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Boys in green power into J1C Cup Final
Michael Gallagher19 Jan - 10:22
Ballina 50-12 An Ghéaltacht
CONNACHT J1C CUP FINAL
Ballina 50
An Ghaeltacht 12
ON Sunday afternoon, Ballina extended a céad míle fáilte to An Ghaeltacht RFC from Rossaveel who were playing senior rugby against Ballina for the first occasion. They have been regular visitors to Heffernan Park over many years at mini rugby and youth rugby.
Ballina launched into this J1C Cup semifinal with a strong squad but were met by a very capable An Ghaeltacht team who had beaten Claremorris in the previous round. The early rugby was free flowing and highly entertaining, but it took a searing break by Mikey Caden after some superb handling by the men in green to break the deadlock, scoring out wide. Oisin Smyth Rouse was next to get over the whitewash, Conor Connolly converting to put Ballina 12-0 ahead after 20 minutes.
An Ghaeltacht were making a game of it and after multiple assaults on the Ballina line, scored under the posts. With half time looming, a tremendous passage of play by the combined backs and forwards of Ballina in true Barbarian-style rugby saw Michael Collins go over to touch down. Unfortunately he was called back as referee, Cian Hough, had been unfortunate in his choice of positioning and was tackled by a Gaeltacht player. This led to a Ballina five-metre scrum from which Michael Collins, broke to score a try. Connolly converted to put Ballina into a 19-7 lead at half time.
Ballina resumed their attack after half time with James O’Boyle showing great determination to power over followed soon afterwards by Jason O’Brien latching onto a sublime chip over the Gaeltacht defence to score. Connolly converted both.
Some ill discipline by Ballina saw them reduced to 12 players at this stage and An Ghaeltacht exploited their numerical advantage to score. Ballina 33 An Ghaeltacht 12.
Ballina picked up the intensity again and two powerful scores by Jack Murphy and Owen Power followed, but the best was kept till last. Man of the Match, Jason Duggan, who was having a stormer, benefited from some fine interplay by the Ballina backs and forwards, and had enough gas to speed 30 metres down the wing to score. Not bad for a tight head prop after 80 minutes!
Connolly converted to put the final score at 50-12.
Ballina will play Corinthians in the J1C final on March 28/29. Details to be confirmed.
Ballina 50
An Ghaeltacht 12
ON Sunday afternoon, Ballina extended a céad míle fáilte to An Ghaeltacht RFC from Rossaveel who were playing senior rugby against Ballina for the first occasion. They have been regular visitors to Heffernan Park over many years at mini rugby and youth rugby.
Ballina launched into this J1C Cup semifinal with a strong squad but were met by a very capable An Ghaeltacht team who had beaten Claremorris in the previous round. The early rugby was free flowing and highly entertaining, but it took a searing break by Mikey Caden after some superb handling by the men in green to break the deadlock, scoring out wide. Oisin Smyth Rouse was next to get over the whitewash, Conor Connolly converting to put Ballina 12-0 ahead after 20 minutes.
An Ghaeltacht were making a game of it and after multiple assaults on the Ballina line, scored under the posts. With half time looming, a tremendous passage of play by the combined backs and forwards of Ballina in true Barbarian-style rugby saw Michael Collins go over to touch down. Unfortunately he was called back as referee, Cian Hough, had been unfortunate in his choice of positioning and was tackled by a Gaeltacht player. This led to a Ballina five-metre scrum from which Michael Collins, broke to score a try. Connolly converted to put Ballina into a 19-7 lead at half time.
Ballina resumed their attack after half time with James O’Boyle showing great determination to power over followed soon afterwards by Jason O’Brien latching onto a sublime chip over the Gaeltacht defence to score. Connolly converted both.
Some ill discipline by Ballina saw them reduced to 12 players at this stage and An Ghaeltacht exploited their numerical advantage to score. Ballina 33 An Ghaeltacht 12.
Ballina picked up the intensity again and two powerful scores by Jack Murphy and Owen Power followed, but the best was kept till last. Man of the Match, Jason Duggan, who was having a stormer, benefited from some fine interplay by the Ballina backs and forwards, and had enough gas to speed 30 metres down the wing to score. Not bad for a tight head prop after 80 minutes!
Connolly converted to put the final score at 50-12.
Ballina will play Corinthians in the J1C final on March 28/29. Details to be confirmed.
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