Connemara 11 Navan 23 AIL Div 2B Monastery Field, Clifden...
Following last week's trip to Cork outfit Highfield Navan remained in travel mode visiting Clifden home to the Connemara All Blacks. The All Blacks home is in a beautifully rugged setting just outside the town of Clidfen and
a few fields away from the site where aviators Alcock and Brown landed following their historic cross Atlantic flight
in 1919.
Connemara are currently enjoying a renaissance of sorts under new coach Peter Bracken who returned to his native province in a coaching capacity this season after hanging up his boots playing for Carcasonne in the french second division. AIL strugglers for the last few years, Connemara had put together some good results this season to climb to fifth in the table. The previous week they had secured a win and four try bonus point to promotion hopefuls Rainey Old Boys so the challenge looked a stiff one from the Navan perspective.
Straight from the kick off Navan put pressure on the Connemara forward as they tried to secure and recycle the ball
with James McGahy doing notable work. Navan were awarded the scrum and a marker had been put down. In the third minute Navan were awarded a penalty for hands in the ruck but Riaan Van Dre Vyver was off target. Navan were dominant in the scrum and following another big shove out half Jack Mullins kicked into midfield, Connemara infringed and David Sheridan slotted home the penalty to put Navan ahead.
With Navan securing their own ball so readily Connemara tried to counter this my coming up to quickly and the referee pinged them twice in quick succession for offside. Sheridan took advantage of the second of these penalty attempts to double the lead to 6-0. Navan kept making the right moves with the forwards making good yardage when taking the ball on and then looking to cement field position while at this stage Connemara had offered little threat. Following another dominant set piece Mullins kicked for territory down the right and when the Connemara winger failed to gather and clear Navan winger Mo McAuley took full advantage and raced untouched under the posts. Navan led 13-0.
Connemara stirred to life and began to move the ball at every opportunity, although it was a dry afternoon, plenty of rain had fell over the last few days and the cloying ground, probably did not suit the type of game that they were trying to play. In showing some good flashes and nice hands they could not create a line break as the Navan men kept putting in the tackles. In the final few minutes of the first half Connemara finally secured a foothold in the Navan 22 and when Navan strayed offside Connemara kicked the resulting penalty to narrow the gap to 13-3. Straight from the kick off the hosts attacked down the short side and while Navan held firm they had good field position about ten metres out when Navan infringed, the referee sending James McGahy to the sin-bin. Connemara declined the simple opportunity for three points to narrow the gap and instead in a declaration of intent and choose a scrum. Navan got a great shove on and drove Connemara back five metres.
Half Time 13-3
For the first ten minutes of the second half Navan saw very little ball as Connemara kept coming forward in waves as they tried to take advantage of their numerical advantage. Their most potent weapons were out wide but the first time tackling by Navan was superb and it was hard to work an opening. Just before the end of the McGahy binning following an extended period in the Navan 22 the Connemara out half stepped into the pocket and knocked over a drop goal to narrow the deficit to 13-6. In the 53rd minute with Navan restored to full compliment Connmera kept pressing and finally worked an overlap, but Mo McAuley judged the flight of the ball to perfection and ran the lenght of the field to score untouched under the posts Sheridan again added the points from the conversion. Navan 20- Connemara 6.
Navan still managed to give the travelling supporters some time moments of concern when John Davis got sent to the bin mid way through the second half for a late tackle and when a loose kick was run back the hosts finally went over for a unconverted try to narrow the gap to 20-11. Navan regained their composure quickly following the concession of the try and although Connemara enjoyed plenty of possession the Navan defense never looked likely to be breached with Jack Mullins,Paul Feeney and Leigh Jackson outstanding in the tackle.
Navan finished the stronger with another big drive from a scrum giving them a penalty which was kicked into the Connemara 22. Another great lineout take resulted in Connemara being penalised. David Sheridan kicked the penalty and Navan had the last word to win 23-11
Leon Jordaan was understandably pleased with his sides win. We came with a game plan and we executed the plan well today. It was a gutsy workmanlike win but we played smart rugby and that is satisfying. The lads still need to work on their discipline.
Navan 1st XV
1. E King,( M Liddle 71 ) 2. J McGahy, 3. D King, 4. P Feeney,( T Clarke 55 ) 5. J Duffy, 6. T Boyle,
7. C Brady, ( C S Dawson 65 ) 8. L Jackson ( Capt ) 9. D Delahunt, 10. J Mullins, 11. S Hogan, 12. D Sheridan,
13. M Harrington ( J Davis 55 ), 14. M McAuley, 15 R Van Der Vyver
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Wednesday, 15 February 2012 11:00 | 
