|
|
Defeat leaves Skerries in the drop zone Skerries 14 January 23rd 2010 (in Balbriggan) Saturdays loss to in Boyne in the now familiar surroundings of Balbriggan Rugby Club sees Skerries drop into the relegation zone of the Leinster League Div. 1A. With nearest rivals Monkstown picking up two points and Skerries unable to secure a losing bonus point, the last two home games of the league campaign now take on the “must win” mantle. Skerries were on the back foot from the off as Boyne scored a converted try in the corner within the first minute following a quick tapped penalty, a 7 pt lead after only one minute. However, Skerries came right back at the visitors with a try of their own from Ross McAuley, which was not converted. So after only 3 mins we had what was to be the shape of the game, two teams prepared to attack in a game played at a very high tempo with a very good level of skill. Boyne further extended their lead on 14 mins with a penalty from full-back Kerbey. Try as Skerries might, they could not break down the Boyne defence, with Keane and Hewitt going closest to a score as the back line worked the ball as often as they could but the final finish could not be found. A 40 mtr penalty from out-half McGahan after 35 min’s brought the score to 10-8 as Skerries kept the pressure on, but the Drogheda side responded with another penalty of their own to keep the gap to 5 pts and with long a range effort from McGahan falling short, the half-time score was 13-8 to Boyne, with Skerries till very much in the game. Skerries continued to pressure the Boyne try-line at the start of the second half and when scrum-half Dempsey, whose direct play was a problem for the visitors, forced a scrum on 5 mtrs, Skerries were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, McGahan converted to bring the score to 13-11. At this point it looked as though Skerries would keep Boyne within their sights and were making them work very hard for any possession they had. But Skerries needed to be careful as Boyne looked dangerous with each attack especially with the pace of their two wingers. A further opportunity presented itself to Skerries when the Boyne centre Duffy was sin-binned for persisting infringement. From the penalty, Skerries went down the line rather than try for goal and as Boyne cleared, Skerries were caught in possession and the resultant intercept saw them move the ball quickly and second-row Muldowney crossed for the 14 men of Boyne. The conversion was missed but with centre Hewitt leaving the field injured, the shape of the Skerries team was changed. 18 -11 to Boyne with 30 min’s to go. Skerries, to their credit, kept to the task and good pressure from O’Mahony forced the Boyne full-back into conceding another penalty which McGahan converted to bring the score to 18-14, but once again, when they needed to, Boyne responded with a penalty of their own to keep the gap at 7 pts, and with the score at 21-14 with still 25 min’s left there seemed to be plenty left in this game for Skerries. Unfortunately for Skerries when the next chances came they were not taken as McGahan was unsuccessful with two penalties and any score now from Boyne would see the bonus point slip away. The killer punch duly came with 2 min’s left as the Boyne right wing McGann raced in for their third try and although the conversion was missed, the last few minutes of injury time became a bit helter-skelter as Boyne chased a fourth try and Skerries searched for a consolation score. The game finished with a scoreline of 26-15 to Boyne but for long periods of this game there was very little between these sides and had Skerries converted their kicks and kept their concentration they would surely have come away with more. Skerries now need to marshall their troops for the last three games and if they continue to play with the style they showed today and add the cutting edge required, they will move in the right direction in the league table.
Skerries Team. 1. P. O’Connor 16. D. Dornan
|
