Cashel drop to third after defeat to Ballymena in All-Ireland League

All-Ireland League - Divison 2A - Round 15

Cashel RFC 13

Ballymena 20

It's a long way to Tipperary from Ballymena. The journey is made much longer when your team is beaten as happened on Saturday last when Ballymena prevailed by 20 points to 13 in Ballymena in Division 2A of the All Ireland League.

The journey was made longer again when we took a wrong turn on the way home and ended up going down the Port tunnel only to have to come back up the other bore to get to the M50.

The game kicked off in perfect conditions with a slight breeze helping Cashel in the first half. Cashel started well and dominated the early exchanges.

Ben Twomey put them ahead with a penalty 30 metres out after seven minutes. It was a well-deserved lead after their early pressure.

Unfortunately, Cashel did not secure the kickoff. The ball was knocked on and Ballymena were awarded a scrum 22 metres out. As the ball was whipped to the centre Ballymena executed a training ground move that caught the Cashel defence flat-footed and were in for a seven-pointer.

Ballymena were moving the ball quickly when in possession but Cashel were keeping the line intact and held on to possession but found it difficult to break down the Ballymena defence.

The Ryan twins Brendan and Ciaran, Brendan Crosse and Ed Kelly were carrying well. Tom Tobin on the wing put in some telling tackles. Cashel were superior in the scrum but not enough to deny Ballymena keeping possession.

Kevin O'Connor left the field with an injury after 20 minutes and was replaced by Jack Armshaw. Two minutes later Cashel were awarded a penalty which they kicked to the corner.

They set up the maul and headed for the line. Ballymena collapsed the maul and the referee awarded a penalty try. The game was being played at a fast pace.

Brian O'Connor left the field with an injury and was replaced by Aidan Butler. Cashel were competing well at the lineout with Mikey Wilson winning a few from the opposition.

Ballymena had an overlap thirty metres out but Ben Twomey put in an excellent tackle and Jack Evenden cleared. Five minutes before half-time Brendan Crosse carried twenty metres, the ball was passed to Richard Kingston who brought it to the five-metre line.

It flashed from the left wing through the hands but when a try looked a certainty the ball was dropped and the chance was lost. In injury time Cashel were awarded a penalty forty metres out which Ben Twomey converted to leave Cashel ahead 13 points to 7 at half-time.

It was a good first half for Cashel and if that chance had been taken they could be at least five points further ahead.
The second half saw Ballymena come more into the game with the aid of the breeze. They kicked well and gained field position regularly and more effectively than Cashel did in the first half. Brendan Ryan and Brendan Crosse won important turnovers at the breakdown.

On 50 minutes Ballymena cut the lead to three points with a penalty. Cashel came back and a wonderful maul brought them to the home 22.

The ball was passed to the backs but some sloppy handling gave away possession and a good attacking platform was lost. With two minutes left and the game on a knife edge the general feeling was the team that got the next score would win the game. A long clearance earned Ballymena a 50/22.

The ball was passed from the left wing to the right. A Cashel player tried to intercept but knocked on the ball. He received a yellow card. Ballymena kicked to the corner and went in under the posts for a converted try.

Cashel were now behind 17 points to 13 which against the breeze left them with a mountain to climb as their energy levels seemed to drop. On 65 minutes Tom Tobin went on a run and set up a ruck on the opposition 22.

A Ballymena centre went in at the side of the ruck and disrupted the Cashel scrum half. It was a clear penalty which would have given Cashel a kick to the corner and an opportunity to set up a lineout maul five metres out.
Ballymena cleared and that was as close as Cashel came to the Ballymena line for the rest of the game. Ballymena missed an easy penalty but kept Cashel back in their half.

Cashel defended well but could not get back into a scoring position. Deep in injury time Ballymena kicked a penalty to push them seven points ahead. This ended the game with Ballymena winning by 20 points to 13.

Cashel played well for parts of the game but since their victory over leaders Nenagh in January they have not been firing on all cylinders.

The losing bonus point was not enough to keep pace with Barnhall who won with a try bonus point and are now four points ahead of Cashel who slip to third place. With three games left, there is time to reverse the trend.
Cashels next game is a home fixture with Greystones on March 23rd.

Cashel RFC (1-20): C O'Donnell, C Ryan, B Ryan, B Crosse, E Kelly, B O'Connor, C Ryan, M Wilson, K O'Connor, J Evenden, T Tobin, R O'Sullivan, J Ryan, R Kingston, B Twomey, P Ryan, A Shirley, A Butler, J O'Sullivan, J Armshaw.