218 3 1 32
6 U.C.C. 12 6 1 5 206 194 2 2 30
7 Young Munster 11 5 2 4 214 194 0 2 26
8 Old Crescent 12 5 1 6 183 202 1 3 26
9 Highfield 11 6 0 5 177 209 0 1 25
10 Suttonians 12 5 0 7 221 273 3 2 25
11 Bective Rangers 11 5 0 6 223 235 1 3 24
12 Thomond 12 5 1 6 177 219 1 1 24
13 Malone 12 4 0 8 174 236 1 3 20
14 D.L.S.P. 11 3 0 8 184 240 3 4 19
15 Midleton 12 3 0 9 139 273 0 2 14
16 Co. Carlow 12 2 0 10 169 247 0 5 13


Trinity have three games remaining. Greystones at home, Malone away, and Highfield at home. The top four teams go into the play offs. They cannot get promotion through the play offs. The top two in the league go up to Division one.

Other games on the weekend brought mixed results for the club. The U20s A suffered a rare heavy defeat against rivals St Marys College 40-18 in Templeville road. The game showed how competitive the JP Fanagan Premier league is this year as St Marys had lost to Lansdowne last week, a team who Trinity had beaten the week before.

Trinity were in the game until close to the end. But the game got away from the students as the home team seemed to take every chance to come their way through out the game. All is not lost for Trinity who need to finish in the top five to make a play off for the All Ireland U20s quarter finals. They have two games remaining against Clontarf next week, and Blackrock the week after.

The Trinity U20s B had an impressive 73-3 win over Wanderers in Santry. The Bs have their destiny in their own hands with two games remaining (Naas and Skerries). They have to win both games to win the league out right for the second year running. There are no play offs

---