Tipperary Rugby: Kilfeacle bow out of Energia All Ireland Junior Cup at semi-final stage

Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup Semi Final

Kilfeacle & District 5 Ballyclare 15

On Saturday last a huge contingent of the Kilfeacle and District supporters were in Morrissey Park for the Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup semi-final.

Ballyclare started the better and after a missed tackle in the Kilfeacle 22 they took the lead with an try scored by Owen Kane in the ninth minute, which was converted by Matthew McDowell for a 7-0 lead.

The game became an arm wrestle for the next 25 minutes, with neither side able to create any real clear cut scoring chances. In the 35th minute Ballyclare increased their lead with a long-range penalty from just inside the Kilfeacle half, kicked by Matthew McDowell.

From the resultant restart Kilfeacle started to pose a serious threat and in the 39th minute, after four minutes of constant pressure, Diarmuid O’Donnell got in for a Kilfeacle try. The subsequent conversion attempt was from the sideline and against the very strong breeze. Luke Heuston’s conversion attempt dropped just below the crossbar, leaving the score at 10-5.
On the stroke of half time Kilfeacle were awarded a penalty outside the Ballyclare 22. They opted to kick for the corner and turn down the three-point option. Three points here could have changed the complexion of the second half. A knock-on in the resultant lineout saw the half time scoreboard unaltered.

In the opening minutes of the second half Ballyclare’s plan was to target Kilfeacle’s young number ten, who was having a tremendous game. The thinking behind this was obvious, that if they could stop Luke Heuston’s kicking game then Kilfeacle would have no easy way out against the breeze.

In the 44th minute Ballyclare went further ahead with a try in the corner, touched down by Joel McBride with Matthew McDowell’s conversion attempt was short and wide but they now led 15 points to 5.

Kilfeacle’s reaction to falling 10 points behind was admirable and the further the game progressed the further Ballyclare were pushed back into their own half and eventually their own 22. The last 15 minutes of the game saw Ballyclare unable to break out so they battened down the hatches and barricaded themselves in for a titanic arm wrestle, as they knew Kilfeacle needed tries to win.

Ballyclare’s defence creaked and groaned, the hinges buckled, it gave a little and then pushed back. All the time the sands of time in the hourglass trickled agonisingly away. Kilfeacle came close, oh so close.

Jacques van Wyngaardt burst through Ballyclare’s defensive line and was bound for glory, only to be hauled back for a forward pass. Bobby Purcell was deemed to be held up in the act of grounding the ball in the 75th minute. Kevin Kinnane created an overlap only metres out from the tryline with nobody to impede him, only for the pass to fall behind him and by the time he had retrieved it he was driven into touch.

Kilfeacle were awarded three penalties, some from a kickable distance in the last 10 minutes, but the 10-point margin and points not secured in the first half meant that the option was kick to touch and try to score a try.

With last play called, Kilfeacle made one last surge and 16 phases of play followed. Would Kilfeacle’s attack be the unstoppable force or would Ballyclare’s defence be the unmovable object. Kilfeacle were just metres from the line when Ballyclare finally got their hands on the ball and won the vital scrum. They secured possession and kicked the ball dead. The final whistle had sounded and Kilfeacle players to a man fell to the ground in disbelief.

On the day Ballyclare’s defence won the game and what a defensive effort it was. Kilfeacle congratulate Ballyclare RFC on their win and the manner in which the game was played. Kilfeacle and District’s whole squad to a man once again did the club proud, despite the result.

We as a club will dust ourselves off, regroup and come again. Kilfeacle are back in action on January 7 for the Junior League encounter away against Mallow at 2.30pm.

Kilfeacle’s squad: 1 Brendan Barron, 2 Richard Whitney, 3 Simon Barry, 4 Cormac Ryan, 5 Bob Purcell, 6 Brian Barlow, 7 Thomas Fogarty, 8 Kevin Kinane, 9 Gavin Heuston, 10 Luke Heuston, 11 Killian Noonan, 12 Jacques van Wyngaardt, 13 Keith Bourke, 14 Darren Lowry, 15 Kevin Doyle, 16 Cian Carroll, 17 Diarmuid O’Donnell 18 Brian Barron, 19 Gavin McCormack, 20 Darragh Kennedy, 21 Dubhan O’Grady and 22 Kyle Morris.