TRINITY WIN COLOURS - IN MAJOR UPSET!
16/04/2011

TRINITY 31pts UCD 22pts

 

The Trinity 1^st XV upset everything on Saturday in Donnybrook, the form book, a centenary celebration, an undefeated league season and a League Championship title win for UCD. Trinity came into this years “Colours” game a massive underdog but came out winning in convincing fashion on the day, in front of their delirious supporters.

 

The game started ominously for the boys in White as they controlled the ball for the first three minutes but found themselves seven points down when a unfortunate deflection in a tackle let UCD in for a soft score by the posts.

 

Trinity came back and seemed to own the ball for long periods of the game as UCD just fanned out and soaked up the pressure with their well organised defence. Full Back James O’Donoghue kicked a difficult penalty to put his team back in the game, he followed this with another effort soon after. UCD then played some good rugby and stretched the Trinity defence scoring again in the corner with considerable ease .

 

Trinity came back for James O’Donoghue to kick another penalty in front of the posts after some hard yards by the forwards. The Trinity forwards were magnificent throughout but really seemed to get a dominant hold on the game midway through the first half. After several phases of play flanker Dominic Gallagher made a great break in the UCD 22 metre area, UCD infringed, Captain Scott LaValla feeling the momentum swing, boldly elected to kick for the corner. From the ensuing line out which the Trinity forwards won, they smashed their rivals over the line for loose-head prop Ian Hirst to come up smiling with the ball, James O’Donoghue converted from the corner... Game on!! 16-12 to Trinity.

 

UCD came back to kick a penalty on half time and the teams changed ends one point apart.

 

In the second half both defences put their bodies on the line. Trinity came up with several turnovers on UCD ball with aggressive counter rucking. Trinity controlled possession and position on the field for most of the half as they kept the ball and attacked intelligently. More sustained pressure on the UCD line resulted in second row Colin MacDonnell diving over from close in after several drives at the line were held up.

 

24-15 gave Trinity a bit of breathing space, but not for long as UCD did get a break when their outstanding captain Andrew Cummiskey ran in from half way totally against the run of play. This closed the score to 22-24 with eight minutes to go.

 

Trinity, off a line out, put wing Neil Hanratty away into space. He was brought down five metres from the line, the ball was recycled passed wide off the ruck. Conor Colcough off the bench chip kicked through only to be held back by a UCD defender. The International referee Simon McDowell consulted his touch judge and awarded a penalty try under the posts and a yellow card to the UCD offending scrum half, a massive game deciding moment.

 

Trinity, now with the nine point cushion,  killed the game with ball control rugby, driving the ball close to the forwards and playing down the clock, much to the delight of the very vocal Trinity supporters. The game ended with replacement hooker and Trinity stalwart Craig Telford punting the ball off the pitch.

 

This was a great way to finish the season for this Trinity XV. They have had some hard luck all year losing games by the narrowest of margins, but on Saturday they proved they can play with anybody when they execute their game plan for the 80 minutes.

 

UCD in their Centenary season never gave up and battled to the end. They have had a superb season winning the Leinster Senior Cup and deservedly will be playing in Division One next season as runner up in the league – Congratulations to them.

 

15 James O’Donoghue, 14 Neil Hanratty, 13 Ciaran Wade (Conor Colclough 58), 12 Tim McCoy, 11 Shane Hanratty, 10 Dave Joyce, 9 Mick McLoughlin (Sam Bell 62), 1 Ian Hirst (Paddy McCabe 60), 2 Tim O’Mahony (Craig Telford 65), 3 James Gethings, 4 Colin MacDonnell, 5 Pierce Byrne, 6 Scott LaValla, 7 Dominic Gallagher, 8 Johnny Iliff (Alan Mathews 48)

 

 

 

 

 

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