West Tipperary team Kilfeacle lead Division One of the Munster Junior Rugby League

Kilfeacle 35 Bandon 6

On Sunday morning last Kilfeacle and District RFC surveyed the Munster Junior Rugby League table to see that they had slipped into third position, four points behind a rampant Thomond and a point behind an impressive Bandon.

Their league hopes dangled by a thread, especially with the knowledge that in a matter of hours they had the unenviable task of facing Bandon in a home game.

The challenge and the prize was immense. A home win would keep them in the title race. A loss would condemn them to a battle to maintain a top four finish.

The weather was bitterly cold and the visiting side had the advantage of a light breeze for the first half. Bandon started the game well and immediately pushed Kilfeacle back into their own 22. Within two minutes of the start Bandon had taken the lead with a penalty from just inside the Kilfeacle 22.

Kilfeacle soon had the measure of the Bandon tactics and laid the foundations for the next 20 minutes on an excellent defence.
Kilfeacle began to control the game and in the 24th minute Luke Heuston levelled the score after some excellent team play with a long distance drop goal. They were now in the ascendency and in the 30th minute a stupendous piece of play by Muiri Lambe created the space and opportunity for Kevin Doyle to score in the corner. The conversion attempt from the touchline by Luke Heuston didn’t find its mark but Kilfeacle had taken the lead, 8-3.

In the 32nd minute there was a brief respite for Bandon when on a rare visit into the Kilfeacle half they were awarded a penalty. The visiting side grabbed the opportunity to kick at goal and reduce the deficit to 8-6.

As the half progressed, Kilfeacle pushed further and further into their opponents’ territory and managed to put together some threatening attacks.

The consensus from the very vocal home supporters was that their team were playing the better. With just seconds remaining in the half and after numerous phases of play Brendan Barron crashed over under the posts to score Kilfeacle’s second try. As Luke Heuston watched his conversion attempt split the posts, the half-time whistle sounded with the scoreboard showing 15-6 in favour of “The Boys in Blue”.

From the restart, Kilfeacle immediately took the game to Bandon and gained territorial advantage and within six minutes had extended their lead with a penalty from Luke Heuston. The score was now 18-6.

Bandon were finding it very difficult to retain the ball for any long periods and when they did, they were unable to push into the Kilfeacle half.

Two minutes later Jacques van Wyngaardt notched up another try for Kilfeacle and District. Luke Heuston was unlucky with his conversion attempt, yet Kilfeacle now had a 23-6 lead.

Every time Kilfeacle had possession of the ball they went about their task of winning with a very focused vigour. The rest of the game was a war of attrition being played in the Bandon half, with Kilfeacle having the upper hand.

Kilfeacle were now, inconceivably, in search of a bonus point try against a Bandon side that at the start of the game were above them in the league and unbeaten in six consecutive games. It seemed that Bandon just could not handle the intensity and ball-carrying skills of the home side.

However, something was going wrong for Kilfeacle, as time after time try-scoring opportunities went a-begging. Balls were being knocked on, five metre lineouts were misfiring and passes were not going to hand.

It was time to empty the bench and to dismay of Bandon that meant the introduction of Daniel Lambe, Paddy Finnan, Darragh Kennedy, Cormac Ryan, Adam Crowe, Mikey Fitzgibbon and Timmy Clarke. These players are normally first team starters and they added a new impetus to the game.

This mass introduction had a positive effect for Kilfeacle and in the 70th minute the breakthrough finally came in the shape of Bobby Purcell crashing over the line under the posts. Bobby had a very impressive game and was one of many in contention for man of the match. Luke Heuston converted with ease and Kilfeacle had secured their bonus point with a lead of 30-6.

Kilfeacle had kept the best ‘till last and in the 68th minute a training ground manoeuvre involving all the backs, who had very impressive games in both defence and attack, ended with Killian Noonan slicing through the onrushing Bandon defence to touch down in the corner. Bandon looked on dejectedly as Luke Heuston added the conversion.

The final scoreline of 35-6 in favour of the home side didn’t reflect how dominant Kilfeacle had been for the majority of the game.

This bonus point win means that Kilfeacle sit just one point above Thomond at the top of Division 1. Kilfeacle will now enjoy a well-earned week off before travelling to Newcastle West on December 15 for a Challenge Cup game.

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Kilfeacle’s squad on the day consisted of 1 Brian Barron, 2 Brendan Barron, 3 Richard Whitney, 4 Thomas Fogarty, 5 Bob Purcell, 6 Gavin McCormack, 7 Beau Walker, 8 Kevin Kinnane, 9 Gavin Heuston, 10 Luke Heuston, 11 Killian Noonan, 12 Muiri Lambe, 13 Jacques van Wyngaardt, 14 Kevin Doyle, 15 James Hogan, 16 Daniel Lambe, 17 Paddy Finnan, 18 Darragh Kennedy, 19 Cormac Ryan, 20 Adam Crowe, 21 Timmy Clarke and 22 Mikey Fitzgibbon.