Tipperary rugby club Kilfeacle lower the colours of last year's champions Richmond

Richmond 12 Kilfeacle 26

On Sunday last Kilfeacle and District faced Richmond in the Munster Junior League Division 1.

Travelling to Richmond, last year’s champions, is never an easy task but the squad were looking forward to their first league outing of the new season.

The pressure of facing the current champions away, added to squad changes due to injury, meant that all in Kilfeacle and District RFC approached this encounter with trepidation.

The game started in dry, cold conditions with no breeze.

Kilfeacle’s squad on the day consisted of 1 Simon Barry, 2 Brendan Barron, 3 Brian Barron, 4 Darragh Kennedy, 5 Cian Carroll, 6 Thomas Fogarty, 7 Brian Barlow, 8 Kevin Kinnane, 9 Gavin Heuston, 10 Luke Heuston, 11 Dubhan O’Grady, 12 Keith Bourke, 13 Jacques van Wyngaardt, 14 Killian Noonan, 15 Kevin Doyle, 16 Tristan Cleary, 17 Gavin McCormack, 18 Matthew Kemp, 19 Aaron Daly, 20 Kyle Morris, 21 Anthony Foley and 22 Fiachra O’Grady.

Kilfeacle started the better and after just three minutes a team try, finished in the corner by Kevin Doyle, saw them take an early lead. Luke Heuston’s conversion attempt missed its mark and Kilfeacle led by 5 -0.

From the restart, once again Kilfeacle and District took the game to Richmond and pinned them back in their own 22. In the 14th minute Gavin Hueston dived over the Richmond line after 14 phases of controlled play. Luke Heuston converted and the score was 12-0 in favour of Kilfeacle.

After 22 minutes Kilfeacle increased their lead further with a well-taken try from Dubhan O’Grady with a fantastic lineout manoeuvre involving Brian Barron and Brian Barlow. Luke Heuston again converted and Kilfeacle led by 19-0.

With Richmond still reeling, Kilfeacle did not lose any impetus and with 30 minutes on the clock they notched up another converted try scored by Kevin Kinnane and converted by Luke Heuston.

The visiting support was jubilant as their team were in cruise mode and now led by 26–0. They had secured the four-try bonus point and the home support was worried.

However, the cruise did not last long, as the wheels came off and in the 40th minute the last play of the first half presented the opportunity for a scrum for Richmond on the Kilfeacle 22 line.

It has to be said that the Richmond scrum was the more dominant of the two for most of the game. The scrum yielded a penalty for Richmond. A brilliant piece of individual skill by Richmond’s scrum half saw a quick tap before he evaded three tackles to score in the corner. The missed conversion kick signalled half time and the score was 26 – 5 in favour of Kilfeacle.

Richmond started the second half like a wounded animal and straight away started to build phase after phase of controlled play.

Kilfeacle were just not prepared for the blistering pace and intensity of their opponents at the restart. Richmond endeavoured to keep the onslaught going. It took them 17 minutes before they added another try, which was touched down under the posts and converted with ease to bring the score to 26-12.

Kilfeacle tried to a man to wrestle control of the game back from Richmond but their opponents were relentless and their scrum dominant. Both sides made substitutions to their packs.

As the half wore on Richmond started to run out of ideas and a superb Kilfeacle defence was not for relinquishing any more scores on the day.

Richmond never gave up, even when the game was over as a contest. The last 15 minutes of the game became an arm wrestle between the two sides, with neither side managing to gain control or set up any real scoring opportunities.

The referee called final play and Kilfeacle and District wrestled the ball from their opponents and ended the contest as winners by a scoreline of 26–12.

Kilfeacle and District RFC’s next game is a tough fixture at home to Skibbereen RFC in the league. It will take place on this Sunday October 22 at 2.30pm.

The team hope that their supporters will continue to come along and support the “Boys in Blue”.