Photo Credit: Ronan Ryan
Friday night lights, started our senior men’s AIL season in Donnybrook last week!
Wesley College RFC, fly-half Ian Cassidy delivered a 19-point display to secure their 29-13 victory over Blackrock College RFC in the AIL opener.
Wesley started strongly, with their fly half opening the scoring early with a penalty. Blackrock responded immediately, with Conor O’Shaughnessy levelling the score at 3-3. Wesley applied pressure and forced another penalty, and the fly half once again converted to put Wesley ahead. Blackrock threatened in return, an intercept pass allowed Derry Maloney to break through, running 80 metres to give Blackrock a narrow 6-8 lead. However, the lead was short-lived. Just after the restart, Wesley scored quickly and adding the extras to make it 13-8.
Wesley quickly built on their momentum, for well worked try in the same corner, and the conversion extended the lead to 20-8. The remainder of the first half saw both teams battling between the 22s, with errors preventing further scoring, leaving the halftime score 20-8 to Wesley.
In the second half, Wesley had an early opportunity, extending the lead to 23-8. Blackrock’s efforts never faded and a try from Derry Maloney after a maul kept them in arms reach of the home side, leaving the score at 23-13.
Blackrock defence stood tall and another two penalties allowed Cassidy to finish the night with 19 points from the boot and firm up Wesley’s victory.
Wesley College RFC hosted a very well attended dinner and their hospitality was most welcoming pre and post-match. Thank you for all the support at the dinner and on the ground for our first game in a long campaign.
We go again this week with our premier Men’s 1st XV home game versus newly promoted Nenagh Ormond RFC at 2.30pm, followed in the evening with two women’s matches against U.L. Bohs, with the women’s 1st XV kicking off at 5pm and the women’s J1s at 6pm. There will be so much action to see, so let’s get a big crowd down to Stradbrook to enjoy the game, hospitality and friendships! And I can't forget to also mention the best of luck to our U20s as they travel to Galway for a Prem Final against Corinthians.
I would like to note that it has been fantastic to see all the club teams supporting one another and the atmosphere around the club is continually growing so thanks for all the efforts around this to make it happen.
See you in Stradbrook!
Ray McMahon
Blackrock College RFC President, 2024-2025
Comments