TRINITY WIN OPENER AGAINST QUEENS
02/10/2010

Trinity 30pts Queens University 10pts.

Trinity carved out an impressive win against the current Ulster Champions Queens University in a wet and greasy College Park on Saturday.

 

Considering the conditions the game was of a high quality and the visitors from the opening kick off dominated the opening exchanges, but a combination of dogged Trinity defence and possible poor decision making by the Belfast Students kept the visitors scoreless.

 

The home team were ruthless on the day and every time they got into the Queens 22 metre area they came away with points. Full back James O’Donoghue had a magnificent day with the boot and kicked six from six. He kicked three difficult penalties in the first half.

 

Towards the end of the first half Queens seemed to run out of ideas against well organized and motivated home defence. Trinity came more into the game and it was no surprise after some great build up play that stand-in Captain Conor Colclough scored in the corner after some great play by second row Colin McDonnell and scrum half Mick McLoughlin. James O’Donoghue converted from the sideline to put the home team up 16-0 at half time.

 

In the second half Trinity completely took over the game territorially and camped in and around the 22 metre area of Queens. The Trinity pack was in impressive form and they dominated possession and pressured the Visitors into numerous mistakes.

 

On 60 minutes wing Shane Hanratty took a fine pass from Full back James O’Donoghue who gathered a kick and counter attacked,  Hanratty beat two or three defenders as he tip- toed along the side line for a great score.

 

Queens came back to score a well taken try themselves to get to 23-10, but Trinity took back the game. The pack, after a series of scrums on their opponent’s line, were awarded a “penalty try” as the Home pack hoisted the visiting pack over their own line twice. Queens had no option but to repeatedly collapse and the referee ran behind the posts to give Trinity the score. Trinity tried to go for the bonus point try but never really got that close to scoring again.

 

Next week Trinity travel to Belfast to play Malone, who themselves had a highly impressive bonus point win 39-3 at Old Wesley.

 

15 James O’Donoghue, 14 Neil Hanratty, 13 Conor Colclough (Paul Galbraith 70), 12 Conor Mills, 11 Shane Hanratty, 10 Ciaran Wade, 9 Michael McLoughlin (Sam Bell 65), 1 Colm Goode (Paul McFeely 70), Mark Murdoch (Craig Telford 68), 3 James Gethings, 4 Colin McDonnell, 5 Max Waters, 6 Hugh Kelleher, 7 Dominic Gallagher, 8 Alan Mathews (Scott LaValla 40).

 

Other club news;

 

Trinity J1s went down to a strong St Mary’s XV 42-32 in an entertaining game. The students did manage to get a bonus point for scoring four tries.

 

Trinity U20s Premier team travelled with a large squad to Bruff RFC home of coach Seamus Toomey. The U20s played a trial game using all 28 players. Trinity had the better of the game winning out seven tries to nil.

 

 

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