Cashel RFC gather full points in a comprehensive home win over northern opponents

All-Ireland League - Division 2A - Round 2

Cashel RFC 38

Banbridge RFC 24

By Peter Silke

On Saturday last, expectations were high as Cashel hosted Banbridge in round two at Spafield, where the Tipp side turned in a very impressive display to win by 38 points to 24. 

It is difficult to find fault after such a display but there must be some concern at the fact that Banbridge scored four tries in the last twenty minutes. One would suspect, and hope, that a little complacency may have set in because Cashel was magnificent for the first 60 minutes.

The game kicked off in perfect conditions and before anyone had settled Banbridge picked from the back of a scrum and ran the ball. Cashel's Jamie Ryan intercepted and ran unopposed for a try under the posts. 

Promising moves on the 8th and 15th minutes were overturned by Banbridge but the pressure told after 17 minutes when Brendan Crosse charged over for a try which Townsend converted. Cashel were now totally on top. Ryan O'Sullivan did well to cover a probing kick from the Bnbridge scrum half. 

The Cashel scrum was rock solid and was anchored by Cormac O'Donnell, David Upton, and Brendan Ryan. In one of the best phases of play Upton, Ryan and Harold Barry brought play from deep inside their own half to the Banbridge 22. Banbridge were penalised and Cashel opted for a scrum. 

The ball was swept to Tom Tobin on the wing and he scored under the posts. Townsend converted. Tobin has a striker’s instinct and if given enough possession will do damage to any opposition. 

As half-time approached there was still more to come from Cashel. A lineout maul drove to the Banbridge line and Cormac O'Donnell charged over for Cashel's fourth bonus point try. 

The half-time score was Cashel 26 Banbridge Nil. In an almost perfect performance the dominance of the pack, the slick passing of Josh Pickering and the strong running of Timothy Townsend, Jamie Ryan Alan Flannery, and Paudie Leamy. Ryan O'Sullivan mopped up everything at full-back. The Cashel defence was impregnable.

Cashel's dominance continued into the second half. Banbridge ran a ball on their own 22. The ever-alert Tom Tobin intercepted and was in for another try. Cashel were now 31 points ahead and cruising, and despite two late Banbridge tries, they earned a valuable try bonus point win. It could be very important at the end of the season.

Scorers: Cashel: Tries: Jamie Ryan, Tom Tobin 2, Josh Pickering, Cormac O’Donnell, David Upton; Conversions: Tim Townsend 4.

Banbridge: Tries: Jonny Scott 2, Xander Lowham, Peter Cromie; Conversions: Charlie Beattie 2.

Cashel: Ryan O’Sullivan; Paudie Leamy, Alan Flannery, Jamie Ryan, Tom Tobin; Tim Townsend, Josh Pickering; Cormac O’Donnell, David Upton, Brendan Ryan, Brendan Crosse, Ed Kelly, Alex Harold Barry, Joe Callery, Mikey Wilson.

Replacements: Adam Shirley, Sean O’Connell, Liam Shine, Marcello Frati, Ben Twomey. Philly Ryan, Matt Carey.

Banbridge: Rob Lyttle; Xander Lowham, Justin Burns, Jonny Scott, Adam Doherty; Charlie Beattie, Jack Hart; Michael Cromie, Peter Cromie (capt), Stuart Cromie, Max Lyttle, Matthew Laird, Alex Weir, Matthew Heasley, Robin Sinton.

Replacements: John Wilson, Ryan Rodgers, Dean Hayes, Neil Kilpatrick, Nathan Hook.